Reset Apple Wireless Keyboard

As more and more Apple mobile devices are hitting the market they all have several common factors.  One common factor is that they all have bluetooth installed on them.  As a result the demand to install, or pair, a wireless keyboard to the mobile device has increased.  With a wireless keyboard increase many people are buying and selling at a tremendous rate.  Every once in a while you may get a keyboard, either from a friend or a seller, that is still paired with another Apple device.  The following is a rundown of how to manually reset a Apple wireless keyboard so you can connect it, or pair it, with your Apple MAC computer.  Each mobile device has a little different procedure but they all will connect a keyboard via the "Bluetooth" section of the Settings area.  Make sure you have charged batteries in the keyboard and do the following:

1. Make sure keyboard is off - (Just take batteries out then put back in if keyboard is on)
2. Navigate to the "Bluetooth" section of the MAC computer
3. Click the + symbol in the bottom left hand corner
4. The Bluetooth Set Up Assistance window will come up and start searching
5. Turn on the keyboard by pushing the button on the side of it, BUT HOLD THE BUTTON IN. DO NOT LET IT GO!
6. The Set Up Assistance will find your keyboard
7. Click on the Name of the Keyboard and click on "Continue Again", while still holding the power button down on keyboard
8. Type the "Paring Code" that you see on the screen
9. Take your finger off the keyboard power button
10. Your keyboard should be connected to your device and good to go

For more information about this process, you may click here.

MAC Keyboard Cleaning Experiment

A couple of weeks ago back your friendly neighborhood IT Department posted a couple of solutions on how to clean your MAC keyboard if it gets dirty and unresponsive. In the post it indicated that the IT department has not tried solution number 2. Your friendly neighborhood IT Department now has tired solution number 2 of those techniques. Here is the rundown of the results from that experiment:
1. Results

• a. Plugged keyboard directly into the MAC tower
• b. Some keys on the keyboard worked like the volume buttons, the eject button, and several others
• c. When the keyboard was plugged in the icons on the desktop kept getting highlighted
• d. None of the desktop icons would open up with the keyboard plugged in

2. Conclusions from IT Department

• a. Solution number 2 for cleaning out the MAC keyboard does get your keyboard clean however your MAC keyboard may or may not work depending on what type of keyboard you have
• b. Parts of the keyboard worked and parts of the keyboard didn't work
• c. Results of your MAC keyboard test will vary

MAC Keyboard Key Problems

Is your keys on your MAC keyboard been sticking due to built up gunk over the years? Have you, a member of your family, or a guest "accidentally" spilled your drink on your keyboard? Instead of using that keyobard as a baseball bat or golf club your friendly neighborhood IT department might have a way for you to clean that gunk and drink out of your keyboard. According to Christopher Breen from Macworld.com there are two ways to clean your keyboard. Here is the rundown of those two ideas.

• 1. Clean keys with a can of compressed air
  This method is the common method that almost all computer users know of. This method may take a few minutes to do but it gets your keyboard back in the game in no time.
• 2. Put the keyboard in the dishwasher
  This method is not so common. If you are brave enough to try this here are the steps to take.
1. a. Put keyboard on top rack of area of dishwasher


2. b. Set dishwasher to the rinse only setting


3. c. Let run


4. d. Once dishwasher is done, remove keyboard and let drain with keys facing down


5. e. Let keyboard air dry (This will take about a day or two)

This method has not been tried by the IT department as of right now so please use method 2 at your own risk. For a complete review on these methods pleae visit the following link: http://www.macworld.com/article/145131/2009/12/clean_keyboard.html?lsrc=nl_mwweek_h_cbintro