Microsoft wireless keyboard

The whole situation is pretty straightforward—I buy the keyboard, head home, plug it into my computer, and iiiiiiiiii... nothing happens.
Except maybe some little pop-up notification saying macOS isn't recognizing the device, and now I'm just sitting here wondering what my next move should be.
Any help would be appreciated.

Sent from my Android using Reddit

silentskipper3 said:The thing is, it's super simple—I buy the keyboard, head home, plug it into my computer, and... nothing happens. Nothing at all.
Maybe I just see some little pop-up saying macOS doesn't recognize the device, and now I'm stuck. I have no idea what to do next.
Any help would be great.

Sent from my Android using Reddit

I don't actually use a wireless keyboard or mouse myself, but just in case, I guess you should check if you installed any drivers? Like, maybe they came with the keyboard or you grabbed them online? If you did, maybe try a quick restart too, just to be safe. Also, double-check that the battery is sitting right in its slot, assuming you already put one in. If your motherboard drivers and USB ports seem fine but the system still isn't picking up the keyboard, it might just be a dud. Maybe try plugging it into a friend's or neighbor's computer? If it works there, then it's probably a driver issue on your end, so you could try hunting down the latest motherboard drivers online. But if it doesn't work anywhere, you might just need to swap it out.

The battery seems fine, so I’m leaning towards this keyboard being total junk. There aren't any drivers available for it, either locally or anywhere else online.

silentskipper3 said:The battery seems fine, so I guess it might just be this junk keyboard. I can't find any drivers for it anywhere, not even online.

Yeah, if the battery is holding up and you're pretty sure the motherboard drivers and USB ports are behaving—like, maybe if you plug in a different keyboard or mouse and they work fine—then it’s probably just a dud keyboard. If you've still got the receipt and it's under warranty, I'd say just swap it out right away. Or, you know, maybe ask them to test it on one of their demo PCs at the store first just to be safe... then you're all set. 🙂

Yeah, a Microsoft wireless keyboard... Look, I’m usually the first person to trash everything Microsoft makes, but honestly, almost all their stuff is absolute garbage—except for that one power supply that’s just a rebranded Fortran...

That’s just how their peripherals are. A Genius wireless desktop i8050 goes for less than $60. And even the cheapest Logitech wireless sets, like the MK235 or MK270, are under $80. Why bother with anything else?

But, whatever...

So, I'm not sure if the USB dongle has a pairing button. If it does, you need to press it, and once you see some signs of life (maybe), you have to pair them in order: first the keyboard, then the mouse, using the buttons on the devices themselves. Do all of this while the dongle is plugged into the PC. It should work instantly, though you might need to reboot the machine.

Second thing: pick your USB port carefully. Not all USB ports provide the same amount of power, so try the ones directly on the back of the motherboard and test a few different ones. Also, there might be too much interference between the dongle and the keyboard/mouse, causing a weak or non-existent signal. When you're testing this, try getting as close to the dongle as possible, or maybe lift the case onto the desk to see if that helps.

And yeah, check your BIOS to make sure "USB keyboard support" hasn't been accidentally disabled, if that's an option.

Otherwise, a pro tip for wireless setups is to use a USB extension cable. Plug it straight into the computer, run it up to your desk—maybe hide it behind the monitor base—and plug the dongle into that. That way, you minimize obstacles between the transmitter and receiver for a stronger signal, and naturally, your batteries will last longer too.

So, looks like the keyboard is the culprit after all. I don't have much choice but to send it back. I guess it's my own fault for buying cheap junk in the first place.