How to Fix : iMac Not Recognizing Keyboard or Mouse?

How to Fix : iMac Not Recognizing Keyboard or Mouse?.

Is your iMac not recognizing your Magic Keyboard, mouse, or trackpad? Or is it difficult for him to maintain a stable connection with your input devices? Usually the problem is related to the keyboard or mouse and is relatively easy to fix. But in some cases, you may have to resort to troubleshooting various aspects of your iMac to fix it.

The instructions below will walk you through various suggestions and solutions to make your iMac recognize your Magic Keyboard or Mouse. Some fixes also apply to third-party wireless keyboards and mice.

Navigating Your iMac

Some fixes require a working keyboard or mouse to navigate and interact with your iMac. Here’s what you can do:

Use a third-party wired USB keyboard or mouse. Use the Magic Keyboard or trackpad in wired mode (more on this below). Unfortunately, you cannot use the Magic Mouse due to the location of its charging port.If the problem is with your mouse or trackpad, use your keyboard to navigate through the items on the screen or activate the mouse keys. >

1. Turn Keyboard or Mouse On/Off

Magic Keyboard, Mouse, or Trackpad firmware may experience random glitches that prevent your iMac from working properly. Fortunately, you can quickly deal with them by restarting the problematic input device. Just find the power switch, turn it off (white) and then on (green). The same applies to third-party wireless keyboards and mice.

Note. If you’re setting up a new iMac, the Magic keyboard, mouse, or trackpad won’t show up until you turn it on.

2. Restart Your iMac

Another quick fix involves restarting your iMac. Hopefully this should resolve minor system issues preventing your keyboard or mouse from being recognized or connected to.

1. Open the Apple menu and select Restart.

2. Uncheck “Reopen windows when logging back in”.

3. Select Restart again to restart your iMac.

3. Connect Keyboard or Mouse via USB

If your iMac doesn’t recognize your Magic Keyboard, trackpad, or mouse, briefly establish a wired USB connection. If this helps restore the connection, disconnect the cable and use the device wirelessly.

Note. If you purchased a Magic Keyboard, trackpad, or mouse separately from your iMac, the device will only pair via USB.

4. Charge Keyboard or Mouse

A Bluetooth mouse or keyboard with little remaining power can cause problems connecting to iMac. So, try charging it and see if that makes a difference.

Again, plug your keyboard, mouse, or trackpad into your iMac’s USB port and wait at least 15 minutes before using them again. If you are using an input device with replaceable batteries (such as a first generation Magic keyboard and mouse), replace them with a new pair.

5. Disconnect and Reconnect to Bluetooth

A corrupted Bluetooth device cache can also play a role, so the next fix involves reconnecting your Apple wireless keyboard, mouse, or trackpad to your iMac.

1. Open System Preferences.

2. Select Bluetooth.

2. Select the X next to your input device.

4. Select Delete.

5. Restart your input device and select Connect to pair your keyboard or mouse with your iMac again.

6. Remove and Reconnect USB Receiver

If you’re using a third-party non-Bluetooth keyboard or mouse, remove the USB receiver and reconnect it, preferably to a different port on your iMac. It is also not recommended to connect the receiving device to an external USB hub or adapter.

7. Reset Bluetooth Module

Then try resetting your Mac’s Bluetooth via Terminal:

1. Open the launcher on Mac and select Other > Terminal.

2. Type the following command and press Enter:

sudo pkill bluetoothd

3. Enter your Mac’s administrator password and press Enter again.

8. Factory Reset Apple Devices

If you’re using macOS Big Sur or earlier, you can factory reset your Magic Keyboard, Mouse, and Trackpad. This may resolve additional firmware related issues that cannot be resolved by restarting the device.

1. Connect your Mac keyboard, mouse, or trackpad via USB.

2. Hold down the Option key and click the Bluetooth icon in the Control Center or menu bar.

3. Select “Restore factory settings for all connected Apple devices”.

4. Click OK.

9. Reset Bluetooth Preferences

A corrupted Bluetooth settings file can be another reason for wireless mouse or keyboard problems on your iMac. Delete it and check if it has changed.

1. Control-click the Finder icon in the Dock and select Go To Folder.

2. Enter the following path in the “Browse to Folder” field and press Enter:

~/Library/Settings/

3. Find and drag the following file to the Trash:

com.apple.bluetooth.plist

4. Restart your Mac.

Note. macOS will automatically create a new Bluetooth settings file from scratch when you restart your Mac. If there are any problems with this, restore the original from the trash.

10. Use the Bluetooth Setup Assistant

Your iMac may not connect to a keyboard and mouse automatically in specific environments such as macOS recovery. In this case, press the power button on your iMac three times (wait one second after each press) and connect to them manually using the Bluetooth Setup Assistant.

11. Reset NVRAM on iMac

If you’re using an iMac with an Intel chipset, resetting the NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) can also resolve keyboard and mouse issues. However, you will need a wired keyboard to perform this fix.

1. Turn off your iMac.

2. Press the power button while holding down the Command, Option, P, and R keys.

3. Release the keys when the Apple logo appears a second time or when your iMac beeps twice.

12. Perform SMC Reset

If the problem persists, reset the SMC (Storage Management Controller) of your iMac.

1. Turn off your iMac.

2. Disconnect the power cable.

3. Wait 15 seconds and plug in the power cable.

4. Wait another 5 seconds.

5. Press the power button to turn on your iMac.

13. Update Your Mac

If your iMac came preinstalled with an early version of macOS (such as macOS 12.0 Monterey), your best bet is to rule out any system software bugs by installing any pending updates as soon as possible.

1. Open the Apple menu and select About This Mac.

2. Select Software Update.

3. Select Update Now.

What Else Can You Do?

Wireless interference from external sources, such as unshielded power cables, kitchen equipment, or other wireless devices, can severely interfere with your iMac’s connection to your keyboard or mouse. See if moving your desktop device to another part of your house or apartment helps.

If the issue persists, try troubleshooting your iMac in Safe Mode. If that still doesn’t help, you’re most likely dealing with a faulty keyboard or mouse. Send it back for a replacement if it’s still under warranty.