Apple Bluetooth keyboard won't connect

Hoping someone here can help with this.

After a power cut yesterday on restarting my Mac Mini the Apple bluetooth keyboard didn’t connect. I keep an old USB keyboard around for this situation, so was able to get past the login screen using that (in itself a sad commentary on the usability design of bluetooth keyboards). I tried the usual tricks to get the keyboard to connect: turn keyboard off, turn back on holding power key down on keyboard. The keyboard appears in the Bluetooth keyboard connection window (showing it’s usual keyboard name) but on clicking connect nothing happens or it displays a message that it failed to pair.

Does anyone here have suggestions of additional things I could try?

I honestly can’t understand why Apple don’t provide a way to do a factory reset on their Bluetooth keyboards, it seems that the keyboard isn’t recognising it is/should already be paired with this computer.

Rodney

Solved. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

Shutdown and hold power key for 10 seconds, then restart, then go through keyboard connection process worked in my case.

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If it’s Apple’s current Bluetooth keyboard, with its rechargeable battery, plugging it into the MacMini with a standard USB-Lightning Cable should re-pair it.

This Apple Support Page also provides guidance for older Apple Bluetooth keyboards.

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I had a similar problem recently with a Mk 1 Trackpad. I too tried all the usual tricks but nothing worked - I thought it must be broken. Eventually, I removed the Trackpad from the Bluetooth devices list and then re-entered it. Normality was restored. YMMV!