Tech Reference

How to connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac computer in 5 simple steps

man on wireless keyboard mac apple
You'll likely need to enter a short code to connect a wireless keyboard to your Mac. Kite_rin/Shutterstock
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If you want to kick back on the couch and type on your Mac from across the room, or if you just want to use a new keyboard, it's easy to connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac computer. 

You can connect a wireless keyboard to a Mac desktop computer, like an iMac or Mac Mini, or even a MacBook laptop. If you connect a keyboard to a MacBook, it doesn't cancel out the laptop's built-in keyboard — you can use either one you want.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

iMac (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy)

Mac Mini (From $799.99 at Best Buy)

How to connect a wireless keyboard to your Mac

1. Turn on the wireless keyboard.

2. Click the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen and hit "System Preferences."

1 Wireless Keyboard
You'll need to find your Bluetooth menu, which is in the System Preferences app.  Steven John/Business Insider

3. Click on the Bluetooth icon to be taken to taken to the pairing screen.

2 Wireless Keyboard
Select the Bluetooth icon.  Steven John/Business Insider

4. Put the keyboard into active pairing mode. The way to do this will vary by keyboard, so check the specific instructions for your keyboard.

5. When the device's name pops up on the screen in the Bluetooth window, click on it.

3 Wireless Keyboard
Make sure your keyboard is in pairing mode, and that it's close to your Mac.  Steven John/Business Insider

You will now likely have to tap a series of keys on the wireless keyboard before your computer will recognize it. 

These are often the Z key and the question mark (?) key. 

Once you've finished this process, your wireless keyboard should pair with your Mac.

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Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.