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Solved: Microsoft Designer Keyboard Not Pairing
If the Fn key is locked, Microsoft Designer Keyboard won’t pair
5 min. read
Published onOctober 11, 2023
published onOctober 11, 2023
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Key notes
Some of our readers complained about the Microsoft Designer Keyboard not pairing with their devices. In this article, we will go through all the methods tested by the WR hardware specialists to fix this problem quickly.
Why is my Microsoft Designer keyboard not connecting?
What can I do when my Microsoft Designer keyboard is not pairing?
First, try performing several troubleshooting steps to exclude some potential problems:
1. Make sure you are following the right pairing instructions
From the tests that our Windows Report hardware specialists performed, following the pairing procedure from the instructions manual worked flawlessly.
However, if you have paired the keyboard to 3 devices already, that’s the maximum you get so you need to unpair it from one of the devices if you want to pair it with a new one.
2. Disable the Fn key
Another problem that our colleagues at Windows Report found is that the Microsoft Designer Keyboard won’t pair if theFnkey is activated (the button is lit) because the pairing button won’t work anymore.
So, disable theFnkey by long pressing it or hold theFnkey pressed and pressCaps Lockuntil it’s no longer lit and try pairing the keyboard again.
3. Use the Mouse and Keyboard Center app
Keyboard Center will also provide you with a list of devices that you have paired it with so you can check if you are using it on 3 devices already.
Other Microsoft Designer Keyboard problems you may encounter
Can I reset the Microsoft Designer Keyboard?
To reset Microsoft Designer Keyboard, turn it off, from the power button on the bottom, take out the batteries, and press some keys to drain off the residual power.
Leave it like that for 10 minutes, then insert the batteries (new ones if available) and turn on the keyboard. It should start in pairing mode.
To summarize our guide, our WR test team managed to pair the Microsoft Designer Keyboard just by following the right pairing procedure. However, make sure that the device you’re pairing has a working Bluetooth 4.0 connection, the keyboard is powered and the Fn key is not lit.
Also, like any other Bluetooth device, Microsoft Designer Keyboard has a short range of action so before hitting that pairing button, make sure it’s close to the device you want to pair it with and with no obstructions between them.
That’s it, and we hope that our guide helped you fix the Microsoft Designer Keyboard pairing problem.
We also have a complete guide onhow to fix Bluetooth keyboard pairing issuesthat might also help.
If you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to use the comments section below and let us know about them.
More about the topics:Keyboard issues
Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, Claudiu is focused on whatever comes new from Microsoft.
His abrupt interest in computers started when he saw the first Home Computer as a kid. However, his passion for Windows and everything related became obvious when he became a sys admin in a computer science high school.
With 14 years of experience in writing about everything there is to know about science and technology, Claudiu also likes rock music, chilling in the garden, and Star Wars. May the force be with you, always!
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Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, with 14 years of experience in writing on everything there is to know about science, technology, and Microsoft
