"Keyboard Batteries Low" Notification

bobob · May 28, 2014

I never noticed it in systems before Mavericks, but is there a way to turn off the "Keyboard Batteries Low" notification?

Sure, you can click on the "Close" box on the notification, but it comes right back on in 5 minutes.

I appreciate the heads up, but I do not need to know continuously on my desktop from weeks before the actual battery change that there is 18%... 18%... 18%... 17%...

bobob · May 30, 2014

No hints or tips? Anyone?

I'm still at 17% battery after more than a week and am considering throwing the batteries out and replacing them with fresh ones just to silence this dang notification.

I use rechargeables in my Magic Mouse, but regular energizers/duracells in my Apple wireless keyboard because the rechargeables need frequent recharging and the regular batteries last a year or more.

I won't actually throw them out, but the fact that the keyboard notification even makes me ponder doing so, seems at odds with Apple's very strong green environment stance.

BrianBaughn · May 30, 2014

Seems like there should be a way to change the level at which the repeated warnings come up but I haven't seen one posted anywhere.

I suppose Apple is concerned about the possibility that a keyboard with low batteries might produce some input error...and that you might be using your Mac to control aircraft traffic or a nuclear power station's cooling system.

coldwaves · May 30, 2014

bobob said:
I never noticed it in systems before Mavericks, but is there a way to turn off the "Keyboard Batteries Low" notification?

Sure, you can click on the "Close" box on the notification, but it comes right back on in 5 minutes.

I appreciate the heads up, but I do not need to know continuously on my desktop from weeks before the actual battery change that there is 18%... 18%... 18%... 17%...

I don't know how to turn it off. One thing I notice is that in Mountain Lion, the battery low reminder will come up when the battery drops below 10%. In Mavericks, the threshold seems to go higher.

bobob · Jun 12, 2014

<<<BREAKING NEWS>>>

It's been a little over two weeks since I posted this thread and my battery percentage is now down to 16%!!!

(Still can't turn that damn notification off though.)

leventozler · Jun 12, 2014

Mine has been stuck at %0 for at least 5 days. Good luck!

Gochugogi · Jun 12, 2014

I left Energizer batteries in my keyboard for a year and they leaked and ruined the keyboard (stuck inside). So changing early is not such a bad thing. Next time I'll use Eneloops....

leventozler · Jun 12, 2014

Apple's rechargeable batteries are much better, or any Ni-MH battery, they drain much faster once they're "low," compared to Alkaline batteries.

jlsm511 · Jun 14, 2014

I use a combination of the Apple Ni-MH batteries and Eneloops and haven't always just keep a set charged so when I get the low battery notification I just swap them out and put the old ones to charge.

bobob · Jun 16, 2014

jlsm511 said:
I use a combination of the Apple Ni-MH batteries and Eneloops and haven't always just keep a set charged so when I get the low battery notification I just swap them out and put the old ones to charge.

I originally used rechargeables for the keyboard but found that they drained very quickly (I still use rechargeables for the Magic Mouse with no problem). I started using regular Duracells for the keyboard and they last a year or more.

I agree that with rechargeables, the keyboard notification wouldn't be an issue, however with the Duracells I want to run them down to fail for economy.

None of this would be an issue if the notification had some sort of user adjustable parameters, or even a daily refresh schedule. As it is, I click it off and it returns in 5 minutes to block the corner of my screen.

This is definitely a first world problem, but nonetheless remains one of my few gripes about OSX.

bobob · Jun 18, 2014

There is exciting news from my desktop this morning - - my notification has changed from "Keyboard Batteries Low" to "Keyboard Batteries Very Low" - - which seems to have been triggered by an 11% threshold.

This is such a welcome and pleasant change of pace from my perennial screen friend - - variety is definitely the spice of life in long term relationships!

fhall1 · Jun 19, 2014

Gochugogi said:
I left Energizer batteries in my keyboard for a year and they leaked and ruined the keyboard (stuck inside). So changing early is not such a bad thing. Next time I'll use Eneloops....

Just an FYI....Energizer and Duracell have (or used to have - haven't had to check in a couple years) battery "warranties" where if their alkaline batteries leak and ruin something, they will replace the item (or send you a check for its replacement value). I've had a couple D-cell Maglite flashlights and a Fuji digital camera replaced that way.

Check their websites or google for "alkaline battery warranty"

FreakinEurekan · Jun 19, 2014

bobob said:
There is exciting news from my desktop this morning - - my notification has changed from "Keyboard Batteries Low" to "Keyboard Batteries Very Low" - - which seems to have been triggered by an 11% threshold.

This is such a welcome and pleasant change of pace from my perennial screen friend - - variety is definitely the spice of life in long term relationships!

I do use rechargeables in my keyboard, but what I'd suggest... pull the weak batteries and put them in a TV remote. They'll probably last another 6 months there, and you can put fresh batteries into your keyboard.

bobob · Jun 20, 2014

FreakinEurekan said:
I do use rechargeables in my keyboard, but what I'd suggest... pull the weak batteries and put them in a TV remote. They'll probably last another 6 months there, and you can put fresh batteries into your keyboard.

I appreciate the suggestion - - putting fresh batteries in the keyboard would definitely stop the notification.

bobob · Jul 1, 2014

I am now entering my third calendar month with the "Keyboard Batteries Very Low" notification blocking the upper right corner of my iMac's screen (even over full screen videos). Batteries are now down to 7%.

bobob · Jul 24, 2014

My keyboard batteries have finally given up the ghost this morning.

I'm already starting to miss my notification.

shotts56 · Jul 24, 2014

Be careful what you wish for. Does your mouse have batteries in it ?

Dizle · Aug 1, 2014

Any fix to these annoying notifications? I don't care that they're low, I'll replace them when it stops working!

AZhappyjack · Aug 1, 2014

jlsm511 said:
I use a combination of the Apple Ni-MH batteries and Eneloops and haven't always just keep a set charged so when I get the low battery notification I just swap them out and put the old ones to charge.

Thats exactly how I roll with my Magic Mouse batteries. I have 2 MM (one for my rMBP and one for my wife's iMac). I have a total of 6 batteries in the rotation - 4 from Apple and 2 Eneloops - two batteries in each mouse and 2 on the charger. Works fantastically.

pantulis · Oct 22, 2014

I envy you guys, I really do. I just received a "Keyboard Batteries Low" Notification with 97% battery level!

bobob · Oct 26, 2014

pantulis said:
I envy you guys, I really do. I just received a "Keyboard Batteries Low" Notification with 97% battery level!

I envy you your many coming months with your new faithful friend.

________________________________

To be clear, I use rechargeables in my Magic Mouse without issue. However, when I did the same with my wireless keyboard, I found the more frequent charging tedious. The non-rechargeable batteries I use in my keyboard last well over a year. I have no issues with any of my Apple hardware - the keyboard works like a charm!

The only problem I have is the software one I reported in this thread - - the inability to manually close the on-screen notification.

Partron22 · Oct 27, 2014

Sometimes if I take the batteries out of my bluetooth keyboard, and then put them back in, the percent charge changes from a low number like 17% to 90%+.
This is useful in eliminating "low battery" messages.

SterlingiMac · Nov 23, 2014

I don't even have a bluetooth keyboard and I still ge the message!

Chozzles · Feb 21, 2015

Same problem, womp womp

I have the same problem as the OP, and while I'm sad that there isn't an obvious solution, I do want to thank the OP for his hilarious follow-ups. Keep up the good fight, bobob.

bigmikeinnj · Feb 23, 2015

Before a security update on 12/22/14 that brought back all my bluetooth issues I faithfully used the Apple Charger and Batteries ($30.00, Apple Store) for years. I would get the warning ONCE, acknowledge it and immediately check if I had a set in the charger in the kitchen. Once those charged (couple hours) I'd be set for quite a while. I used the same charger/set of batteries for years before I noticed my alert times were becoming more frequent. The batteries Apple supplies with the charger I think are Sanyo, very highly rated. But eventually they lose the ability to take and hold a long running charge. $30.00 gets you a new charger and 6 batteries. Not bad. I decided to get a brick of Duracell's at Sam's Club and they'd only last a couple weeks. I put them into my tv room remotes and would get a little bit more service out of them. I believe in my case the computer I use (a mid 2001 27 inch iMac) and the more recent bluetooth updates were not so compatible and the keyboard and trackpad were spending a lot of time and energy trying to ping the iMac. This is a machine I've owned since late 2011 and it was only after some of the recent software updates my battery issues appeared.

Good luck, I went back to a wired keyboard and mouse, no more weird glitches and software issues or battery usage since (3 weeks)...

"Keyboard Batteries Low" Notification

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68040

macrumors G3

macrumors 6502

macrumors 68040

macrumors 6502

macrumors regular

macrumors 6502

macrumors 6502

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68040

macrumors 603

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68040

macrumors 6502

macrumors 6502

macrumors G3

macrumors newbie

macrumors 68040

macrumors 68030

macrumors newbie

macrumors newbie

macrumors regular

Our Staff