Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Bluetooth keyboard - but I lose the on screen keyboard

A

askywalker

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 18, 2007
167
0
I am hoping that I am just missing some settings for the bluetooth keyboard. Can I enable the on screen keyboard as well?

I was hoping that I could use whichever one I wanted - saving the keyboard for the big typing marathons, but still walking around with it and using on screen when passing it around etc...

Anyone know a way? Only way I have been able to is to go into the settings and turn on/off bluetooth, but that is not very convenient.
 
M

markab

macrumors regular
Apr 23, 2010
111
4
UK
I think pressing the eject or maybe escape button on the bt keyboard may bring it up. Been a while since I tried the keyboard with my iPad and don't have it to hand just now but I'm sure it was something like that.
 
A

askywalker

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 18, 2007
167
0
markab said:
I think pressing the eject or maybe escape button on the bt keyboard may bring it up. Been a while since I tried the keyboard with my iPad and don't have it to hand just now but I'm sure it was something like that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately Escape and the eject aren't working for me. Will keep poking.

Side note - it is nice to have the volume, brightness etc.. working from the keyboard.
 
mgipe

mgipe

macrumors demi-god
Oct 6, 2009
675
145
CA
The only solution I've been able to find is to power off the BT keyboard when you are not actually using it.
 
barefeats

barefeats

macrumors 65816
Jul 6, 2000
1,058
19
The Eject works to bring up virtual keyboard but only when you have clicked in a text box and the cursor is flashing.
 
A

askywalker

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 18, 2007
167
0
That is good to know about the eject key. I hope they come up with something that can be triggered from the ipad - since it is usually when holding the ipad that you realize that you need the keyboard.

I didn't even realize that holding the button for a few seconds acted as a power toggle. When I put the keyboard in my bag, I often end up with dead batteries (something has been pushing on a key I suppose). I end up finding a coin, taking out one of the batteries, and reversing that process when taking it out of my bag. Does this power off help with that? Anyone else find a faster workaround for carrying this thing around with you? The mouse has a nice physical slider, so no problems there...
 
S

Skystar

macrumors 6502
May 15, 2007
269
0
This is what I was worried about since I'm thinking of getting an apple bluetooth keyboard instead of the keyboard dock. So when I have the ipad on my desk, and I'm using the bt keyboard but decide to walk away with the ipad, I would have to turn off the bt keyboard? Since I would still be in bt range I would not be able to bring up the onscreen keyboard correct? Thanks
 
Night Spring

Night Spring

macrumors G5
Jul 17, 2008
14,613
7,791
My workaround is to go into the iPad's settings and turn Bluetooth off when I'm not using the keyboard. If you need to use Bluetooth for something else, you can also unpair the keyboard, though pairing it up again is a bit of a pain.
 
mgipe

mgipe

macrumors demi-god
Oct 6, 2009
675
145
CA
Skystar said:
This is what I was worried about since I'm thinking of getting an apple bluetooth keyboard instead of the keyboard dock. So when I have the ipad on my desk, and I'm using the bt keyboard but decide to walk away with the ipad, I would have to turn off the bt keyboard? Since I would still be in bt range I would not be able to bring up the onscreen keyboard correct? Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, that's correct. It's funny because the Bluetooth range is sometimes greater than the wifi range on my 'pad.
 
F

flyingturtle

macrumors regular
Apr 7, 2010
116
2
Night Spring said:
My workaround is to go into the iPad's settings and turn Bluetooth off when I'm not using the keyboard. If you need to use Bluetooth for something else, you can also unpair the keyboard, though pairing it up again is a bit of a pain.
Click to expand...

This is what I do as well. Turn off the bluetooth via the iPad settings when not using the keyboard. I also do this when I'm taking the iPad with me in my car on my way to meeting. I'll disable the bluetooth.
 
Dammit Cubs

Dammit Cubs

macrumors 68020
Jul 31, 2007
2,108
696
Yeah Im actually trying to figure out if I'm going to even need it. This is day 14 and so i have to either return it or forever hold my peace.

The problem is, i only use it for like 10 minutes at work. I don't even bring it home and i can type decent on the touchscreen where i'm not like "gosh, i would like a keyboard"

only thing nice about having the keyboard is that i can keep the ipad vertical and have a full keyboard to use. But using the bluetooth keyboard makes me feel so disconnected. The ipad loses some of its personal connection to me, if people can relate to that.
 
pooryou

pooryou

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2007
1,329
63
NorCal
Why would you want the BT keyboard on when you aren't using it anyway? It's easy enough to turn it off and on. Combined with the eject key for when it is on, this is a non-issue IMO.
 
garylapointe

garylapointe

macrumors 68000
Feb 19, 2006
1,886
1,245
Dearborn (Detroit), MI, USA
pooryou said:
Why would you want the BT keyboard on when you aren't using it anyway? It's easy enough to turn it off and on. Combined with the eject key for when it is on, this is a non-issue IMO.
Click to expand...

For example, I walked out of the room with the iPad (or iPhone) and the keyboard is in the other room. Now I can't type...

(Or I was in the car and the keyboard was in the trunk, but still on...)

There should be an easy way to get the on-screen keyboard. And I thought I read about and easy way but I can't find the information.

Gary
 
M

microview

macrumors newbie
Jan 1, 2011
17
0
Thanks for the tips. I am using the Apple aluminum miniature wireless keyboard on my iPad to type this reply.

What I discovered:

1. Once paired you don't need to re-pair with the iPad.
2. To bring up virtual kb press the eject button on the physical kb.
3. To bring up the virtual kb while away, turn the physical kb off by holding the power button down (left side battery compartment) for 3 seconds till the green light goes off.
4. To reconnect the physical kb just press the power button for a second.
5. Not having a mouse at the same time feels very weird. Will take some getting use to using the touch screen instead. :apple:
 
B

Built

macrumors 68020
Oct 3, 2007
2,122
29
Los Angeles
garylapointe said:
For example, I walked out of the room with the iPad (or iPhone) and the keyboard is in the other room. Now I can't type...

(Or I was in the car and the keyboard was in the trunk, but still on...)

There should be an easy way to get the on-screen keyboard. And I thought I read about and easy way but I can't find the information.

Gary
Click to expand...

I've had the same problem. That BT signal is powerful. :)

Was wondering why my on-screen keyboard wasn't coming up and realized that I had mistakenly turned the BT keyboard back on when I was slipping it back into its case.
I didn't know anything about the Eject function. Now I do. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom