How do I fix an older external USB keyboard to Macbook Air so it doesn't require a restart every time I plug in!

[Monkeyhippy]

I have a 2013 Macbook Air as my new work computer and a used Apple USB keyboard from probably the same era (I work at a poor nonprofit). At home, I kept the keyboard (yes, it's my personal keyboard) plugged into a dock, and just plugged the dock into my personal (2017) Macbook whever I sat down at my desk, and it worked no problem. But if I unplug my work laptop to take it elsewhere (like home), and then plug the keyboard back into it via a USB dock or directly into the laptop, it doesn't recognize that the keyboard is there until I restart my computer. I take this laptop to a lot of meetings, etc; it's a hassle to have to restart it every time I bring it back to my desk! What can I do so that I don't have to do that? Thank you in advance for any help.

 

[bobesch]

I have a 2013 Macbook Air as my new work computer and a used Apple USB keyboard from probably the same era (I work at a poor nonprofit). At home, I kept the keyboard (yes, it's my personal keyboard) plugged into a dock, and just plugged the dock into my personal (2017) Macbook whever I sat down at my desk, and it worked no problem. But if I unplug my work laptop to take it elsewhere (like home), and then plug the keyboard back into it via a USB dock or directly into the laptop, it doesn't recognize that the keyboard is there until I restart my computer. I take this laptop to a lot of meetings, etc; it's a hassle to have to restart it every time I bring it back to my desk! What can I do so that I don't have to do that? Thank you in advance for any help.

Oh, that's really unusual! Plug&Play ought to work without need of rebooting.
Try this:
1. Create another user-account /w admin-rights. Then check, if the problem is sorted out or if it's still persisting.
If a new user-account is working fine, then migrate your personal stuff to that user account and go on ...
If the problem has not been solved, then proceed to step 2 ...
2. Create an additional partition on your MBA or if the MBA lacks of spare capacities on the internal disk use an USB-drive to make a fresh install of that your current macOS from the scratch.
Boot from that freshly installed macOS's partition. Then check, if Plug&Play of yours KB is fully working again.
If yes, then make a fresh install and migrate your personal data to that newly installed macOS and go on ...
If that option doesn't make any difference, then proceed to step 3 ...
3. Check another keyboard. (ups - this should have been step 1)
If step 1 to 3 won't help, then I havn't any more idea ...