Comments on: Quick Tip: Using the Apple Wireless Keyboard with your iPhone, iPod, and iPad

By: Justin

Justin — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:54:09 +0000

Shift+Enter sends messages via Ps3 Bluetooth Keyboard on iPhone 4, there are quite a few other functions like control+m for a return type feature, and control+i for tab, though the normal keys work for that as well. This is pretty much a full keyboard, no windows key, with added touchpad. I’m sure this will work with any and all keyboards.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 22:52:59 +0000

In reply to Jaanabell. You can't :( You have to use the screen to actually send.

By: Jaanabell

Jaanabell — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 22:04:40 +0000

How can i send a message using the bluetooth keyboard for my iPad/iPod touch? I’m trying just about every combonation i can think of to send my message, but nothing is working. Please help soon?

By: Jeremy Park

Jeremy Park — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:31:27 +0000

I noticed that when I use the wireless keyboard, the iPod Touch disengages the auto spell check. Is there a workaround for this?

Thanks!

By: iynque

iynque — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:19:23 +0000

The “arrow” key that brings up or hides the iOS keyboard is the eject key. When paired with a Mac, that key is used to eject a disc in the optical drive (rather than having a button on the drive itself).

For those using a Windows keyboard, the Windows Key becomes the Apple/Command key and functions much like the ctrl key in Windows, i.e. ctrl+v for paste becomes Windows/Command+v in Mac OS and iOS. Alt/option and control are the same key, but, as stated, ctrl will be used differently.

All this time later, and an attached keyboard still functions much the same as described here. It would be cool if command+tab activated the multitasking bar. :/

By: Travis

Travis — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:47:02 +0000

I’ll 2nd the mention of iKeyboard. I love it for being able to multitask between my iPhone and Macbook. I’ve found it to be most useful when working remotely as my work email is setup on an older version of Exchange which Mail.app can’t access when I’m not on our local network, but which *is* supported by my iPhone no matter where I am. With iKeyboard connecting my phone and laptop, I can still get everything done from my regardless of where I am. It was worth the $10 to me, is cheaper than buying an additional Bluetooth keyboard, and I really dig being able to control both devises from one interface.

By: John

John — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:21:45 +0000

Used a new program that is relevant here called iKeyboard (for the Mac). Turns your Mac computer into a bluetooth keyboard. Useful if you want to type full-speed on your iPhone and just want to use the one keyboard for everything. It’s in the Apple App store but unfortunately not free.

By: kaci

kaci — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:08:31 +0000

I just found out this was possible today… I didn’t mind sending lengthy emails with the touch screen but was thrilled to see a colleague using her wireless keyboard to take notes a couple hours ago.

I was looking for “shortcut” keys to send emails etc. but see that you still much touch the screen… oh well… it’s making this MUCH faster and I love not having to pop open the entire laptop just for an email…

VERY worth it!! I’ll probably buy a spare keyboard to keep in the car/ laptop bag so i have the options of pulling it out to respond quickly. VERY well worth the investment.

Thanks!

By: Gordon Dunsmuir

Gordon Dunsmuir — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 22:01:09 +0000

Hi. Just like to say that this is being typed on the wireless keyboard and it is working fantastic. Bought a Mac Mini to compliment the rest of my apple devices, iPhone 4 32GB white, iPhone 4 16GB black, iPad 2 32GB white, apple tv and now the mac mini. Apple kit is simply ace and Windows 7 is a big pile of poop. Long live the pomme. All is great here and I love the feel of the keyboard.

By: Rick Shera

Rick Shera — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 03:43:26 +0000

Thanks for the post. I was looking for an explanation of what worked and what didn’t in terms of controls, keyboard shortcuts. Typing is great but would be good to have a bit more control functionality. Still, asa yiu say, think I’ll use it rather than powering up a laptop.

@Chris – I found pairing a little temperamental but got there in the end. Just have to keep repeating and I found turning the keyboard on and off a few times worked. Also as Cody says either unpair from computer or at least move out of its range.

By: Cody

Cody — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 01:22:46 +0000

@Chris

You might need to disconnect the keyboard from your iMac first. That might be your problem. This comment that I’m typing right now is really the first experience I’ve had with any typing on this thing. I did try connecting it to my iPhone 4, though, and quickly realized that I had to disconnect the keyboard from my MacBook Pro first. I didn’t have any problems connecting and briefly using it on my iPhone 4 after that. Hope that helps!

Cody McCarter
teqhnique.com

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 01:54:28 +0000

I have a new-ish iMac and an iPod Touch 4th generation and want to use the Mac’s keybord with the iPod, but when I place them in proximity to one another and turn on Bluetooth in the iPod, nothing happens ;-(

Do you need do anything else?

Chris

By: Jeroen Gerritsen

Jeroen Gerritsen — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:32:25 +0000

This comment is typed by an Apple Wireless keyboard. Works absolutly great if I may say.

I don’t know how much I will use it, bit now I know that it works I will do it a lot more then I first thought.

Greetings
Jeroen

By: Jim Prall

Jim Prall — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:25:59 +0000

News flash: there is a keyboard shortcut for Undo, Cut, Copy, and Paste at least in Notepad. Instead of CTRL+Z, you need to use [Windows key]+Z (this is a generic USB keyboard, not Apple brand). The modifier keys on this keyboard are Ctrl, [Windows logo], and ALT. I think Apple maps the [Windows] key to their [Apple logo/ propeller] key.

test]
test]test]
Copy and paste are working here as well. Yay.

By: Jim Prall

Jim Prall — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:20:25 +0000

I also found a wired USB keyboard will work via the Camera Adapter Kit which is really just a dock to USB adapter. There was an ominous warning that “the attached USB device is not supported”,, yet in fact it works normally in most contexts.
As you found, some keys I rely on a lot on desktop and laptop are not implemented, but some vital ones are.
To review which keys work, I just hooked up the keyboard, and already I can type so much better. What does work: backspace
arrow keys (Yay! finger nav to revise editable text is so fussy on iPad, even with the magic magnifier)
shift+arrow keys to select text/extend selection
alt+letter for special characters: œ∑´®†¥¥ˆåß∂ƒƒ©˙∆˚˚¬Ω≈ç√√∫˜µ˜µ≤≥

What does not work (at least here in Mobile Safari):
Home/End/PgUp/PgDn do nothing – they neither scroll the editable text box nor the whole web page (tip: two finger drag to scroll an editable box within a scrollable page!)
DEL key does the same as Backspace instead of preferred “delete ahead”
CTRL+Z,X,C,V do not trigger Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste

Downside of using the Camera Adapter Kit is you can’t keep the charger going at the same time.

Another USB device I found works well is my USB headset – good for Skype.

I went looking for a list of Bluetooth devices tested to work okay with iPad but found very little on this. Some older Bluetooth gadgets I have seem not to be able to pair with iPad. I’ve heard they have to be Bluetooth 2.1 to work.

By: avelltech

avelltech — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:45:09 +0000

thank you for this guide. this is very very helpful