The basic steps to pair your Keychron keyboard

A Keychron keyboard connects to your computer or phone through Bluetooth, which means it sends a wireless signal instead of using a cable. To connect it, you turn on the keyboard's Bluetooth mode, then tell your device to look for and remember the keyboard. Most Keychron keyboards pair in under a minute, and once they do, they reconnect automatically the next time you turn them on.

The exact steps depend slightly on whether you own a Mac, Windows PC, or phone, but the keyboard side is always the same: find the power switch, flip it to the Bluetooth position, and hold down the pairing button until a light blinks. After that, your device does the work.

Key Takeaways

  • Keychron keyboards have a physical power switch that must be set to the Bluetooth position before pairing will work.
  • You hold down the pairing button (usually labeled Fn + 1, 2, or 3) for three to five seconds until the keyboard's light blinks, signaling it is ready to pair.
  • On Mac, Windows, and phones, you open the Bluetooth settings, look for the keyboard in the list of available devices, and select it to complete the connection.
  • Once paired, the keyboard remembers your device and reconnects automatically when you turn it on, so you only pair once per device.

Preparing your Keychron keyboard for pairing

Before your device can find the keyboard, the keyboard must be in pairing mode. Locate the physical power switch on the back or side of your Keychron — it usually has three positions labeled Off, Bluetooth, and sometimes a cable icon. Slide it to the Bluetooth position. If the keyboard was off, it will power on; if it was already on, nothing visible happens yet.

Next, find the pairing button. On most Keychron models, this is the Fn key held down together with one of the number keys at the top row — typically Fn + 1, Fn + 2, or Fn + 3. Each number represents a different device slot, so if you want to pair a second device later, you would use a different number. Hold down Fn and your chosen number key for three to five seconds. The keyboard's indicator light (usually white or blue) will blink rapidly, which means it is now broadcasting its signal and ready to be found.

Pairing on a Mac

On your Mac, click the Apple menu in the top-left corner, then select System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Look for Bluetooth in the left sidebar and click it. Your Mac will start scanning for nearby Bluetooth devices. Within a few seconds, your Keychron keyboard should appear in the list with a name like "Keychron K2" or "Keychron V1".

Click the keyboard's name in the list. Your Mac will ask you to confirm the pairing — you may see a dialog asking if you want to connect. Click Connect or Pair. The keyboard's light will stop blinking and stay steady, which means the pairing is complete. Type a few keys to test. If the letters appear on your screen, the keyboard is working.

Pairing on Windows

On Windows 10 or 11, click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner and type "Bluetooth" into the search box. Open Bluetooth and other devices settings. You should see a button that says "Add device" or "Add Bluetooth or other device" near the top. Click it, then select Bluetooth from the menu that appears.

Windows will scan for devices. Your Keychron keyboard should appear in the list within ten seconds. Click its name. Windows will pair automatically — you do not need to enter a code. Once the keyboard shows "Connected" next to its name, the pairing is done. Test it by typing a few characters.

Pairing on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app and tap Bluetooth. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on (the toggle at the top should be green). Your device will scan for nearby Bluetooth devices. Your Keychron keyboard should appear under "Other Devices" within a few seconds. Tap the keyboard's name to start pairing.

Your iPhone or iPad may ask you to confirm the pairing with a code, or it may pair automatically. If a code appears on your screen, you do not need to do anything — just wait a few seconds and the pairing will complete. Once the keyboard appears under "My Devices" with a checkmark, it is connected and ready to use.

What to do if the keyboard will not pair

If your device does not see the keyboard in the Bluetooth list, first check that the keyboard's power switch is actually set to Bluetooth, not Off or the cable position. Then hold down the pairing button again for a full five seconds — sometimes a shorter press does not trigger pairing mode. The light should blink noticeably; if it does not, the keyboard may be out of battery.

If the keyboard appears in the list but will not connect, try "forgetting" it first. On Mac, right-click the keyboard name and select Remove; on Windows, click the keyboard name and select Remove device; on iPhone, tap the information icon next to the keyboard name and select Forget This Device. Then repeat the pairing steps from the beginning. This clears any incomplete connection and usually solves the problem.

If the keyboard still will not pair after forgetting it, restart your device completely, then try pairing again. Restarting clears temporary Bluetooth glitches that sometimes prevent new devices from connecting.

Reconnecting after the first pairing

Once you have paired your Keychron keyboard to a device, you do not need to pair it again. The next time you turn on the keyboard and your device is nearby, they will reconnect automatically. The keyboard will remember which device it was paired to and connect to that one first.

If you want to use the same keyboard with a second device — say, a Mac and an iPad — use a different pairing button. Instead of Fn + 1, hold Fn + 2 for three to five seconds to enter pairing mode for a second device. Then pair that second device using the same steps as before. Your keyboard now has two devices stored in memory. To switch between them, just hold Fn + 1 to reconnect to the first device, or Fn + 2 to reconnect to the second.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the battery last after pairing?

Battery life varies by model — some Keychron keyboards last two to three weeks on a single charge, while others last several months. The keyboard will show a low-battery warning on your device when it needs charging. Charge it using the included USB cable; pairing is not affected by charging.

Can I use the keyboard wired instead of Bluetooth?

Yes. Most Keychron keyboards work both wired and wireless. Slide the power switch to the cable position and plug the keyboard into your device with a USB cable. The keyboard will work when ready without needing to pair. You can switch between wired and wireless by changing the power switch position.

What if I pair the keyboard to the wrong device by accident?

You can unpair it and try again. On the device where it is paired, go to Bluetooth settings, find the keyboard, and select Remove or Forget. Then on the correct device, repeat the pairing steps. The keyboard will pair to whichever device you initiate pairing on.

Does the keyboard pair to only one device at a time?

No. Most Keychron keyboards can remember up to three devices using the Fn + 1, Fn + 2, and Fn + 3 buttons. However, the keyboard can only send keystrokes to one device at a time. To switch which device receives your typing, hold down the Fn key and press the number of the device you want to use.