Can't pair Bluetooth keyboard - "Check the PIN and try connecting again."

Anonymous
2018-02-24T16:22:25+00:00

I've been using a Bluetooth keyboard with my Windows 10 laptop for months. Suddenly it wouldn't connect, and I made the mistake of removing it from my Bluetooth devices before discovering its batteries were dead. Now, with new batteries, it won't pair.

The problem is that when I go to Windows Settings and select Add Bluetooth or other device and put the keyboard into pairing mode, it shows up in the Add a device dialog, but when I click it, it says "Connecting..." for a long time and then says "Check the PIN and try connecting again." 

That's not the way it's supposed to work! That Add a device dialog is supposed to give me a PIN and then I'm supposed to type it on the keyboard. So I have no way to proceed and complete the pairing.

Troubleshooting steps I have done so far.

  • I've tried the process repeatedly.
  • I moved the keyboard very near to, and then many feet away from, the laptop.
  • I moved the laptop and the Bluetooth keyboard to other locations in house, further away from other wireless devices.
  • I turned off all other Bluetooth devices in house.
  • In Device Manager I deleted everything under the Bluetooth category, selecting to delete the driver files also, and rebooting. (After reboot, everything comes back by itself.)
  • The laptop vendor support app, and Windows updates, say the laptop is up to date.
  • I swapped Bluetooth keyboards between two PCs. This keyboard paired to that PC without issue. The PIN appeared, I typed it on the keyboard, and done. That keyboard from the other PC would not pair on this laptop, displaying the same issue as the other keyboard did.
  • I have seen the solutions offered by ThomasFulton and Hanuki4 in this thread on this forum, but I don't get the same dialogs that these answers refer to, so am unable to use the info.
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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Anonymous
2018-06-05T21:48:55+00:00

I Got It Working

I had this exact same problem, was about to go and get a corded keyboard. 

After some recent Windows 10 forced update the bluetooth keyboard stopped working

after I had to replace the batteries I could not pair it. 

It kept asking for a PIN but no matter what I entered it would no longer pair. 

It would not pair in the Control Panel / Bluetooth & other devices section and

did not give me an option to put in a code. 

What worked finally for me what: 

Start -> Run -> devicepairingwizard

Select your keyboard, click next 

Click 'or enter a code' link below

On this screen a numeric code will be presented

Quickly type in the code you see on the Wireless Keyboard and press Enter

If successful it will install some files and pair!

I had to try a couple of times to input the code quick enough but thankfully it worked.  

Hope this helps out others.

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-03-04T16:17:34+00:00

    Did you ever find a solution for this?

    In the past couple of days my bluetooth mouse has stopped working after 14 months without any issues.  It's not an issue with the mouse as it will connect to my phone/tablet without any issues.

    The problem IMO is with Windows 10.

    The exact same issue is occurring where it's askings me to enter a PIN and try connecting again.

    My bluetooth mouse didn't come with a pin code.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-02-24T17:17:40+00:00

    Thanks Andre.

    I did try Devices and Printers in Control Panel. I can't remember exactly what happened, except that it didn't work, so I tried it again just now. I put my keyboard in pairing mode, clicked Add a device, and see my keyboard in the list. I clicked Next, it says Connecting, but after a while it said That didn't work  Try again, and make sure your keyboard is still discoverable. (My keyboard was discoverable throughout this process; I was watching its blinking light.)

    I have never been prompted for a PIN, any of the many times I've tried to pair using various methods. And that's one of my points. I have three bluetooth keyboards in use on three PCs. In the past I have never been prompted for a PIN with a Bluetooth keyboard. The pairing process gives me a PIN, and I then type it on the keyboard, and then it pairs.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-03-08T19:14:19+00:00

    Can someone please tell me why Microsoft cannot fix this simple issue in one of their many forced updates?  Everything is bluetooth these days.  Get with the times.  I feel like I am using a "beeper" in a "cell phone" era with Microsoft constantly, but am still resisting switching 100% to Apple because I do document-driven work.  Think of the compensation that should be paid for all of the time people (i.e. we the customer) spent of our time reading this thread alone to solve an issue that has still not been resolved by Microsoft.  We are wasting time and money taking shots in the dark when this issue could be solved by one programmer and proper inter-company managed feedback from the initial post.  Thanks for all your feedback, but I am still having the same problem and it is not resolved.  Good luck everyone, this might be the last straw for me...I am buying a Mac.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-03-05T22:04:01+00:00

    I have the exact same problem with my Bluetooth keyboard. Failing to connect after windows 10 update and uninstalling device.

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