Using a Microsoft keyboard with a Macbook Pro

I got a Microsoft bluetooth keyboard. My Macbook Pro was able to detect it and use it. The keyboard has a lot of extra keys, such as keys to control the volume and put the computer to sleep. The Macbook Pro recognizes some of these keys and respond to them correctly. However, there are some keys which do not work, like "My Documents" and "Mail." I tried to set these keys up using keyboard shortcuts in system preferences, but when I press the key for the keyboard shortcut, the computer doesn't seem to detect anything.

How can I set up these other keys to do useful things?

tony_sid

Posted 2010-09-04T01:36:05.850

Reputation: 11 651

Answers

I downloaded and installed IntelliType Pro and IntelliPoint 6.21 for Mac OSX , then rebooted. When I went into System Preferences, there was a new icon called Microsoft Keyboard. After using that utility I was able to get all the extra keys working.

tony_sid

Posted 2010-09-04T01:36:05.850

Reputation: 11 651

I would give this app a look: KeyRemap4Macbook. Although it can remap the keys on a keyboard, I have a suspicion that some of those keys on the keyboard are not actually giving keycodes, but are initiating macros.

Also, check out these two apps to see which keycodes are being sent to your computer during key presses and combinations:

jsejcksn

Posted 2010-09-04T01:36:05.850

Reputation: 2 854

The extra keys don't generate any key codes, even the keys that work. So now I'm wondering how the Mac is able to respond to these keys that work even though they don't generate any key codes. – tony_sid – 2010-09-04T04:25:20.097

Maybe because it's a bluetooth keyboard? I'm sort of stumped now... – jsejcksn – 2010-09-04T06:06:04.427

Can the Key Codes app read it now? – jsejcksn – 2010-09-04T06:18:35.817

Yes, it's a bluetooth keyboard. After installing the ItelliPoint software the Key Codes app still can't detect anything from those keys, but those keys work now and can be configured. – tony_sid – 2010-09-04T06:49:09.473

Great!

Don't forget to mark your question as answered... maybe you can give the answer to yourself? Haha. – jsejcksn – 2010-09-04T09:44:45.890

I can't find these of the Microsoft website, but Apple Downloads has Microsoft IntelliPoint and IntelliType software last updated January 11, 2010. Have you tried that?

fideli

Posted 2010-09-04T01:36:05.850

Reputation: 13 618

After installing the IntelliPoint software and rebooting, it only shows an icon in system preferences for Microsoft Mouse, and not Microsoft Keyboard. – tony_sid – 2010-09-04T04:38:18.123

Microsoft has a tool for helping you find the latest Mac or Windows drivers for your various Microsoft hardware products. Without knowing exactly which Microsoft Bluetooth keyboard you have, I poked around and discovered that for at least some keyboards, IntelliType Pro v8.0 is available, apparently from July 18th 2010. If you downloaded v6.x or v7.x as other answers have suggested, you might want to use this tool and see whether v8.x (or later?) applies for your exact product, in order to have the latest bug fixes and features.

http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/download/download.aspx?category=MK

Spiff

Posted 2010-09-04T01:36:05.850

Reputation: 84 656