cant connect to PC via BT
I built my first Keyboard of this type.
i flashed the default firmware to each half.
i pressed reset on Both halves to connnect to each other.
i can connect to ZMK via USB and make changes to the keyboard
i cant connect to my PC or Laptop via usb, but i can connect to my phone via usb
when the guide tells me yto press the BT clear button on the keybord its not helpful since i cannot press any buttons
2 Replies
Gotcha! A few quick checks and a way to recover without needing working keys:
First, confirm
- You’re pairing the LEFT half (only the left connects to your PC).
- Power switches ON for both halves.
- Just to confirm: you mean you can’t connect to your PC/laptop via Bluetooth (BLE), but you can to your phone, right?
Since your phone pairs, the keyboard is fine. PCs often have bonding/profile issues.
Do this
1) Remove old bonds on the PC:
- In Bluetooth settings, remove any “Corne/Lily58/ZMK” entries. Reboot Bluetooth (or the PC).
2) Clear the keyboard bond and switch to an empty profile, without needing working keys:
- Plug the LEFT half into your computer and open ZMK Studio (native app).
- Temporarily remap two keys to:
- &bt BT_CLR (clear current profile bond)
- &bt BT_NXT (go to next profile)
- Save/apply in Studio, then press the BT_CLR key once, then BT_NXT once or twice to land on an empty profile.
3) Pair to the PC:
- Put Windows/macOS into “Add Bluetooth device” and select the keyboard.
If you prefer pressing the default keys instead, see the default keymap image on the firmware page to find BT_CLR/BT_NXT:
- Corne firmware: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/firmware
- Lily58 firmware: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/lily58-wireless/firmware
More on profiles/bonding here: Keyboard Won’t Pair https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/keyboard-wont-pair
If it still won’t pair to the PC but works on your phone, it’s likely the PC’s BLE stack/adapter. Update Bluetooth drivers or try a different adapter (needs BLE 4.2+).
If your halves stop talking to each other, reset both halves at the same time: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/troubleshooting/split-halves-wont-connect
Reply or tag me with:
- Which board (Corne or Lily58)
- Your OS (Win/macOS/Linux) and version
- What you see when you try to add the device
And I’ll help you dial it in.
Firmware | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're not familiar, ZMK is a wireless-focused firmware, and it powers our Corne Wireless.
Firmware | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
If you're not familiar, ZMK is a wireless-focused firmware, and it powers our Lily58 Wireless.
Keyboard Won't Pair | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix your ZMK keyboard that won't pair.
Split Halves Won't Connect | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Fix your split ZMK keyboard halves not pairing.
I got it paired. The instructions tell you to remap to clear current profile bond but there is no option to choose &bt (it's not a selectable key)
I did figure it out eventually but the zmk software should have less stringent search inputs which would guide the noobs to the proper bindings