MS Designer Bluetooth keyboard volume/bright keys not working

[MHenriques]

MS Designer Bluetooth Keyboard function keys (volume control, bright control, etc) work immediatelly after being added as a Bluetooth keyboard, but stop working after a short while. Example: if we press the volume up key a few seconds after the very first successfull use, the volume does not increase and the keyboard "freezes" for several seconds, buffering the keystrokes and resuming typing correctly after around 15 seconds.

Any suggestions how to fix this behavior? The same designer bluetooth keyboard works fine on a Sony Vaio notebook.

Thanks

Mauricio

[ivybear · Accepted solution]

I bought this keyboard this morning; love it, but I was having this exact same issue as well. I don't fully understand the reasoning behind it but this is what worked for me in Windows 10:

1. Open the device manager

2. Scoll down the device list and find "Keyboards"

3. Right click on MS Designer keyboard and uninstall the device and it's drivers

4. Reboot

After the reboot my keyboard is fully working; volume, track skipping forward and back, play and pause, etc. 

I checked the device manager and "Keyboards" is back in the listing  and now with the device listed as a "HID Keyboard Device"

Hopefully this helps you out as well

[MHenriques]

Thanks! Keyboard is know working without problems!

Mauricio

[ivybear]

Awesome! Making some progress here..

I've noticed that the those functions seem to cease after some time though. I haven't put my finger down on it yet. After the system wakes up after I've left it for some time is when I noticed. A reboot fixes it though...

[MHenriques]

Hello Ivybear

You are right. The problem reappears, although now after a longer time interval. Same simptom: when pressing the volume/bright control keys the keyboard "freezes" for around 15 minutes, buffering the keystrokes during this period. The only function key that seems to work all the time is the "window settings" function key.

Still looking for a more permanent fix.

Thanks and Regards

Mauricio

[MHenriques]

I've updated the keyboard driver via Device Manager using:

Device Manager -> Keyboards -> HID Keyboard Device -> Update Driver -> Search automatically for updated diver software

WIndows 10 updated the driver and now I get a "Designer Bluetooth Keyboard" under Keyboards. Even with the new driver the problem persists.

MH

[ivybear]

I think I found the solution on the MS Troubleshooting website:

1. In the Start menu, type View local services.
2. From the Search Results list, select View local services.
3. In the Services dialog box, locate Human Interface Device Access. Make sure the status is set to “Started.” If it is not started, click Start the service.
4. Right-click Human Interface Device Access and select Properties.
5. On the General tab, in the Startup type, select Automatic, and then click OK.

In my settings the service was set to "Running", which is fine, but in the "General" tab the Startup type was set to "Manual". Setting it to "automatic" seem s to do the trick. I've been using the keyboard since my last post and all buttons are still working

[ivybear]

ggrrrrr..nope.

I left my machine for 15min, came back woke up the mouse and keyboard and now those buttons don't work 

[MHenriques]

Hello Ivybear

I'm assuming the problem is related to the bluetooth communication handshake between the keyboard and the notebook. I'm trying the following:

Device Manager -> Bluetooth -> Intel Wireless Bluetooth -> Properties -> Power Management -> Uncheck box allowing the computer to turn off this device to save power

After that it seems the function keys keep working. Still testing during the day today to see if this is the right approach.

Mauricio

[MHenriques]

Bluetooth interface with Power Save disable does not solve the problem....

MH