So you’re setting up the home theater or office of your dreams and want the ease of being able to use a wireless keyboard with your smart TV instead of a remote control.
You’re definitely not alone.
If you’re not quite sure how to pull this off, then you’ve come to the right place.
Why Connect Your Keyboard to Your Smart TV?
First things first: why would someone connect their wireless keyboard to their smart TV in their home theater?
The main reason is convenience.
When it comes to searching for shows, movies, and other content or logging into apps, being able to type on a keyboard is far easier than using an onscreen keyboard via your remote control.
You can now use a smartphone to control most smart TV apps, but a keyboard is just way easier to use if you’re entering the name of a TV show or movie, for example.
Another reason many people choose this option is for a home office.
You could use your TV as a backup “office computer” if you mostly use web-based apps like Google Docs.
Once your keyboard is connected you can launch a web browser or the Google Drive app from the TV apps menu.
But Google Drive won’t be available on every smart TV, so this functionality isn’t guaranteed.
Setting Up Your Keyboard
You have two choices for connecting a keyboard to your smart TV.
Wired
The only type of wired keyboard you might be able to use with your TV is one using a USB connection.
This also means that your TV will need at least one free USB port for your keyboard to plug into.
But just because your keyboard connects to your TV doesn’t mean that your TV will recognize it and allow you to use it.
Remember that smart television sets are only capable of understanding data from keyboards or mouse devices that have been specifically designed with this type of connectivity in mind.
The only way you can be certain is to try it – you can’t cause any damage by trying.
Wireless
If your TV doesn’t have a free USB port, or do you don’t want to have a 15-foot cable stretching from your TV to your sofa, then you’ll need a wireless keyboard instead.
And more specifically a Bluetooth keyboard – regular wireless (RF – Radio Frequency) keyboards won’t work because they require driver software to be installed in 99% of cases.
But future generations of televisions will most likely offer a level of generic compatibility with RF keyboards and mice out-of-the-box.
How to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your TV
0) Make sure your TV has Bluetooth connectivity built in.
1) Turn on your Bluetooth keyboard and make sure it is in pairing mode.
2) On your smart TV, go to the Settings menu and select Bluetooth – the location of this varies from one model of TV to another so check the user documentation if you can’t find it.
3) Select the keyboard from the list of devices and pair it with your TV.
4) Once the keyboard is paired, you can start using it to type words into any application or document that you would like to create.
And that’s it – there’s nothing more to it.
The reality is that a Bluetooth keyboard will either work seamlessly with your TV or not at all – there’s no middle ground.
But if it does you’ll find that using a remote feels clunky and very limited.
What’s the best type of Bluetooth keyboard for a smart TV?
Some people want the smallest possible keyboard they can find, which is fine.
My personal preference is for a keyboard that also features a touch pad, so I’d choose something like this. The touch pad just makes navigating between menus that bit easier.
You’re also not going to be typing a novel using this keyboard (well…probably not) so you don’t need to spend a fortune.
Wrapping it up
Now you’ve got the full answer to the question: how do I connect a keyboard to my smart TV.
You can see that it’s not really all that complicated.
But don’t forget to do your research prior to purchase so you make sure to get a keyboard that is compatible with your television. Hope you enjoyed this blog post!
