The Royal Kludge RK61 is a very popular wireless keyboard. At times however users can experience issues with functionality. In this post we walk the reader through some common problems and easy solutions.
Without further ado, let’s get into it.
Table of Contents
Basic Things to Check
Charging
Make sure the keyboard is charged. There are two charging methods:
- via USB cable to computer.
- Using a USB charger. In this case, check the specifications for a 5V and supply current 1A.
During charging, the Space bar Key will turn red. It will turn off once completely charged.
Operating Mode
The keyboard operates in Bluetooth Wireless or Wired mode.
Make sure you’re in the correct mode. If you’re in wired mode, with no cable connected, the keyboard will not work.
Use Fn+Tab to switch from Bluetooth to Wired or vice versa.
Is your keyboard in energy-saving mode?
When in Bluetooth mode,
If unused for:
- 1 minute, the keyboard backlight will turn off.
- 5 minutes, the Keyboard will go into standby mode.
- 10 minutes, the keyboard will be into deep sleep mode and disconnect from Bluetooth
Tap any key on the keyboard, and wait for a second to reconnect
Common Problems with the RK61
- Some or all the keys might stop working
- Keyboard not lighting up
- Keyboard not changing colour
- RK61 not connecting via Bluetooth
Solution Overview
If you are experiencing any of the problems above, they can easily be solved by one or more of the following steps:
- Reset your keyboard
- Try pressing a few key combinations
- Download a software upgrade
- Use the software to enable the non-functional keys manually
Let’s now get into the details of each solution
Reset your RK61 keyboard
Resetting your RK61 keyboard is one of the easiest ways to get it working once more. To reset your RK61 keyboard, press and hold the ‘Fn’ and the ‘Spacebar’ keys simultaneously.
Release them when your keyboard blinks blue, indicating that it has reset successfully. Test your keys once more to confirm that the keys are now working. If this doesn’t work try the next solution.
Try Specific key combinations
Sometimes, pressing specific key combinations on your keyboard, especially if the second keyboard functions are not working.
Press ‘Fn’ + the left ‘ctrl’ key. This combination will enable the keyboard keys’ secondary functions.
Pressing the ‘fn’ + the left ‘ctrl’ key combination also switches between the main key functions and the secondary functions. For example, pressing that combination will switch the keys ‘Y’ or ‘I’ (primary function is the letters) to Print Screen (PrtSc) and Pause (secondary function).
Download a software update
Most of the time when your RK61 keyboard fails to respond, the one thing you will need to do is conduct a software update. The video below serves as a useful guide. The Official RK61 website might be a little confusing in this regard.
I found this link, helpful due to the trouble you are likely to face on the official RK61 keyboard’s website.
Use the software to enable the non-functional keys manually
You will need to use the fn key when trying to type after the download as you may find that the keyboard isn’t working. Do that because of the need to save the downloaded files that you will need to name and save.
Once you’ve saved the files, restart your keyboard and everything should be fine.
RK61 Bluetooth not working
The Basics
As a first step make sure that the RK61 is on and that the BT option switch at the back of the keyboard is selected. Ensure that the battery in the keyboard is charged.
Distance from the laptop
RK61 uses BT ver 5.0. The maximum separation between the keyboard and laptop is 10 meters. However, that’s a theoretical maximum and the range can be greatly reduced depending on other wireless devices.
Have you established a Bluetooth connection?
Is this the first time that you are connecting the keyboard to the laptop? If so then you will need to pair the two. The keyboard does not automatically connect with the laptop.
How to connect RK61 Bluetooth
- Power the keyboard on using the power switch at the back of the keyboard.
- Press Fn+TAB to switch to BT Mode
- Long Pres Fn+P to enter Pairing status. The P key’s backlight will continue blink in white light, until the BT device pairing process is complete. After this the P key backlight will not blink.
Check Bluetooth Connection
RK61 can store up to 3 separate Bluetooth connections at the same time. This is very useful if you want to use the RK with three different laptops or PCs.
To connect the RK61 with a laptop, you will need to associate it with either of the following key combinations:
- Fn + Q
- Fn + W
- Fn + E
Let’s say for instance that you want to associate the laptop with the W key.
In that case press Fn+W for 3 seconds. The W key will flicker and this is an indicator that the keyboard is in pairing mode. The next step is to connect to the keyboard using the laptop.
Once the connection is established, the W key will stop flickering.
You can toggle between laptops by short pressing either of the following
It’s easy to forget which laptop is associated with Fn+Q and that might be one reason that Bluetooth might appear to be an issue. In this case toggle between the three and see if one of them results in a connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my RK61 only blue?
Well, the RK61 keyboard has a series of colours in the backlight, so I suggest following instructions in the video below to change from Blue to any other color.
Why is my RK61 not lighting up?
Ensure that the keyboard is charged. Try switching modes, updating the software. If that doesn’t work, then try contacting the factory or customer support.
Why is my RK61 not charging?
Try changing the charging cable or the USB port.
Why can’t my RK61 type numbers?
Your keyboard fn key might be locked by default.
