The keyboard on a Sony TV is the gateway into easy accessibility to various applications, searches, and the overall proper function of your TV. What do you do then if you turn on your Sony TV and realize that the keyboard is not working, not showing, or is not supported?
If the Sony TV Keyboard is not working, not showing up, or is not supported, there are a few solutions such as updating the Google Play Store App, updating the keyboard settings on the TV, completing a general software update, or uninstalling updates that have negatively affected the keyboard.
Being able to use the keyboard on your Sony TV is a quick way to input different searches, utilize various applications, and search items from within the TV itself. This feature is essential to the overall function of your Sony TV and it can be rather perplexing as to what next steps need to be taken if you find it is not working, is not showing, or is not supported. Continue reading to find a solution to all of your Sony TV keyboard problems.
Sony TV Keyboard Not Working
Discussed next are more specific issues with Sony TV keyboards, but for now, let’s focus on the general issue of the keyboard simply not working. This means that the keyboard may not be showing up, may not be able to function properly when letters and symbols are inputted, or it may be showing that it simply is not a feature that is supported on your TV.
If your Sony TV Keyboard is not working, you want to first ensure that the Google Play Store app has the latest update. There are two ways to update the application: ‘Home” > ‘Apps’ > ‘Google Play Store’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Auto-Update Apps’ > ‘Auto-Update Apps at Any Time’ or ‘Home’ > ‘Google Play Store’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Auto-Update Apps’ > ‘Auto Update Apps at Any Time.’
Once you have completed the update with the Google Play Store and you are still experiencing problems with your keyboard not working, you will then need to remove any devices that are connected to the TV’s USB ports (including things like wireless mouse adapters) as these can cause confusion to the software of the TV as it will mistakenly recognize these items as a keyboard.
Sony TV Keyboard Not Showing
If you have a Sony TV that not only will not work, but is not showing up, you are left scrambling to figure out why the feature can’t even make an appearance on your screen. This could be a problem with an update that has not been installed, so first be sure that your Google Play Store is updated (see “Sony Keyboard Not Working) to ensure that updates to the keyboard have been made and will transfer.
If your Sony TV keyboard is not showing, you should check the keyboard settings on your TV. To do this, press ‘Home’ on your remote > ‘Settings’ > ‘Device Preferences’ > ‘Keyboard’ > ‘Current Keyboard/Manage Keyboard’ > ‘Select Gborad/Turn on Gboard/Disable Google Voice Typing.’ You can also uninstall any updates to the keyboard.
To do this go to ‘Home’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Apps’ > ‘System Apps/See All Apps’ > ‘Gboard’ > ‘Unistall Updates’ > ‘Ok.’ If the problem occurred after an update to the Google Play Store happened, uninstall the update by opening the Google Play Store > ‘My Apps’ > ‘Recently Updated’ > ‘Gboard – Google Keyboard’ > ‘Uninstall Updates.’ Updates can cause glitches with the keyboard, uninstall them and then try to reinstall once the keyboard appears again.
Sony TV Keyboard Not Supported
If you know that your Sony TV should have the feature of a keyboard or you have previously had no trouble accessing the keyboard, but are all the sudden met with a message that the keyboard is not supported, you are left wondering how to solve such an ‘out of the blue’ problem. If the keyboard will not appear on your Sony TV and is showing that the feature is not supported, there are a few solutions you can try to remedy the problem.
If your Sony TV keyboard is not supported, you always want to make sure that your TV has been updated with the latest firmware. To do this, press ‘Home’ on your remote control, select ‘Help’ > ‘Status & Diagnostics’ > ‘System Software Update’ > ‘Software Update.’ You should also check to see if the ‘Automatically Check for Update’ or ‘Automatic Software Download’ setting is ‘On.’
If this setting is ‘Off,’ be sure to turn it back on so that it will automatically update without you having to do it manually. However, if you find that this setting was already ‘On’ and new updates have not been installed, you must agree to the Sony Privacy Policy. To do this press ‘Home’ > ‘Help’ > Privacy Setting’ > read the privacy policy and select ‘Agree.’
Sony TV Change Keyboard Language
If the keyboard language of your Sony TV does not match the language in which you are fluent, you will need to change the keyboard language in order to operate it. To do this, there are a few different ways for different Sony TV models. For the Android 8.0 you will press ‘Home’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Languages and Input’ > ‘Language’ > tap the plus sign and then select your desired language > Drag the language you just added to position 1.
If you need to change the keyboard language of your Sony TV and have an Andriod 7.0, 7.1, or 7.1.1 you will press ‘Home’ > tap the application screen icon on the home screen > ‘Settings’ > ‘Language & Input’ > ‘Language’ > tap the plus sign and select your desired language > drag the language to position 1.
If you have an Android 6.0 or lower, to change the device language you will press ‘Home’ > tap the application screen icon from the home screen > ‘Settings’ > Language & Input’ > ‘Language’ > select your desired language > ‘Done’ > ‘OK.’ This should then change the language settings on your TV and will give you the ability to use the keyboard in the language that you are most comfortable with.
How Do I Get Keyboard on Sony TV Remote?
In order to get the keyboard to appear on your Sony TV, you have to use your remote. Although this sometimes can be a problem, (as what owner doesn’t occasionally lose their remote?) there are a few tips and tricks that you can try to get your remote to function better for you so that you are able to quickly display the keyboard on your Sony TV.
To get the keyboard on your Sony TV to appear with your remote, you can first, and most simplistically, press the ‘Enter’ button that is located on your remote. If this does not display the keyboard, you can then press ‘Home’ on your remote > ‘Settings’ > ‘Keyboard’ > ‘Current Keyboard’ > ‘Leanback Keyboard.’ This is the default keyboard setting and should get it to display through your remote.
If you are still having trouble getting your keyboard to display on your Sony TV with your remote and you have completed all of the previous steps, your TV may not be updated with the latest firmware (or software). To complete a software update, refer back to the previous section “Sony TV Keyboard Not Supported.” This will give you the step-by-step guide for updating your Sony TV.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on March 30, 2021.
How To Connect Keyboard To Sony TV
With a Sony TV, you can either use the on-screen keyboard to navigate the TV or you can connect your own Bluetooth keyboard to the TV. If you are having trouble getting your on-screen keyboard connected to your Sony TV, you need to reset the keyboard back to its default setting which can be found under the previous section “How Do I Get Keyboard On Sony TV Remote?”
To connect the keyboard to a Sony TV that is on-screen, you should also make sure that the Google Play Store app has the latest update. To go through this update process, refer back to the section “Sony TV Keyboard Not Working.” You can also perform an electrical reset with the TV by unplugging it directly from the power source for two minutes then plugging it back in and allowing it to power on its own.
If you are trying to connect a Bluetooth keyboard to your Android Sony TV (Bluetooth keyboards will not work on Smart TVs) it actually will not connect through the TV’s Bluetooth features and must be connected by a wireless transmitter which is connected to the USB port on your TV. To do this, simply connect the USB device to the TV USB port and turn on the keyboard once completed.
How to Connect a Bluetooth/Wireless Keyboard to My Sony TV?
There is nothing wrong with the keyboard provided within your Sony TV, however, when it comes to maximizing time and minimizing effort, using this keyboard does neither. You have to scroll to each letter or symbol using the remote which takes time and certainly takes more effort than what an actual keyboard requires. This is where the ease and accessibility of a Bluetooth or wireless keyboard comes in when using your Sony TV.
If you have a Sony TV that is an Android or Smart TV, you can use a Bluetooth or wireless keyboard. If you have an Android TV and are wanting to connect a Bluetooth or wireless keyboard, simply connect the USB device that was provided with your keyboard to the back of your TV in the USB port and turn on the device.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on March 30, 2021.
If you have a Smart TV, to connect a Bluetooth or wireless keyboard press ‘Home’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Bluetooth Settings’ > activate the Bluetooth setting and put your device into pairing mode so that the TV can discover it > ‘Add Device’ > select the keyboard from the menu that appears after the TV has searched for nearby devices and the Bluetooth keyboard will have connected.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on March 30, 2021.
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