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LouPatrault
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Bypassing the new accessories authorizations

I dropped coffee on my MacBook Air and I wanna retrieve my info before it crashes. For now it opens and since my keyboard is broken I plugged a new mouse to be able to drop my files in my external hard drive. The thing is, I need to accept this new device connected so the mouse, but for this to work I’d have to have a functional keyboard or mouse so it’s a loop. How could I bypass this authorization or find a way to accept it ?

Posted on Oct 23, 2026 10:12 AM

3 replies

MartinR
User level: Level 7 (27,833 points)

Oct 23, 2026 4:33 PM in response to LouPatrault

Use a wired USB keyboard that you can plug into your MBAir. Ditto a wired mouse.


If you do not already have bluetooth enabled you will not be able to pair a wireless keyboard or mouse. Even if bluetooth IS enabled you may still not be able to pair a keyboard & mouse. Wired kbd & mouse are the safest bets.

HWTech
User level: Level 9 (78,350 points)

Oct 23, 2026 12:08 PM in response to LouPatrault

Connect an external display and close the lid. See if that makes any difference.


Otherwise you will need to use a wireless keyboard & mouse in order to modify the settings.


You can also try putting the laptop into Share Mode. You can do this using an external USB mouse because those macOS Thunderbolt port security settings are not applied outside of macOS. This option will require access to another Mac as well as a Thunderbolt cable to connect the two Macs. See the following Apple article for details:

Use macOS Recovery on a Mac with Apple silicon - Apple Support


Is the built-in Trackpad also not working along with the built-in Keyboard?


FYI, people should always have frequent & regular backups of their computer if there is any important data stored on the device. The time to worry about backups is before a problem occurs. Otherwise the user will likely lose their important data because it is nearly impossible to recover data from the internal SSD of the recent Macs due to all of the hardware, software, and security changes.


HWTech
User level: Level 9 (78,350 points)

Oct 23, 2026 6:30 PM in response to MartinR

MartinR wrote:
Use a wired USB keyboard that you can plug into your MBAir. Ditto a wired mouse.
If you do not already have bluetooth enabled you will not be able to pair a wireless keyboard or mouse. Even if bluetooth IS enabled you may still not be able to pair a keyboard & mouse. Wired kbd & mouse are the safest bets.

The wired devices are the problem here because the OP's "Privacy & Security" System Settings are probably still at system defaults where wired USB/Thunderbolt devices are prohibited by default. The OP needs to approve use of those devices, but cannot due to the built-in Keyboard not working (and I suspect the built-in Trackpad).


I've personally encountered this problem with many Apple Silicon laptops in my organization I've had to repair. Many times there are ways to get past this...sometimes with a bit of luck & lots of experimentation. Of course I have the luxury of being able to open devices & disconnect some problem hardware in order to have a higher rate of success. I never personally tried using a Bluetooth device with those success stories, but it would likely have been easier.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256381668