Turning the Magic Trackpad off

The Apple manual is fairly comprehensive. It even indicates that when not using the pad, it will go to sleep. The manual also directs the user to "turn off" the trackpad if it is not going to be used for an extended period.

During operation, the indicator light has no function and is off, so it is no help in knowing whether the device is on or off.

The manual gives no instruction as to how to turn the device off. Now, I know it is pretty straightforward that the user is going to use the power button in some manner. However, since the light's purpose is not to indicate the power-up state, how does one determine that the device is actually off?

 

Go into the Bluetooth menu and search for discoverable devices. If the Trackpad isn't there on the list, it's off -- it would automatically reconnect if it were just in sleep mode.

The low-tech approach..... just pull the batteries out and stick them in a drawer until you want to turn it back on next time .

 

I haven't seen one in person yet, but from looking at the product pics on Apple's page, there is a power button on the end opposite where you insert the batteries

 

I guess you missed the first post.


Anyways, For the Apple keyboard holding the power button until the green light turns off, turns it off, so I asume it would be the same. As for telling how it's off, well, it won't work.

 

The green light on the trackpad does not stay illuminated during operation. It isn't there to indicate on/off, but is a battery condition light that comes on momentarily when you push the power button to indicate battery condition, as well as a couple of other things.

My trackpad may have been on for a few days now, as I am unable to turn it off, for I do not know how to do so (I say this, because it connects reliably at every boot up of my MBP). The manual does not say how to turn it off, it just says that you are supposed to do it if not in use.

It is interesting, because the manual is quite concise as to how to turn it on, and how to manipulate the button to give status using the green light. But is completely silent on how to turn it off.

 

So you tried holding the power button down until the green light turns off? I'm guesing you don't have a Apple bluetooth keyboard, because if you did, you wouldn't worry about turning the track pad off when you are not using it for short periods of times. Apple keyboards batteries last for months, and I am sure the track pad would last longer.

 

The green light is not illuminated at any time, except for a second or two after pressing the power button to check the battery.

As I said, there is no green light to extinguish, as it is not on during operation.

 

Hold the button down on the trackpad until the light goes out. Same as with the keyboard.

 

Am I not clear?
Not the same as the keyboard.
The light is not on, when the trackpad is on.

The light is not an indicator of on/off.

 

Yes, the light is not on when the device is on. But it is an indicator that the device is changing state from off to on or on to off.

I just tried this. I pushed the button in, the light came on, I held it, the light went off, and a note that the trackpad was turned off showed up on my screen. That's pretty good empirical evidence to me.

 

BTW, I know about the procedure to turn it off because an employee at the Apple Store told me and showed me while I was looking at the Trackpad. I was pretty happy that they had them in stock at the store. I played with it for five minutes and bought one.

 

I know it's not illuminated, just like it is on the Apple keyboard, but when you push the power button it lights up for a couple seconds, now when you hold the power button until it turns off after lighting up, it should be off. Just like the Apple keyboard. If you just told us if you have actully tried holding the power button down, we could be more help, maybe it is defective or something. But we know that the light is NOT on when it is ON.