jonathan116

Q: Macbook air touchpad not clicking. It makes an audible click when you press it on the right but not the left

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Posted on Jun 3, 2011 10:10 PM

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Q: Macbook air touchpad not clicking. It makes an audible click when you press it on the right but not the left

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  • by MarkH356,Helpful

    MarkH356 MarkH356 Feb 5, 2013 4:25 PM in response to Olee
    Level 1 (35 points)
    Feb 5, 2013 4:25 PM in response to Olee

    I found the same with my MacBook Air where the trackpad didn't click or even move when pressed (left or right). I placed it in an orientation where the screen back was flat on the table and the keyboard/tracpad part was sticking vertically upwards. I then gently tapped all over the trackpad, especially around the outermost edge, and eventually started to get some movement and clicking when the pad was pressed. My suspicion is a bit of dust or other extraneous material had got down around the edge of the trackpad and was preventing it from depressing correctly.

  • by dakota34,

    dakota34 dakota34 Feb 13, 2013 7:26 AM in response to jonathan116
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 13, 2013 7:26 AM in response to jonathan116

    Thanks! Had same problem 13 inch Macbook air, trackpad worked to move the cursor but would intermittantly stop responding to clicks. Tried changing the trackpad settings but problem persisted. Would usually resort to connecting a wireless mouse! But a single tap on the bottom of the case, right under the trackpad, seems to have fixed it.

  • by Matt Donahoe,

    Matt Donahoe Matt Donahoe Feb 20, 2013 12:38 AM in response to luotsi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 20, 2013 12:38 AM in response to luotsi

    Wow, slightly twisting my frame totally fixed the problem. The clicking returned immediately.

     

    The left side of my trackpad was not clicking, so I bent the pad by pushing down on the left and pulling up on the right. I gradually applied pressure until the left surface of the pad was visible over top of the surrounding frame.

     

    Though it seems to come and go, but a quick twist brings it back.

     

    I am on a 2011 11" Air

  • by 2gdz,

    2gdz 2gdz Jun 27, 2013 8:19 PM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2013 8:19 PM in response to rkaufmann87

    The SMC reset worked a treat thank you!

  • by JimPitchford,

    JimPitchford JimPitchford Nov 18, 2013 5:23 AM in response to dakota34
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 18, 2013 5:23 AM in response to dakota34

    Same problem here. Click not working on left hand side of trackpad, but OK on right. Stand on left hand edge, tap around the underneath of the trackpad and its back to normal again. Must be dust accumulation inside somehow.

  • by oghowie,

    oghowie oghowie Dec 7, 2013 8:46 AM in response to jonathan116
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 7, 2013 8:46 AM in response to jonathan116

    Having the same issue where the left and right part of the touchpad isn't clicking like it used to. It still works, but the clicking isn't there and the travel of the touchpad is less. If I hit the bottom of the MBA where the trackpad is, then something seems to get it back into place and it clicks like new again. Shame my MBA is out of warranty already.

  • by bonnyfromca,

    bonnyfromca bonnyfromca Dec 9, 2013 11:17 PM in response to jonathan116
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 9, 2013 11:17 PM in response to jonathan116

    All of your recommendations helped so much!!  My track pad wasn't registering the push to click at all.  So I turned it on its left and knocked on the bottom of the track pad-et voila!  Working again!!  So happy this conversation is happening!!

  • by Diablo7,

    Diablo7 Diablo7 Dec 11, 2013 11:14 AM in response to bonnyfromca
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2013 11:14 AM in response to bonnyfromca

    wait so if I understand this clearly you rapped the actual unibody casing of the MBA on the left side to get it working? I m happy it did not get damaged. So the remedy seems to be either smc restart or hitting the body?

  • by oghowie,

    oghowie oghowie Dec 11, 2013 11:19 AM in response to Diablo7
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 11, 2013 11:19 AM in response to Diablo7

    Yup. It's a hardware failure of some sort. The knocking on the bottom of the casing only helps for a little bit though. Not a permanent solution. I think the only real way is to open up and clean it or replace the touchpad.

  • by Ex_nscpee,

    Ex_nscpee Ex_nscpee Dec 30, 2013 9:10 PM in response to rkaufmann87
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 30, 2013 9:10 PM in response to rkaufmann87

    You are a genius. The PRAM reset fixed my problem. Thanks!!

  • by Quon3011,

    Quon3011 Quon3011 Jan 3, 2014 9:28 AM in response to Olee
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 3, 2014 9:28 AM in response to Olee

    This was brilliant! I just lifted up the bottom and knocked a few times just under the tracker pad and it started cliking again! thanks

  • by Merlinds33,

    Merlinds33 Merlinds33 Mar 26, 2014 7:26 AM in response to jonathan116
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 26, 2014 7:26 AM in response to jonathan116

    I tried doing the different restart options and nothing worked.

     

    Then I plugged in an external wired mouse and had the same issue. I could move the pointer but the click function didn't work.

     

    Remembered my bluetooth mouse was still turned on in my backpack. Turned off the bluetooth mouse and both the trackpad and the external mouse click functions started working.

     

    Before you do anything make sure you don't have a paired, bluetooth mouse in range of your comptuer.

  • by mikeynl,

    mikeynl mikeynl Apr 13, 2014 6:41 AM in response to jonathan116
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Apr 13, 2014 6:41 AM in response to jonathan116

    I just had the same problem: trackpad clicking on the right, not the left.  Put it on it's side - left and right - and clicked vigourously everywhere on the trackpad, and that seems to have solved the problem.  It's clearly some dust or something that got stuck between the trackpad and stopped it from clicking.  So pleased it works again!

     

    When you try this method, start clicking from the side that works towards the other side.  There should be a point where the clicking stops.  Keep clicking around this point, almost like massaging the problem away.

  • by MikeNJ,

    MikeNJ MikeNJ Apr 16, 2014 5:30 AM in response to mikeynl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 16, 2014 5:30 AM in response to mikeynl

    Thanks, to all of you.  Have had the same issue for the last couple days and really wasn't sure what to do.  Simply turned the MBA over, tapped the underbody a few times and I've "got my clicks back," for now at least.  I was fully preparing myself for a jaunt to the Mall / Apple Store which is never really that high on my list of things to do.

  • by miz_mdk,

    miz_mdk miz_mdk Jul 10, 2014 1:55 PM in response to 2gdz
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 10, 2014 1:55 PM in response to 2gdz

    SMC reset helped with it not clicking on the left, but scrolling is jittery and I can't scroll a text entry form within a webpage - it scrolls the page too. Edges of trackpad are not responsive to taps. but the "Genius" at the Apple store said that is normal. Seems to me I used to be able to tap all the way to the edge.

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