leonowitch
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: macbook air trackpad acting crazy

hi all,

 

the trackpad on my macbook air has been acting up and acting very erratically, beginning a couple of weeks ago, and only getting gradually worse/more irritating. there are periods of time where it works completely fine, but less and less so. basically, even with light touches and no double-clicking, the trackpad selects as it wants to, clicks and double-clicks even with light movements, and right-clicks when i'm not touching it in a way that it should take that action. i've reset the laptop, i've repaired the disk, and am at a loss for what could be wrong. the keyboard itself works fine, everything else is working fine. there hasn't been any spills or weird damage to the hardware that could explain this. i've checked the mouse and trackpad settings and everything is as i had set it up to be. it's become really difficult to use the mouse without unwanted closing of windows, selecting and then deleting of text, etc.

 

am using a macbook air from 2012 and yosemite 10.10.1

 

are there any troubleshooting tasks or system resets i can try that might help with this? any solutions? i was thinking i might just buy an external bluetooth mouse or something and just disable usage of the trackpad completely, but wanted to see if there might be something else to be done before that.

 

thanks!

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Feb 25, 2016 12:18 PM

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leonowitch

Q: macbook air trackpad acting crazy

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Pmintz25,

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Feb 25, 2016 12:24 PM in response to leonowitch
    Level 4 (1,679 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 12:24 PM in response to leonowitch

    Try the SMC reset

     

    Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

     

    Also, does it look like the trackpad is raised at all? What about on the backside of the bottom casing? If the battery is expanding or going bad, it could put pressure on the bottom of the trackpad, causing it to act strange.

     

    You can check your battery condition by clicking  > About This Mac > System Report > Power

     

    Only other thing I can think of is a dirty trackpad. If you use lotion regularly this can make the trackpad go wonky. Make sure it is clean.

  • by leonowitch,

    leonowitch leonowitch Feb 25, 2016 12:32 PM in response to Pmintz25
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 12:32 PM in response to Pmintz25

    thank you for this! i will try the smc reset and see if that helps.

     

    the trackpad doesn't appear raised to me, and there doesn't appear to be any swelling to the backside. my battery, tho, does drain more easily than it used to, but i've also used macbooks that have had completely shot batteries (like could only be working when plugged in) without ever having trackpad problems.

     

    i took a screenshot of the battery condition details (and attached here) bc i have no idea what any of it means (ha), tho i do notice that it says health : normal. ?Screen Shot 2016-02-25 at 3.27.55 PM.png

     

    i do wear lotion occasionally... what's the best way to clean a trackpad without doing damage to it?

     

    thanks again for your help!!

  • by Pmintz25,Helpful

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Feb 25, 2016 12:46 PM in response to leonowitch
    Level 4 (1,679 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 12:46 PM in response to leonowitch

    Normal condition is good. There could be a number of things causing the battery to drain, but if you think it is becoming defective, the only way to get it tested is to go to an Apple Store. But a normal condition is fine so I wouldn't worry about it. It's normal for the batteries to lose some of their maximum charge capabilities over time

     

    The SMC will most likely help with this problem.

     

    As far as cleaning goes, I use a microfiber clothe (or other lint-free towel) that is slightly damp. Never pour water or anything else onto your trackpad or your problem will get worse for obvious reasons. At the school I work for, we use Clorox wipes to clean the trackpads, then use a dry microfibre clothe to dry them. You can imagine how dirty our trackpads get after being used by a class of Kindergarteners/1st grade students.

  • by leonowitch,

    leonowitch leonowitch Feb 25, 2016 12:45 PM in response to leonowitch
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 12:45 PM in response to leonowitch

    the smc reset didn't help.

     

    the trackpad seems extra-extra sensitive today, more so than it's been. kinda doing whatever it wants when i touch it.

     

    if i bought an external mouse or trackpad, is there a way for me to disable the built-in trackpad completely so it won't interfere with my work at all?

  • by Pmintz25,

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Feb 25, 2016 12:52 PM in response to leonowitch
    Level 4 (1,679 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 12:52 PM in response to leonowitch

    Did the reset go according to the steps? The computer should remain off the entire time. Just double checking.

     

    In System Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad, you can check a box to "Ignore built-in trackpad when mouse or wireless trackpad is present."

     

    That may be what you're looking for. If you have a free day, it may be worth the trip to the Apple Store. Diagnostic is always free. If there is a problem they can give you other options.

     

    Take a look here as well: If your pointer is jumpy when you use a trackpad, Magic Trackpad, or Magic Mouse - Apple Support

     

    Best of luck!

  • by leonowitch,

    leonowitch leonowitch Feb 25, 2016 1:01 PM in response to Pmintz25
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 1:01 PM in response to Pmintz25

    yes, completed the reset according to the steps. tried it two times, just in case.

     

    thanks so much for your help!

     

    didn't realize diagnostics were free of charge, so will definitely go in to see what the deal is.

     

    thanks again

  • by Pmintz25,

    Pmintz25 Pmintz25 Feb 25, 2016 1:08 PM in response to leonowitch
    Level 4 (1,679 points)
    Feb 25, 2016 1:08 PM in response to leonowitch

    Yeah just make an appointment online. Some stores can get booked up really fast.