NickA58

Q: Shift key problem

Since upgrading to OS X El Capitan, the shift key is behaving very erratically. Sometimes it is stuck on, sometimes it is stuck off. This effects all applications and Finder. I have found that a tap of the space bar will unstick it. It's a real pain when using Illustrator as I am constantly finding that I have failed to select multiple items, or I am not constraining transformations. The ways in which this is driving me up the wall are too numerous to mention! Has anyone else experienced this problem? And is there a fix? I assume it's software, as it seems to have suddenly appeared when I ugraded, but I do remember having a similar but very minor occurrence of this in Illustrator, very occasionally before. So maybe my keyboard is knackered?

iMac, iOS 10

Posted on Sep 19, 2016 7:12 AM

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Q: Shift key problem

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  • by AppleJen77,

    AppleJen77 AppleJen77 Sep 20, 2016 6:35 AM in response to NickA58
    Community Specialists
    Sep 20, 2016 6:35 AM in response to NickA58

    Hello there, NickA58!

     

    Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! It sounds like you are having some issues with your keyboard. I know how important it is to be sure the keyboard is working properly at all times. The first thing you might want to try is booting the computer up in safe mode to see if there is any difference with the issue. You can check out this article here for steps: Try safe mode if your Mac doesn‘t finish starting up. While the article does suggest issues with starting the Mac up, it also can help with issue that can potentially be caused by items installed or running in the background:

     

    What is safe mode?

    Safe mode (sometimes called safe boot) is a way to start up your Mac so that it performs certain checks, and prevents some software from automatically loading or opening. Starting your Mac in safe mode does the following:

    • Verifies your startup disk, and attempts to repair directory issues if needed
    • Loads only required kernel extensions
    • Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically
    • Disables user-installed fonts 
    • Deletes font caches, Kernel cache and other system cache files

    Together, these changes can help resolve or isolate issues related to your startup disk. 

     

    Cheers!