macbook Air Keyboard Keys for new macbook?

qwqw wrote:
do the Macbook Air's keyboard key suitable for the new macbook 13 aluminum 2.0GHz ??? because I found some keys are quite loose and I cannot find any keyboard keys for the new macbook but only for the Macbook Air.
Thanks!

Message was edited by: qwqw

I'm going to refer you to the same [Post|http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=9351484#9351484] you had yesterday. You cannot replace a single key on the MB w/the Unibody design. It isn't possible. You'd need to replace the entire top part to replace the keyboard.

You can purcahse replacement keys for the MB Air because it isn't built w/the Unibody design (meaning the entire top piece of the computer is one piece...you cannot replace just the keyboard, you'd have to replace the whole top piece).

The AIR you can replace just the keyboard b/c it's a separate piece that isn't built into the body. You can't on the Unibody MB, regardless of the keys.

Message was edited by: cph2133

Message was edited by: cph2133

Just another note. You said you noticed from loose keys, it could be covered by your limited warranty (even if you didn't buy the extended apple care) because it has been less than a year.

Unless of course the loose keys were a result of you dropping or doing something reckless. I'd call them see what they have to say, perhaps take into the nearest store. There simply are not any options for you to replace the keys by yourself.

qwqw wrote:
ok Thanks!
Actually, I just want to buy an individual key instead of replacing the whole keyboard and I found that the keyboard key can be take off from the keyboard because I tried to move out the "A" key from the keyboard, and clean the dirt under the key.

You've removed the key, and replaced it w/o a hitch?

I've been under the impression from Apple itself that an individual key cannot be replaced in the Unibody (which is why I was telling you that you must replace the WHOLE keyboard).

Perhaps someone can clear this up. But as far as I know you cannot replace a single key, it isn't doable. The keyboard is one whole unit that must be replaced together

I have had the A key stop working all of a sudden on a 13 month old MacBook Air. Stupidly didnt take out AppleCare. I've been told by Apple techs that they have to replace the keyboard entirely and top piece. Seems a major design flaw to me that keys cannot be individually replaced. So, very interested if this is actually possible!
Any more information from anyone who has done this would be greatly appreciated.

gurubo62 wrote:
I have had the A key stop working all of a sudden on a 13 month old MacBook Air. Stupidly didnt take out AppleCare. I've been told by Apple techs that they have to replace the keyboard entirely and top piece. Seems a major design flaw to me that keys cannot be individually replaced.

Have you ever had a laptop keyboard apart? It's almost always the sensor pad which lies underneath the key assembly. Replacing a single key would not change anything, it still wouldn't work.

pancenter-

If you think you can take the keyboard apart and see the sensor pad below, is this sensor pad one big sensor for the whole keyboard and not something that can be repaired specific to one key? I've been quoted $550 Australian ($US300+) to have the keyboard replaced.

cph2133 wrote:

qwqw wrote:
ok Thanks!
Actually, I just want to buy an individual key instead of replacing the whole keyboard and I found that the keyboard key can be take off from the keyboard because I tried to move out the "A" key from the keyboard, and clean the dirt under the key.

You've removed the key, and replaced it w/o a hitch?

It can be done. The keys themselves are separate parts, but Apple doesn't sell them or just the keyboards.

I've been under the impression from Apple itself that an individual key cannot be replaced in the Unibody (which is why I was telling you that you must replace the WHOLE keyboard).

They only sell the entire top case. It should be possible to install a keyboard alone (or maybe just keys) from "salvaged" MacBooks.

Perhaps someone can clear this up. But as far as I know you cannot replace a single key, it isn't doable. The keyboard is one whole unit that must be replaced together

It can be done. The following is for used keys for the previous generation MacBooks. I suspect that they don't have the unibody versions yet because there aren't many salvageable units yet.

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/MacBook-Keys---Individual-Key-Keycap-p-16959.html

http://www.powerbookmedic.com/Manuals/Apple-Key-Replacement.pdf

I've had the scissor mechanism pop off on an iBook. It takes a little trial and error to get it back on correctly.

Here's some video. I know it's the older MacBook, but I believe the mechanism should be similar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kg6EfuR-6Y

gurubo62 wrote:
If you think you can take the keyboard apart and see the sensor pad below, is this sensor pad one big sensor for the whole keyboard and not something that can be repaired specific to one key? I've been quoted $550 Australian ($US300+) to have the keyboard replaced.

I don't know the specifics on the new machines but yes, the sensor pad is a very thin sheet of plastic material that has electrical contacts and a multi connector that plugs into the mainboard. The key has a conductive material that makes a connection between two contacts. It's seldom the key material loses conductivity.

That's expensive but within range for what you would expect from Apple.

pancenter-

Pancenter wrote:

gurubo62 wrote:
If you think you can take the keyboard apart and see the sensor pad below, is this sensor pad one big sensor for the whole keyboard and not something that can be repaired specific to one key? I've been quoted $550 Australian ($US300+) to have the keyboard replaced.

I don't know the specifics on the new machines but yes, the sensor pad is a very thin sheet of plastic material that has electrical contacts and a multi connector that plugs into the mainboard. The key has a conductive material that makes a connection between two contacts. It's seldom the key material loses conductivity.

That's expensive but within range for what you would expect from Apple.

I don't know about the sensor pad, but I remember seeing one and I thought the key mechanism was at least had a fairly normal plastic scissor mechanism like most Apple keyboard for the past 8 or so years (save a few with the metal mechanism). All the MacBook keys fit over some some sort of membrane sensor pad.

Here's a discussion on replacing the entire keyboard. I think the best answer was that it required about 50 screws to be removed in order to access the entire keyboard.

http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Discuss/thread/713

Looking at the following, it looks like the keys could be popped off:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/2971285889/

Just to clarify, although Apple do not sell the MacBook Air or Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards separately, they can be removed from the top case and replaced if you can get one although it is fiddly and does involve pretty much dismantling and entire laptop and involves a lot of very small screws. See http://www.thebookyard.com/mackeyboards.php?manufacturers_id=20&sort=2a&filterid=103

In terms of keycaps, there are at least two different design of scissor clip mechanism used on these machines; Type-E clip and Type-G. The key caps are specific to the scissor clip design and NOT interchangeable so if you are replacing key caps, you need to determine which type you have first.
The Type-E keys are almost exactly the same as those used on the 13" black MacBooks except that because these earlier MacBooks did not have backlit keyboards, the keys were made of opaque white plastic. The backlit MacBook Air and Unibody MacBooks have keys made of a translucent plastic for obvious reasons.
I hope this makes things clear. Key caps for all Mac laptop types are listed, categorised and explained at http://www.thebookyard.com/applekeycaps.php?manufacturersid=40