MacBook Pro keyboard keys labeling wearing off

martin21045 wrote:

. Note how the Apple store team told me it is "only cosmetic and not any warranty issue";

my sense is that after having paid $6,000 (USD) for a 'flagship' product then it should provide a better experience than what I am encountering.

Thanks for the follow up.

It is a known issue there is no doubt.

Agreed some user own personal chemistry might have more of an effect then others— however it is pretty obvious a quality control issue—and I would certainly let out a cri de coeur.

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

The new MBP 16" has gone on to leave behind the plagued & beleaguered butterfly key board, and hopefully the inadequately printed/stamped/embossed letters as well.

martin21045 wrote:

Oh yes, as I mentioned above, the Team Leader (supervisor) at the Apple Store did suggest that I could pay them to remedy the defective product, by buying yet another (likely) defective complete keyboard with top case - for how many hundred dollars? And in another six or eight months then I might likely be privileged to again pay to have that keyboard and top case replaced.

Apple Computer company's policies are indeed sympathetic and gracious.

I was thinking just the single key. It was free in my case, and well out of warranty. It doesn’t take an entire keyboard to just replace a single key.

Activated my new $6k MacBook Pro 2018 on 16 Jan 2019. By Sept 2019

They ran a keyboard/full Mac diagnostic, hoping to find a problem so they could replace it. As my Mac passed the diagnostic, all they offered is that I could pay to have the entire top cover replaced!

If you took it in than you got the answer.

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Apple will not replace the individual keys, but maybe an independent will, this Could void any warranty(?)

Top case replacement is how you replace a keyboard—nothing new here.

I would encourage you to submit your Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

You can always trade in your Mac to get beyond your frustration:

Apple Trade In - Apple

You can pursue your issue further:

*Contact Apple for support and service—https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201232

Apple Store Customer Service: 1-800-676-2775

Sounds a little bit strange. I was under the impression that the keys are available. In fact, I've had a broken scissor mechanism on a Unibody MBP, and I had an entire "esc" key replaced for free at an Apple Store. I even got to keep the old key. I had to wait for about 10 minutes while they fished around for the right replacement part (there were two basic keyboard mechanism types) but at least that could be replaced.

Apple is supposed to have a keyboard service program. While this isn't about cosmetic damage, they specifically note that individual keys may be replaced under the program.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro - Apple Support

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service eligible MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge. The type of service will be determined after the keyboard is examined and may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard.

If that's really an issue and they won't replace it for you, there are companies that sell replacement keys with the cap and mechanism.

https://www.replacementlaptopkeys.com/apple-macbook-pro-keyboard-key-replacement-2018-2019/

leroydouglas wrote:

martin21045 wrote:

. Note how the Apple store team told me it is "only cosmetic and not any warranty issue";

my sense is that after having paid $6,000 (USD) for a 'flagship' product then it should provide a better experience than what I am encountering.

Thanks for the follow up.

It is a known issue there is no doubt.

Agreed some user own personal chemistry might have more of an effect then others— however it is pretty obvious a quality control issue—and I would certainly let out a cri de coeur.

Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

The new MBP 16" has gone on to leave behind the plagued & beleaguered butterfly key board, and hopefully the inadequately printed/stamped/embossed letters as well.

At the very least I would think Apple should allow customers to be able to pay for a replacement key.

martin21045 wrote:

—Apple replaces these keyboards with new... will be back again some months later with worn keypad labeling.

—The Apple Store people told me they've seen this before, yes it usually wears on the most used keys (A,S, etc.)

—The fundamental principle remains the same, the keyboard should not become illegible months

— The other principle is the demonstration, by doing nothing, by Apple of how they back their product.

Agreed on all fronts...

I am unclear why this is rambling on, It is a known issue. Period.

Yes, same old keyboard same old problem. Consumer loses out here. Apple Feedback http://www.apple.com/feedback

You can always trade in and re-coup some of your lose and get out from under it. Apple | Trade in‎

The newer Mac's (MBP 16") has gotten away from this faulty design/poor quality manufacturer/lousy imprinting.

martin21045 wrote:

No, it is not designed to allow replacing a single key at a time.

There are plenty of demonstration videos of the individual "butterfly" keys being popped off and replaced. The mechanism is a bit harder, but the keycap itself is very easy to remove and place back on.

Not sure. You never know exactly why it wears down. I’ve seen some keys wear down while others with similar wear didn’t wear down to the base plastic.

Seems like you have wear on just a couple of keys.

Same issue here. I have problem with my A and now the N it's starting the wear off. I'm really angry and I really think Apple should fix this issue, which it's easy way to fix. They change the whole keyboard for a new one without the defect, or they just change the offending keys (if they just have problems with some keys).

I can't understand why this is happening. In my case it's on a MBP 2019 I bought last June. It doesn't have even a year. I live in a country without official Apple Store (Finland), so they send me to an Apple Authorized Service Provider, which told me that cosmetic problems doesn't fall under Apple Warranty (I have Apple Care). What?

I'm sorry, but I've been using the computer normally and if the keys being unusable because I can't read them under normal usage it's pretty much on your side and you have to repair it. Either replacing the whole keyboard or just the offending keys. The problem is that if I want to change the whole keyboard —I just can tell that it's not working and that's it— I'm going to be without computer for a week or so, since they have to order the part, change it —which isn't specially easy— and ship it to my home (I don't live in Helsinki but in the Eastern of Finland).

I'm planning to change it on my next visit to Spain —I'm Spanish— since I'm going to be for a while in Madrid and there is a nice Apple Store there. But again, it's really a stupid problem that it's cause by putting a cheap keyboard on your high end products.

NO BUENO!