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Level 1

4 points

Macbook pro unibody trackpad issue

Hi,

Slight problem with my trackpad, if I tap on the surface of the trackpad e.g to click on a file, link etc it will work fine, however when i need to actually use the full click e.g to drag and drop, move a window etc 90% of the time it wont work.

Any ideas on what could be causing the problem and what could be done as a fix?

Thanks!

macbook pro, unibody, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Jul 27, 2010 2:56 PM

Best reply

TD27

Level 1

0 points

Posted on Jul 28, 2010 8:07 AM

Same Problem, started about a week ago and is getting progressively worse. The track pad seems to click normally but when I hold down with my thumb and try to drag a file or select text / multiple files it lets off and ends up messing up documents. It seems like the trackpad is not staying clicked in? This is very frustrating and inconvenient. I'm going to try to make it to a Mac repair store this week and see what they say. I was thinking it may have to do with the humidity. I am working a summer camp up in the NC Mountains and the problem started after a hot weekend of heavy rain. However the problem is still there.

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37 replies

alat99

Level 1

0 points

Aug 23, 2014 2:48 PM in response to lcowell

AMAZING thank you so much

Levina_

Level 1

0 points

Nov 3, 2014 2:01 PM in response to lcowell

Hilarious but effective: the side-click-trick worked for my bf's Macbook Pro (mid 2009) too! 😀 Thanks a lot!

riche.

Level 1

0 points

Jan 26, 2015 1:07 PM in response to lcowell

Great fix Luke. You beauty! 😁

Sep 29, 2015 1:58 PM in response to lcowell

Dear Icowell,

You replied to this a few years ago but you just saved me so much hassle that I needed to thank you!! The fix worked 🙂 That was awesome!! Thanks again!!!

Oct 1, 2015 10:58 PM in response to lcowell

oh bless your sweet heart with the "turn it on its side and click a bunch" routine. this trackpad has been driving me absolute NUTS, i've tried to open this thing up and get to the trackpad to clean it...unsuccessful. who knew it was as easy as this!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU

els1

Level 1

4 points

Dec 2, 2015 5:51 PM in response to lcowell

This helped a little but what really helped is while doing this I noticed there was some grime here and there around the wall of the trackpad cutout. I used a regular home vacuum cleaner with the brush attachment to "scrub" the wall (with the bristles parallel to the trackpad and perpendicular to the wall--had to go around several times. A toothbrush would work too. Now completely back to normal.

So, thanks for making me look careefully at the trackpad rather than assuming something was damaged.

Extra credit: I also went lightly over the keyboard and speakers also--several times over the keyboard until no more cat hair, etc was poking out from under the keys.

CA3LE

Level 1

4 points

Apr 15, 2016 1:18 PM in response to lcowell

Totally helped, thank you!

Mine was making an almost grinding noise, but was inconsistently doing it. Sounded to me like granules, maybe bits of sugar or salt (my macbook is always at my kitchen table). I tried to blow it out with air and it seemed to be resolved for a period. After it came back I thought I might need to open it up and switch out the trackpad... now I don't think so.

I just turned it to one side and clicked all around the pad, then turned the entire laptop to the other side and repeated. I assume this dislodged whatever debris was preventing normal function.

Thanks again, saved me from a headache. I'm clicking all around the trackpad right now and it feels like it's new again! Ahhhhh.

Macbook pro unibody trackpad issue