Escape key not working | MacOS Monterrey 12.0.1

I sure that this is related with Siri.app, because CMD+Space long press not working also. Siri app from menubar not responding at all.

How to fix it:

Go to Activity Monitor > Kill process Siri.app

Now Esc will work correctly.

Since it happens with different keyboards, we can rule out a hardware defect.

Try this two simple tests:

1) Create a new account, log in to that account - does the escape key work?

2) Start your mac in Safe Mode (press and hold the power key until you are presented with startup options), and log in to your normal account. Does the escape key work?

Tell us the results of the tests above, and also: Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

Give this a try: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

As @Luis Sequeira1 suggested

Etrecheck

Suggest downloading the Application Etrecheck directly from a well Respected ASC Contributor. 

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with nor receive compensation from the Developer.

The application is free or paid from added features. 

Run the application with Full Disc Access ( Security & Privacy - Full Disc Access ).

It will take a Snap Shot -  both the hardware and software.

 The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information. 

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last )

We can have a look at the report for possible issues and may have possible suggestions to resolve the issues.

Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS, alter, modify, remove or delete or attempt to do so is an invitation for disaster and may require a Reinstallation of the OS.

This includes AntiVirus, Disk Cleaners, Disk Optimizes, UnInstaller etc.

The The Built in Security  is all that is required.

I am seeing this same issue on my M1 MacBook Air w/ Monterey 12.0.1.

Escape not working in Google sheets, on both Safari and Chrome.

"hey siri" / clicking on the siri menu icon does nothing.

Logging out/in fixes both issues.

$3T company and the escape key just stops working. Quite stellar.

Or maybe, just maybe, you installed crappy things like "cleanmymac" and wonder why your mac is acting up?

If the escape key were not functioning for a big number of people, this forum would have been flooded with complaints, but that has not happened. This points to particular issues with specific installations, rather that a wholesale bug.

Same issue here... it starts after upgrade to monterey

its not a hardware issue, my mac book is new

if i restart, esc get back working, but, after some time of using without reboot, esc suddenly stop

b.r.

This does not seem to have any relation to the topic of this thread.

If you want to discuss your problem, please start a new thread and give specific details about your mac, drive, OS you were using, etc. There may or may not be a solution, but we can't help without information.

I was afraid it could be something with my brand new M1 MacBook keyboard, since my intel Mac running the same version of Monterey and was just fine. When I realized it happened to any keyboard I thought it oughta be something software related.

I used the code below on terminal and it really did bring esc back to life.

 $sudo killall Siri

I guess we're stuck with buggy Monterey until Apple releases the next OS version.

I have the same problem that you mention: Siri and the "esc" key stop working. When restarting they work again for a while and always stop working.

It has gone through 2 Technical Services (AppleCare Service and an Authorized Technical Service), and the problem persists, after several new updates, and many reports to engineering and operations with Technical Support.

A shame...

Tengo el mismo problema que comentáis: Siri y la tecla "esc" dejan de funcionar. Al reiniciar vuelven a funcionar un tiempo y siempre dejan de funcionar.

Ha pasado por 2 Servicios Técnicos (AppleCare Service y un Servicio Técnico Autorizado), y el problema persiste, tras varias actualizaciones nuevas, y muchos reportes a ingeniería y operaciones con Soporte Técnico.

Una vergüenza...

Thanks. Well, the problem is solved momentarily, but it will appear again in the same way.

At least in my case, it always stops Siri and the escape key from working again, the restart only fixes it for a short and indeterminate period of time.

El problema se soluciona momentáneamente reiniciando, pero vuelve a aparecer.

I couldn't find it in Activity Monitor so I killed it using the command line:

```

ps -ef | grep -i siri

sudo kill -9 <pid>

```

I ran the 2nd command for all the Siri processes I found (about 4 IIRC). The PID is the 2nd column of the 1st command.

Apple, después de escalar el caso, pasar por Soporte Técnico y por 2 Servicios Técnicos, me indica que no hay todavía una solución, salvo continuar escalándolo a ingeniería.

También me dicen que es un problema de mi MacBook Air, y que no tienen conocimiento de que otros usuarios lo estén experimentando.

Quizá no todo el mundo está reportando estos problemas a Apple y quizá Apple no sea transparente con los usuarios.

__

Apple, after escalating the case, going through Technical Support and 2 Technical Services, tells me that there is still no solution, except to continue escalating it to engineering.

They also tell me that it is a problem with my MacBook Air, and that they are not aware of other users experiencing it.

Maybe not everyone is reporting these problems to Apple and maybe Apple is not transparent with users.

THE POINT IS THAT, WHEN YOU RESTART OR LOG OUT, IT WORKS AGAIN, BUT THE PROBLEM ENDS UP APPEARING AGAIN...

LA CUESTIÓN ES QUE, AL REINICIAR O CERRAR SESIÓN, VUELVE A FUNCIONAR, PERO EL PROBLEMA ACABA APARECIENDO DE NUEVO...

APPLE TELLS ME THAT I ONLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER USERS... THEY ARE LYING..

APPLE ME DICE QUE SOLAMENTE TENGO YO ESTE PROBLEMA Y NO TIENEN CONOCIMIENTO DE OTROS USUARIOS... MIENTEN.