All Command shortcuts quit working once I updated to Monterey

kenzimm09 wrote:

As soon as I upgraded to Monterey all of my shortcuts using Command stopped working. Not only for my software I use, but universally between programs. You never know how much you use copy and paste using the keyboard until you can't.

Is there an easy solution around this without having to go through the process of downgrading back to Big Sur? I'm not confident enough in my Apple skills to do that. I've reinstalled Monterey several times with no luck. I was hoping the latest update would fix, but it didn't. I can't find any solutions online. Help!

To trouble shoot further you can:

—Try a SafeBoot How to use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support

Takes noticeable longer to get to the login screen, does a 5 minute disk repair before it fully boots up, and certain system caches get cleared and rebuilt, including dynamic loader cache, etc.

Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.

In Safe mode third party system modifications and system accelerations are disabled, it removes malware, etc hampering smooth operation, however a reboot will put it back to normal mode.

This test will tell you if third party interference; extensions etc are not loaded in safe boot mode.

—Test issue in another user (or guest user) account Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac - Apple Support

This will tell you if it a universal issue or isolated to your user/admin account. 

Uninstall all third party apps that are Cleaners/Optimizers/VPN/Anti-Virus

all known to cause issues on the macOS

From your description it is quite obvious what has happened: you have switched the modifier keys and the Command key is behaving as if it was the Option key.

I am not at my mac to check the details but look under System Preferences->Keyboard for an option to set Modifiers. Make sure that each key there is set to match.

That is just weird.

The way I showed is the way it is supposed to work.

There must be something else that is causing trouble.

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

Cleanmymac claims another victim…

You have system security updates disabled and you have installed this creepy thing.

I will look at the rest of the report but this is bad.

Follow their instructions to uninstall (it is NOT enough to drag it to the trash).

Ultimately you may need to do a backup followed by a clean install, and then migrate ONLY yhe user accounts.

In addition, you seem to have been upgrading in place year over year, for a very long time:

 [Other] com.hp.help.tocgenerator.plist (? 11d191c4  - installed 2009-08-04)

Notice the date above...

It is usually best to do a clean install and migrate just the user accounts when doing a major OS upgrade or moving to a new mac.

Old stuff at some point will fail and cause trouble.

Considering this and the fact that you have let the dreaded cmm loose on this system, it is high time you do a clean install.

You will have to install stuff but you will have a clean and stable system. Besides, installing software nowadays is nowhere near as long and painful as it once was (says the guy who had to juggle seven floppies to install excel, and do it several times; now that was painful!).

Yes, I think that the instructions you linked to are appropriate.

I would make not just one but two backups, since you are about to erase the drive.

I also prefer the option to create an installer disk. Thumb drives are so inexpensive nowadays.

Don't forget: after the installation, when asked if you want to transfer your information, choose "from another mac, hard drive or Time Machine backup", then choose your backup drive... and check ONLY the boxes for the users. If you check everything, you will just get back to where you started!

• Try another keyboard (USB) and if it works ok you know it’s the original keyboard which may be faulty..
• Check the keyboard settings. If you use a US layout try changing to UK layout.

Here it is in pictures:

Your penultimate line says "⌥ Option", change it to "⌘ Command", like this: