Since updating to Sonoma 14.6.1 today, using special chars blocks the keyboard

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Since updating to Sonoma 14.6.1 today, using special chars blocks the keyboard

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Hi everyone,

I updated my MacBook to Sonoma 14.6.1 today and restarted it. Since then, whenever I try to type special characters (like accents, etc.), my keyboard completely locks up, and I can't type anything further. In the browser, I have to exit the active tab, and in Slack, I need to close the application entirely.

Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Do you know how to fix it?

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.6

Posted on Aug 8, 2024 7:11 AM

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Answer 1

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-Mauro- Author

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Aug 17, 2024 11:38 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Hi all, I've tried the solution that Thetimefarer suggested and it worked!

Go to keyboard setting > Language Then Change Language And Restart The Mac

I have added a secondary language to the keyboard, restarted and the problem was fixed. I've then removed the second language and restarted again and the issue is still fixed.

To answer your question, Tom, some examples where ž and ö.

I honestly don't know what was the cause, but I hope this post helps anyone else with the same issue.

Thanks Tom, Thetimefarer and nathan-apple-user for your help.

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Answer 2

Tom Gewecke

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122,118 points

Aug 18, 2024 2:09 AM in response to -Mauro-

-Mauro- wrote:

Hi all, I've tried the solution that Thetimefarer

suggested and it worked!

Go to keyboard setting > Language Then Change Language And Restart The Mac

I have added a secondary language to the keyboard, restarted and the problem was fixed. I've then removed the second language and restarted again and the issue is still fixed.

That's great news! Could you clairify exactly where you did that? Was it the keyboard layouts in system settings > keyboard > text input > edit > input sources? Or was it in the dictation languages in system settings > keyboard > dictation > languages?

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Answer 3

Tom Gewecke

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Aug 14, 2024 3:35 AM in response to -Mauro-

I don't think I have seen any other reports of this. It seems like the kind of thing that would be caused by a 3rd party utility. You might check ESET support to see if anyone else using that has had the problem.

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Answer 4

Aug 15, 2024 12:11 PM in response to -Mauro-

If this happened to me, my temporary workaround would be to copy-and-paste names/words that contain the special characters.

Not a fix, but could keep you going.

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Answer 5

Tom Gewecke

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Aug 8, 2024 5:00 PM in response to -Mauro-

Try playing with your settings for key repeat and delay

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Answer 6

Tom Gewecke

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Aug 9, 2024 9:56 AM in response to -Mauro-

Does the keyboard still freeze when you only use the option shortcuts for accents? Does this happen in all apps, including Safari, Mail, messages?

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Answer 7

Aug 15, 2024 4:25 AM in response to -Mauro-

Go to keyboard setting > Language Then Change Language And Restart The Mac

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Answer 8

Tom Gewecke

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Aug 8, 2024 8:49 AM in response to -Mauro-

How are you typing special chars? Press and hold?

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Answer 9

Tom Gewecke

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122,118 points

Aug 9, 2024 2:24 AM in response to -Mauro-

Do you have any 3rd party antivirus stuff installed?

Another way to make accents, etc is via option key shortcuts.

https://sites.psu.edu/symbolcodes/mac/codemac/

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Answer 10

-Mauro- Author

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Aug 9, 2024 9:21 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Yes, I do; I do have ESET installed. I've also tried to disable every single function that ESET provides, but the issue persists.

Thank you for the shortcuts for the accents. However, there are still names and sometimes words that I cannot type due to the keyboard freezing the entire "input session."

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Answer 11

-Mauro- Author

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Aug 14, 2024 1:46 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Hi Tom, no, if I use the option shortcuts for accents the keyboard doesn't freeze. It happens only if I keep pressing any keys.

Yes, I also confirm that, unfortunately, it happens also with Safari, Mail messages etc.

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Answer 12

-Mauro- Author

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Aug 8, 2024 8:57 AM in response to Tom Gewecke

Hi Tom,

Yes, usually, I find Press and Hold the quickest way to add special chars when typing.

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Answer 13

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

122,118 points

Aug 15, 2024 1:01 PM in response to -Mauro-

-Mauro- wrote:

there are still names and sometimes words that I cannot type due to the keyboard freezing the entire "input session."

Could you give examples of those names/words?

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Answer 14

Tom Gewecke

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Aug 18, 2024 2:06 AM in response to Thetimefarer

Could you clairify what setting you are referring to? Is it the one below Dictation named Languages?

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Answer 15

-Mauro- Author

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Aug 8, 2024 11:01 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

I looked into the settings, but nothing has changed since weeks / months ago.

In my case, both "Key repeat rate" and "Delay until repeat" are set at the maximum value.

Even when changing those settings, the keyboard gets completely blocked, and I cannot type (or delete) any keys.

The same issue happens with the Mac keyboard and the Bluetooth one.

I've now blocked the Spotlight Search and the only way to fix it was "killall Spotlight".

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