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Keyboard typing weird letters and symbols

Hi all


I have tried to use my Macbook Pro this morning and when I type its typing the wrong letters

and symbols...................can anyone help?


Thanks


Jo

Posted on May 18, 2011 3:48 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 11, 2013 8:30 PM

I just spent hour trying to fix tihs on my iMac and could find the answer so I wanted to post it for someone else. Mine was typing in crazy symbols (åß∂ƒ©).


Also I could not Command + Tab (shoot me), and when I clicked on a window in another app it hid the windows I was working in.


I tried new keyboards. And the system preferences stuff - system preferences - language & text - input sources. then select US. This didn't fix it.


Then I tried to change the keyboard shortcuts in the same window - spotlight (on left), unclick the show spotlight search field and the other one bellow. Then hit the com + Spacebar. This didn't fix it.


Then i did it and double check that i did it right and still didn't fix it.


So I called apple support and they gave me the magical key to fix this.


Turn off your computer. Unplug for 30 sec, and everything attached. Then power it back on and hurry and hold Command + Option + P + R. I held Command + Option + P with one hand and then after I hit power I added the R.


The computer will make one chime. Keep holding it. I will then shut down and make one more chime and you can let go.


Taa daa!!


I have a 27" iMac 2.93Ghz i7 with 10.8.2 (FYI).

47 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Feb 11, 2013 8:30 PM in response to jowitch2

I just spent hour trying to fix tihs on my iMac and could find the answer so I wanted to post it for someone else. Mine was typing in crazy symbols (åß∂ƒ©).


Also I could not Command + Tab (shoot me), and when I clicked on a window in another app it hid the windows I was working in.


I tried new keyboards. And the system preferences stuff - system preferences - language & text - input sources. then select US. This didn't fix it.


Then I tried to change the keyboard shortcuts in the same window - spotlight (on left), unclick the show spotlight search field and the other one bellow. Then hit the com + Spacebar. This didn't fix it.


Then i did it and double check that i did it right and still didn't fix it.


So I called apple support and they gave me the magical key to fix this.


Turn off your computer. Unplug for 30 sec, and everything attached. Then power it back on and hurry and hold Command + Option + P + R. I held Command + Option + P with one hand and then after I hit power I added the R.


The computer will make one chime. Keep holding it. I will then shut down and make one more chime and you can let go.


Taa daa!!


I have a 27" iMac 2.93Ghz i7 with 10.8.2 (FYI).

Aug 13, 2017 6:18 AM in response to jowitch2

I had the same issue, but it's just with a regular MacBook laptop, not a macbook pro. I find that when I press the keys shift option on the left side of the keyboard that the issue is resolved temporarily. It seems that there are a couple different symbols keyboards, so you may have to press the keys a couple times to get back to your normal keyboard. If that doesn't works, I press shift comand on the other side of the keyboard and sometimes the issue goes away temporarily. This does not permantly resolve the issue for me. It seems to come back when I type more on the left side of my keyboard. Hope this helps!

May 18, 2011 3:52 AM in response to jowitch2

Hi,


Please check that your keyboard it set to type in your desired keyboard language and layout.

To do this go to System Preferences > Language & Text > Input Sources > And tick or untick the languages and keyboard layout you require.


Or you could click the little country flag beside the time in the top menu.


Regards,

Tim

Jun 28, 2017 3:06 AM in response to jowitch2

I've had this same problem, but everything I've tried from reading through the answers to this post hasn't worked.


Here's what happened and what I've tried:

I've been having major issues with my late-2011 Macbook Pro, and have been trawling helpful geek forums like this one for a couple of weeks now with no joy. Many others have had the same symptoms, but none of the fixes have worked for me. I'm going to document in details everything I've tried in case someone is able to help me

So the first thing I noticed when the trouble started is that on booting up, a grey disk appeared which I had to select to start up. Never did this before.

Keyboard started acting crazy with lots of strange symbols rather than letters (i.e. "asdf" is åß∂ƒ). "Backspace" deletes the entire preceding word, mouse clicks on trackpad started working only sporadically. Command Tab stopped opening tabs in browser.

Two-finger swipe made browser to back rather that scrolling down browser page.


A Mac-savvy friend said it sounded like my Alt key was jammed down somehow.


Soooo I frankensteined my two late-2011 Macbook Pros together - I had one before whose logic board totally failed, and my new second-hand one has slightly lower specs and the keyboard is sticky, so I figured the Alt key jam was a definite possibility. I successfully built the logic board from my 'new' sticky Macbook into my former higher-spec machine.


BUT same issues as above are still happening with my new frankenstein Macbook!! 😟



I tried the suggested "Command Option PR" boot, didn't work.


Did Apple hardware test and no issues found (http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1509)

Started Mac in Safe boot, problems still occur.

Issues with the crazy symbols does not occur with and external keyboard, and occasionally it'll all work fine, before going back to crazy (no rhyme or reason that I can see...)


I wonder whether it is the Alt key that's the issue, but given this is now a completely different keyboard, it seems super unlikely.


Help help!! Thanks in advance 🙂

Jan 14, 2017 10:25 AM in response to Mark Rosher

So..... My wife called me last night with the same question, we tried everything under the sun, without trying to restart for obvious reasons. I.e. Not being able to log in. After trying everything we saw on The Google, we did a restart. The quickest fix for this is to do a restart and shift R. It fixes common issues that reside within the OS. If your mac is ever working poorly, try this first. Good luck.

Nov 2, 2017 5:45 AM in response to Goldenb14

Goldenb14 wrote:


This is happening to me too but it’s on my phone. I tried changing the keyboard and creating a shortcut for the word and still nothing. Every time I type in the word “I” I get this I idk what’s going on.

Your problem is totally different and has been reported by lots of people, some kind of bug. See


Can’t type the letter I️ , showing up weird. A little box or the letter A and a question mark inside of a box.

Sep 5, 2013 12:13 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

It's not easy always to find usb kb or wireless, most of people with PC use ps/2 keyboards, and not all have wireless, i know that doesn't have to be an Apple kb, but like i said, it's not always to find 1 of that 2 keyboards, another reason that most of people us laptops, desktop machines era is past...


Nobody can be 100% sure what's problem, until test it, so software testing isn't pointeless, in meantime until we find hardware for testing, we always check all software options to try fix it, it's logic! I know that's, it's not so helpful, when keyboard costs too much, you sound like someone who works for Apple, cause most of answers by Apple support is like your, useless, and just talking like "you'll have to buy new one", it's the easiest way for support someone, but that's horrible support! Generally can say, Apple support is BIG ZERO! Always just want money, but when need to help, no help!

Sep 5, 2013 12:49 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

It's good that we are on same side 🙂 ... Unfortunately that's really true, cause it's not my 1st time to experience problem with their support, where main answer is "we'll have to replace it", rarely try some other things, instead prompt replacing 🙂....


Yeah, you are right, i googled, and found on other forums same situations like mine, will try your suggestion about testing external KB, to see is KB fault or not, if external KB works, i'll try reinstalling OS to see will that fix my problem...

However, thank you for your advices and good will!

Keyboard typing weird letters and symbols

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