Macbook pro trackpad not responsive, opening apps on it's own, moving screens on its own, help!

As I posted before, the pressure thing didn't work for me, and cleaning didn't too,

But I solved my problem. I suspect it could be the battery swelling, because I often left the laptop at work and the charger is always connected often times more than a week because that time I had only like two or three meetings in two months.

Since the issue occured, I started to use a mouse, disable trackpad, I started unplugging more often, every one or two days, sometimes carry the laptop home, and each time leave the battery to drop below 20% before re-plugging.

And after about two of weeks, everything returns to normal.

Now I need to remember to carry the laptop home more often or at least unplug it every other day.

It seems everyone has a different "solution" to the problem. SMC reset, PRAM reset, cleaning, language, folder workflow. Which means:

there is no clear solution!

So just to help (or not) even more, I'll add what worked for me:

1. Cleaned up really good my trackpad
2. Did a SMC reset
3. Did a PRAM reset

None of this helped. Then this final step is what it *fixed* (at least for the time being) the problem (btw you need a mouse to make this work):

Go to system preferences > accesibility > mouse & trackpad > then check "Ignore built-in trackpac [...]"

Play around for a bit with your mouse, say 15 seconds, then come back and uncheck that box.

THAT solved the issue for me. Again, for the time being.

Why, how, what .... who knows!?

I am having the same problem that you have guys! 😟

My trackpad is going crazy and do whatever it wants (zoom, clics, selections, bla bla...)

I just upgrade my ML yesterday and at 6:00 PM my trackpad wasn't working 😟 so I have the hope that that was the reason and not because it hadswater on it or something like that 😟

I haven't try anything yet so I'm going to try some of the things that you post here to see if it works, wich I HOOOPE!

Wish me luckkkkk! 😮

Inspect very closely the gap between the trackpad and the computer housing.

For my computer debris in that very small gap turned out to be the problem.

I used a thin piece of paper to clear the debris. My problem was corrected immediately.

Yes that gap is important.

I replaced my trackpad once; I had shattered it (because whacking it used to help, and then I had to whack it harder and harder...). If I had known how easy it would have been to loosen the trackpad and clean around the edges I wouldn't have needed a new one.

But once replaced you have to get it centered properly so that there is a gap all the way around. I got lucky the first time but eventually the thing migrated toward one edge (I guess I didn't tighten the screws enough) and I had to take it apart again 3 times to get it right -- finally by loosening the screws, then shoving an office-paper shim around the edges and tightening them again.

I also have this jumpy mouse problem on my MacBook Pro Retina display, I solve it by using a hairdryer and put it to cool air mode then blow in through different holes. After about 5 minutes, turn it back on and everything work like normal.

I have good news!

A week a go I comment in this forum to talked about my problem with my trackpad and that night I did the SMC reset, I cleaned the track pad with my nail and I don't remember what else, and after doing all that stuff the problem was still there but two days after everything was back to normal! 😀

My trackpad is working good as before and I am surprised, even though I'm still going to take my computer to the store because I don't want that problem to come back, the service guy told me that it really can be a software problem and that the upgrades can cause this problems.

😀 😀 😀

Try cleaning the trackpad by:

1. Using a fingernail to trace around the edge to remove any lint or dirt that has wedged between the pad and the case.
2. Use a VERY lightly dampened paper towel to clean the pad.
3. Use a dry paper towel to dry it completely and further remove any oil from your skin that the water didn't get.

That has worked for us several times on two different Macbook Pros.

Mark

I have an iMac as well with 10.9.2 and my magic trackpad does this... Took me over 20 minutes to type this because it kept selecting the text and id delete what I wrote

Well as I have written earlier, I solved the issue by cleaning my trackpad, and this was a part of the problem. Tiny (cant see) particles of dust between the chassis and the trackpad surface. Then a couple of times I experienced the problem again... and I noticed. Even though the aluminum chassis is rigid, I had my macbookpro placed on a table, with smal part of the book outside the table. I tend to rest my left arm on the body while writing. I suspect that the chassis somewhat bended from this and therefore causes a pressure from battery inside and on to trackpad surface from whitin macbook/keyboard. I do not believe that the 'press hard and harder' resolve written by many of you are a good solution. Eventually you will have to replace your trackpad since this is a delicate piece of technology. Some of the solutions may be an issue with the battery faulty/expanding somewhat, but in my cause it was my own fault by not washing my hands and working whit the computer bendt.

I guess if I ever read the manual it would say something like... keep your computer placed on a plain surface... 🙂

Problem do not longer exist for me.

This is a **** ******* projet. It deserves a recall.

Missing of PowerPC, Mr. Jobs, missing of MAC!

Fixed my problem, too! Thanks! 🙂

If the SMC reset does not fix things, the Apple IT helpdesk indicated that it is likely a trackpad hardware problem. This seems to be the case of my Macbook Pro.

If this is the case you (and you are not under warranty or cannot replace your trackpad quickly), I discovered that synicing my bluetooth mouse has corrected the issue. (I should have trid this many days ago.) The mouse correctly responds to the bluetooth mouse. Oddly enough, my trackpad also works correctly when the bluetooth mouse it is synced.

Just for reference, I had an extremely erratic mouse. (I, unfortunately was doing alot of command q to quit programs so that I could shut down - which seemed to temporaritly fix my issue.)

I hope this helps.

Squeegy2000

Totally fixed my totally unresponsive trackpad. Thanks for this.

I had the same problem; all of these solutions didn't work for me!!!!

The trackpad was erratic and last of the time it didn't repond at all anymore;

I've put a new one; it also didn't work!!

SOLUTION

At last I've unplugged the trackpad from the logic board, cleaned the connector, connected it back, and my trackpad works again!!!! After 3 months searching for the problem.. (The apple service wanted to put a new logic board in it.. but I couldn't miss my computer for work.)

Tip: best thing you can do is use some contact spray to put on the connector; so that the problem won't come back 😉

(sorry for my really bad english!! 😝)

greetings