The trackpad on my MacBook Air is acting erratic. It highlights everything when I scroll or clicks on random links. It also keeps dragging photos across the screen. I've had my Mac for about seven months. Does any know how to correct this issue?

In case you missed it, that can occur with an aftermarket power adapter according to the link in the first reply to this Discussion: Portables and Magic Trackpad: Jumpy or erratic trackpad operation

"Apple has had some reports of this behavior related to power supplies made by a third party company. If you are using one of these power adapters, unplug it and try running from the Apple battery to see how the trackpad behaves. Also try using the Apple AC adapter instead of the third-party AC adapter. If the trackpad behaves normally while running from the Apple battery or adapter, there is most likely an issue with your third-party adapter."

Hi Thomas, thanks. Yeah, I really didn't think much about that in my frustration. I came back here because today the machine played up at least four times again for 5-15 minutes each. I just read in another thread that it helps to press the top corners of the pad down. Worked for the moment.

ive tried everything suggested and none of them work. Its something different. Thanks for your attempts with solutions, Thank you apple for taking up my work time, we both got paid so its all good. Unfortunatly it is somthing else. I reverted one of my MBPs back to mountain and issue went away. Im sorry to say its a Mavericks thing.

Tried other power supplies, replaced my Japan apple adapter with US plug, ran on batt power, removed battery, replaced battery (apple) replaced trackpad, removed google drive, smc/pram resets, repaired permissions, pushed on trackpad and tipped the unit all types of directions, and nothing. Read every thing about this stupid topic wasting money, and the solution is to get rid of mavericks and then it worked fine. Im keeping my personal one in mavericks to see how long the issue persists and how i can just sit back and go wow! Apple is so much better than this.

Like a kid in the back seat ill wait saying "are we there yet!?"

let me try ... to write... stick my FINGER UP to Macintosh! Everyday now my MBP goes beserk for NO apparent reason with NO solution. My Windows friends are grinning as I have to abuse my MBP, having to slam to **** trackpad to cool it down a little. The **** thing almost starts to send emails by itself.

Worst still, it seems that this problem occurs with ALL Mac laptops, whatever the iOS version. This problem is so intrusive, it's enough to go back to Windows.

I would suggest you send your MBP to Apple authorised repair centre to have this problem fixed. I had the same problem and they replaced the trackpad with a new one.

it seems that this problem occurs with ALL Mac laptops

Nonsense. You are seeing a miniscule sampling of MacBook Pro users here. A select few, all suffering from similar issues and most likely drawn together here by a Google search. The vast majority of MacBook Pro users have no such problems, ever, in the lifetime of their machines.

Now, rather than hitting your Mac, making obscene gestures at it and cursing at us, you should try something productive. As I have already said, I would guess that you probably have a hardware issue, and need to get the machine checked out by Apple. Have you done so?

First of all, I apologize for upsetting you, but I am very disappointed with Macintosh.

And it is evident to me that I am not exactly alone. It's MBP and MBA owners, with different IOS's. Discussions have been ongoign on this subject for years. My worry is that none of the discussion threads offers a decent solution. In fact, there is still ample discussion about whether or not it is a hardware problem. I've first had this problem when I had my MBP about half a year, then nothing happened for another half year. Now it is a daily problem, but not constant.

How on Earth is a local Genius going to make sense of that? I'll have to do it, I guess. Will report back in due time. Hopefully, I'll eat my words.

Again, it is a trivial thing for people with similar symptoms to all end up in the same forum on the internet, leading people to believe there is some massive problem when there is not. As you should see, on reading this discussion and others like it, there is often no commonality between the actual causes, once those causes have been discovered. Some people have found it was caused by a bad power cord. Some by static build-up when not plugged in. Some found it was a swelling battery. Some found it was third-party software. Heck, there have even been a few reports of people whose skin chemistry simply does not seem compatible with any modern Apple trackpads.

Surely you don't think that all these disparate causes, found in a fraction of a percentage of Mac users, could justify condemning the entire product line, do you?

Get your machine checked.

The problem is maybe not massive, but it's certainly frequent. I happened to my Macbook Ar 13" 2011 already two times. On both occasions, the trackpad was replaced, and the problems gone. The first trackpad replacement was under guarantee, but this time I had to pay EUR 150,- (USD 206,-) to get it fixed. Still the MacAir is a great tool, but the reliability of the trackpad could be better.

Anyhow, for those suffering the erratic trackpad problem, there is just one method to fix it. Get the trackpad replaced, and you're fine again.

I have a MacBook Air from mid-2011. I am using Mountain Lion and have been having the trackpad problem since Lion, which it came with. I upgraded to Mountain Lion hoping to solve this issue, bit it didn't help. I found another link relating to the trackpad problem about adjusting a screw. I ordered some pentalobe screwdrivers and waited for them to come. When I got them I tried the screw adjustment and my Air has at least been useable again. It still happens so I am going to do some further adjusting. For more information on this, see this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5294923

There is just one cure: Have the trackpad replaced.This problem has happened to my Macbook Air already twice, and is caused by an internal short-cut in the trackpad device. Your's will be repaired under guarantee.

I suddenly had the same problem with my 8 month old MBP and can confirm that it was due to a third party power adapter. I got it a few weeks ago so I could move between office and home without taking my power cord/adapter. After reading the reply from John Galt above, I disconnected the magsafe cord and all was well again. Put it back, problem back. So I'll just use it to charge up, but use the comptuer without it. Or just bite the bullet and get an Apple adapter. BTW, it doesn't affect a mouse, which I had to plug in, the problem was so bad.

People, please don't insist you can only solve this by buying a new trackpad, new battery, etc. There are other reasons.

This may just be a minor amount of people who own an "Apple", but it is a very frustrating problem when you need your computer to get work done. Or just want to keep in touch. My MacBook is only 3 years old and I have the same complaint as everyone here. Although I cannot even use my Mac because I have no control of the cursor. My issues could be several mentioned here, and I will be taking it in to get worked on, as none of the easy fixes mentioned have been successful. Which is even more frustrating because I have already been told I needed a new logic board when the computer was just out of warranty! I'm not convinced that Apple is a better product. Most of the time I could find and fix issues in windows without spending an arm and a leg. (My Mac was a gift.)

This support bulletin solved the problem with my wife's "macbook6,1" model. After she came clean about applying hand lotion and using her MB, I cleaned the trackpad with eyeglass cleaner and a soft cloth, and all is well again!

Portables and Magic Trackpad: Jumpy or erratic trackpad operation

Regards,

Ira

OK, I spoke too soon... The trackpad issue with my wife's Macbook came back and I think it may be software related. I deleted all internet plug-ins from their directories, and did experiencing the trackpad issue at all while working in my barely used account, or when booting into safe mode with my wife's account. However, once I logged into my wife's account normally, the cursor started bouncing all over the place. Removing Adobe Flash didn't help either. I'll next try installing the 10.6.8 Combo Update (same as current s/w revision) and see if that helps.

Hmm... I just noticed the recent post about the power adapter contributing to this issue. I wasn't using it (the correct Apple one) while working on my wife's MB, but now it's plugged in. Let's see what happens when it's unplugged...

Grrr... I now think I have a bad trackpad. The issue came back while the power adapter was not connected. Perhaps there's there a bad physical connection that's adversely affected when the system warms up.

I think a trip to the Apple Genius Bar is in order...

Regards,

Ira