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MattyRay Author

Level 1

49 points

Random Keys Working Sporadically

I have a MacBook Pro OSX, that I bought about 4 years ago. It has worked PERFECTLY for me. Until now. What is happening is at RANDOM times and for RANDOM lengths, a few keys (t,y,u,i,o) will STOP working. It is totally random and there seems to be no pattern to it at all - they simply will work, and the stop, and then work again (as you can see, they are working NOW). I brought it in to the local computer shop (Best Buy) and they did a hardware analysis to see if the keyboard was broken. It came back and said the keyboard was functioning fine. I don't know what to do at this point?? I've read about the battery perhaps swelling up and causing this, but IDK...ANY help would be GREAT!!!!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Mar 10, 2014 1:32 PM

Top-ranking reply

Community User

Posted on Aug 6, 2018 11:26 PM

Have this issue too.

As the person above said, pressing option 5 times may work.

Another trick is to hold down the keys that are not working (all at once).

If those don't work, re-boot.... & use another keyboard 😉

View in context

168 replies

Oct 8, 2016 2:39 AM in response to MattyRay

hi, I got the same problem! got a late-2011 Macbook Pro. Some letters have stopped functioning since 3 days ago! It started with D and now other letters !! the point is that sometimes works and sometimes doesn't work. The other point I'm going to add is that I'm typing this using the dictation option on Mac. Please help me if you know how to resolve this cause this is really really annoying.

Oct 11, 2016 2:19 AM in response to pjspjs

Now I am totally convinced it is OS related. Upgraded to Sierra, keyboard working slightly better. As Sierra was having Java JDK problems. I reinstalled the original mid-2011 OS Lion. Keyboard working perfectly and error free. Reinstalled a
vanilla version of Sierra. Seems to be ok with the keyboard key repeat slowed as per previous posts. I also realised that clicking on Safari links often went to rename option, and that seems to have gone away to.

Oct 11, 2016 2:23 AM in response to MattyRay

I finally replaced my keyboard. Not too expensive, but took a long time - 120 tiny screws, I believe.

In any case, it works now.

Oct 11, 2016 2:24 AM in response to Zonker in Russia

This email account is no longer active. Your email will automactically be treated as spam. If you wish to make contact please resend your email to philipsinclair@bluewin.ch

Oct 14, 2016 2:35 PM in response to honest abe77

Thank you very much! That worked for me.

It took me:

one call to service,
taking of the keys that not working from keyboard,
google the issue once…

Stil, shame on OSX UX designers. This acessibility feature is so dumb and random. 😠

jfreemom

Level 1

9 points

Oct 15, 2016 3:41 PM in response to rjjcvb

I don't know where in the world you found that trick about holding all of them at the same time down, but it worked like a champ! WOW...the craziest things sometimes are what works. lol

WladC

Level 1

8 points

Nov 18, 2016 7:55 AM in response to MattyRay

I too suffer.

My power button was one of those keys.

Today, I forgot to charge and now its dead.

I have no idea how to power it up now.

Dec 23, 2016 5:13 AM in response to honest abe77

You are amazing! You offered the only effective solution that I could find on the internet, and you saved me money because I was about to take my MacBook to the Apple Store to get serviced. I followed your advice, and all is right with the world again! Lol.......Thank you so much, honest abe77! : D

Dec 29, 2016 9:01 PM in response to honest abe77

Can't believe it's as simple as pressing OPTION key 5 times (to turn the 'Mouse Keys Off').

Imani177

Level 1

8 points

Jan 12, 2017 11:38 AM in response to honest abe77

Totally worked ! Thanks so much :)

Jan 13, 2017 7:05 PM in response to honest abe77

I had the same issue with my keyboard the keys (A,S,D) where semi-functioning. And Tapping that Option key 5 times worked perfectly!!!!

geni4

Level 1

9 points

Jan 17, 2017 11:26 AM in response to geni4

nope..it only fixed it temporarily. I seem to only find temporary fixes so i decided to try to do some cleaning with canned air. In doing so, I believe I broke my "y" key.. 😟

Apr 1, 2017 5:54 PM in response to honest abe77

Hey! this actually worked! Thanks! What was that all about anyway.

Apr 5, 2017 3:14 AM in response to AIRaquarian

Hey, have you tried pressing the option key 5 times or is the option key one of those that are not functioning as well?

Apr 27, 2017 2:05 PM in response to John Apolinario

hi,

my one option key is among some other keys that stopped working today ?

Random Keys Working Sporadically