Danoon82
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Trackpad keeps selecting, anyone an idea how to fix this?

The trackpad of my macbookair (2012) keeps selecting. On the screen appear squares and while using applications it keeps selecting...

the problem started suddenly, while I was working in Word, no clear cause...

Does anyone have an idea how to fix this? Thanx

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Sep 6, 2014 4:41 AM

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Danoon82

Q: Trackpad keeps selecting, anyone an idea how to fix this?

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  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 6, 2014 7:50 AM in response to Danoon82
    Level 9 (50,389 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 6, 2014 7:50 AM in response to Danoon82

    Check your battery's condition. An aging battery can fail in a manner causing it to swell, exerting pressure on the trackpad from underneath.


    Jumpy trackpad operation also can be caused by third party power adapters, among other things. Read Portables and Magic Trackpad: Jumpy or erratic trackpad operation

  • by Danoon82,

    Danoon82 Danoon82 Sep 7, 2014 5:11 AM in response to Danoon82
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 7, 2014 5:11 AM in response to Danoon82

    OK, thank you for your answer. I will go to my store to check if I still have any right to claim damages... Before I open my computer myself. If they can't help me anymore, I now know what to look for. I'll let you know how this turns out...

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 7, 2014 3:44 PM in response to Danoon82
    Level 9 (50,389 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2014 3:44 PM in response to Danoon82

    Your battery's condition and cycle count can be determined using System Profiler. Don't disassemble your MBA.

  • by Danoon82,

    Danoon82 Danoon82 Sep 16, 2014 8:15 AM in response to John Galt
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 16, 2014 8:15 AM in response to John Galt

    Ok, thank you!

    So I checked. It says:

    - number of cycli: 108

    - condition: normal

    It's weird, I could work on my laptop normally for a couple of hours, (using a mouse) but then it started all over again... even with mouse it is difficult to controll the laptop. It keeps selecting stuff.

    I've made a couple of backups now, I'll take it to the store then... won't take it apart myself.

     

    Thank you!

  • by John Galt,

    John Galt John Galt Sep 16, 2014 8:35 AM in response to Danoon82
    Level 9 (50,389 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 16, 2014 8:35 AM in response to Danoon82

    Click the Bluetooth icon in your Mac's menu bar and select Open Bluetooth Preferences...

     

    Do any input devices appear under the "Devices" heading? By "input devices" I mean anything that could control a Mac's cursor, and includes devices such as a keyboard, mouse, tablet, pen interface, etc. Occasionally, the behavior you describe is explained by a previously paired input device that the owner forgot about.

     

    Do you normally use a mouse instead of the built-in trackpad?

  • by dwb,

    dwb dwb Sep 16, 2014 11:37 AM in response to Danoon82
    Level 7 (24,460 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 16, 2014 11:37 AM in response to Danoon82

    1) open System Preferences and select the trackpad tab. The first option is Tap to click - is it selected? While useful (I like it) the option can cause confusion if you don't expect a simple tap to create a selection.

     

    2) inside the computer the trackpad has several adjustment screws. Over time they can become lose (or tighten) causing the trackpad to act strangely. This can typically be adjusted at the genius bar (or local service center) while you wait.

     

    3) trackpads do go bad. My first Mac hardware failure in quite a while (knock wood) was the trackpad on my MBP. I was quoted 5-7 days but got it back in 3.