Stuck key on 12 inch Macbook keyboard

I have the same problem with "space" button MacBook 12 2016. I have been in Official service centre in my city (Novosibirsk - Russia).

They told me: "It is mechanical damage and it is a base for the termination of guarantee". Cost - 400$.

What should I do?

I have the very same problem; i have to almost stand on the space bar to make it work. Other keys are going same way. I live/work in Zimbabwe as a wildlife ranger and I can't take mine to an apple store any time soon. There's clearly a major design fault as so many on internet seem to have the same issue!

A 30 SECOND SOLUTION - NO SENDING TO APPLE!

PROBLEM:

I've gone through all of the solutions I can find online and believe I have the answer! My keys have been the same for months; it's been driving me insane. My space bar requires all the power my thumb can give it, causing me to habitually type destructively on other keyboards!

Apple's compressed air solution didn't work. Taking off keys and cleaning underneath didn't work. I took it into an Apple repair centre but they wanted to send it off, and I was about to return home to Africa (and didn't trust them) so that didn't work either. But THIS did work and, after six months of suffering these ****** keys, I'm now typing at high speed again on a perfect as-new keyboard!

SOLUTION:

I believe there is a build up of dirt on the minute EDGE OF THE METAL PART surrounding the keys, which effectively narrows the gap between the MacBook 12" body and the keys themselves, causing them to stick. It's too small to see, but it's there.

Apple's compressed air wasn't strong enough to blow the dirt buildup away BUT this is: insert a fingernail into the gap between the key and the case and slide up and down repeatedly to scrape off the build up of dirt on each of the four edges facing the key. Make sure the top of your fingernail is facing into centre of the key. Do this on each side of the key (so four slides on each edge of each sticky key). The result on each of my sticky keys is INSTANT. ALL THIS SUFFERING FOR NOTHING!

[Cue someone clever to make millions from selling a thin plastic fingernail-like scraper!!!]

Good luck and let me know if it works!!

My 2015 MacBook has always had sticky key issues, especially the space bar. I finally got fed up and wanted to trade up to the new MacBook Pro 13". Had reservations about the keyboard and sure enough, not even two weeks in, the space bar sticks. Oh, and my MacBook 12" was worth $0 because it had a space bar that sticks. I'm going to take the new one back and get the older MacBook Pro with the older style keyboard. So disappointed.

I've had this problem with the 12" macbook. A speck of dust broke the shift key within 3 weeks, so I got a full refund since it was covered under the Australian Consumer Laws 30 day return policy, since Apple won't admit the structural fault in their new butterfly style keyboards.

I then got the 13" macbook pro 2016 with a "new and improved" butterfly keyboard to have the same thing happen 2 weeks after purchase. Returned it again, got another one.

I'm just going to repeat this process every 30 days until the next model is released, hopefully then the newer model won't be so susceptible to flecks of household dust.

Or I start using my macbooks in a hermetically sealed room with a cryovac suit on.

Here is a conversation with Applecare about the problem that Apple refuses to identify when you go in store with stuck keys:

https://www.4shared.com/music/8YeBZN75ca/macbook-pro-2016-keyboard-dust.html?

One option that may work is to take the sticky edge of a sticky note and run it around the edge of the key in between the key and its surrounding casing. The debris will stick to the note. This doesn't work all of the time unfortunately.

Having the identical thing happen here. And I'm pretty unhappy about it because 2 months after I got it the motherboard just inexplicably died. They refused to give me a new machine, insisted on sending it for repair. I told them that I wanted a new one because my new computer was clearly defective. This was after 3 different people told me that it was somehow my fault that the computer was randomly shutting down, and after I backed up I was unable to install an OS on.

When they took it in I told them I wanted a new computer, not a patched together one and insisted that this was likely to give problems. They acted like I was behaving like a spoilt brat and told me that this was a new computer because all components are connected to the motherboard. And guess what.. 2 months after that my keyboard is failing.

I have had the same problem since May 2016 when I purchased it. The day after I bought it, the space key 'fell in' to the Mac and I went to get it fixed at Apple, then it was swapped. Then this happened another 2 time, and 3 swaps and 4 MacBooks later it has happened again. I wish I bought the MacBook Pro!!!!

This is ridiculous, even typing this reply is a nightmare, I feel letdown by apple. If this is such a huge issue with over 800 people agreeing they have the same issue as this comment why has apple not recalled the item. Im not buying apple care just so this can be fixed once the 12 months warranty is up. I would rather get the 2013 model again. apple phone support is useless. surely they have an obligation to make sure the 2000euro product isn't breaking after a month of ownership.

IF you purchased the product as resident of the EU and still reside there

you have legal options that other regions do not have that go beyond

some aspects of an AppleCare plan that other regions have. ~ At least

that may help get it repaired. And perhaps sell it + get different model.

Read the plan as it applies to where the unit was bought and if where it

is serviced in the same EU region, you may have alternatives to a 12mo

initial warranty. Some countries have had up to two years; considering

any local consumer rights leverage you can use.

At any rate...

Good luck & happy trails! 🙂

The new macbook keyboard is a dud. Too many problems. More so than previous issues on older models like faulty retina displays, GPUs detaching from logic board due to environmentally friendly lead free solder...😂

I'm on my third macbook now, this third one having been owned for a year now so out of warranty. I have a $400 HP laptop from 2007 that's been running fine since purchase. I have a 2011 13" macbook pro that has been running fine since purchase ($1800). My $4000 2011 15" macbook pro was unusable for 3 years though due to the AMD GPU soldering issue and it wasn't until Apple admitted the problem 3 years later and issued a free fix or replacement that I could then use it again, but by this stage it is now outdated 😂

This latest generation of macbooks will be slow and outdated before Apple admits fault and makes them usable again!

The real issue I find is Apple arrogantly treats its customers like they are wrong, for years, then admit the exact fault everyone was complaining about and issue fixes then.

How about honouring your customers now with either replacement models or a free upgrade to a macbook with a working keyboard 😂

Apple CEOs would scoff at such a thought, but here I am scoffing at them for thinking they can waste $2000+ of my money on dodgy engineering and lies.

When their hardware does work their software has also taken a nosedive in quality and usability.

Apples solution: Extend the touch bar in to a full touch surface. Now none of the buttons are real! The trackpad isn’t real! Apple customer complaints and hardware faults aren’t real!!! 😂

And what’s the bet with a full touch ‘keyboard’ there will still be no touch screen like iOS.

Man, you seem to be in denial. This is not a firm fact or strongly related, but you should consider:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1%25_rule_(Internet_culture)
I personally got stains on anti-reflection coating on my MacBook Pro Retina 2013. Then my battery became swollen. And now I get my keys stuck on MBP 2017, which was never happened with any of my past notebooks. And I'm pretty sure with any others too. The butterfly mechanism is faulty, so we've paid for being beta-testers for a full year and to get lost later.

As for Surface Book, honestly, I'm waiting for 31th of Oct. when Microsoft will announce new Book 2, thanks for Apple.

We had the same problem with our MacBook keys sticking. It wasn’t even a month old when the shift, spacebar and return keys starting sticking. We had brought the computer in two times to have several of the keys repaired while it was still under warrenty They just kept replacing the individual keys. I know that it was not an issue with dust and dirt getting under the keys, because I have a silicone keyboard cover. There are serious hardware issues with the butterfly keys. Now my MacBook is no longer under warranty and the A key is getting stuck. I took it back to see if they would repair it as this has been an on-going issue since the first month that I purchased the computer, but they refuse to cover the cost of repairing the keyboard. I was advised to pay several hundreds of dollars to have they keyboard replaced. I am so incredibly disappointed in Apple’s customer service and the lack of quality in their products. My previous Macbook Pro lasted seven years without an issues. I have heard that people are having similar issues with the MacBook Pro’s that have butterfly keys. I would advise anyone considering buying a MacBook or MacBook Pro to look at another company other than Apple, or wait until Apple fixes the horrible butterfly keys.

Your Macbook is in the warranty period. Bring the Mac into an Apple store and have them fix it.

Ciao.