Paruretic Author

Level 1

10 points

Password field auto-fills at login...With Wrong Password

SYMPTOMS:

The issue began immediately after updating to El Capitan.

It has happened approximately 20 times in the last week.

It happens when system is asleep and I'm trying to wake it.

It also happens after a reboot.

It doesn't happen every time, and I don't see a pattern or trigger so far.

Example 1 of 2: System is asleep, requires password to wake.

Click in password field.

Begin typing password (first character only)

System is sluggish to display asterix representing the character entered.

System suddenly fills entire password field.

It's entering more than can be visibly displayed.

If very patient, I can delete several lengths of displayed asterix to return field to blank.

As soon as I type a character in the password field again...it again fills entire field as if there's a stuck key.

Note: No...there isn't a stuck key on my keyboard.

I confirmed by going into the user name field and typing my entire password there.

It displayed correctly, and didn't exhibit the auto-fill behavior.

I tried switching users and logging in as another unprivileged user, and also as the Administrator user.

The symptoms were the exact same.

I shut down the Mac (held down the power button), rebooted after 30 seconds and login functioned correctly.

NOTE: The password field is responsive after cold reboot.

Example 2 of 2: After System Reboot, requires password to log in.

This just happened for the first time a few minutes ago.

The symptoms were exactly as above when I'm trying to wake it.

What I've Tried So Far:

Close all open apps (mail, Safari etc.)
Confirm with "Force Quit" that nothing is running other than Finder.
Removed everything from user "Login Items" so nothing I'm not aware of would be trying to run.
Allow system to go to sleep by timer, problem occurs on wake...but not consistently.
Put system to sleep, problem occurs on wake...but not consistently.
Restart system instead of putting it to sleep, "Reopen windows when logging back in" is NOT checked...problem happened.

Because the issue can happen even after reboot, and without any windows trying to log back in after reboot...doesn't that indicate an OS issue rather than an offending app or setting issue?

If it was settings related, I'm thinking the issue would be consistent and repeatable.

I'm stuck, can anyone offer a suggestion?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4), null

Posted on Oct 12, 2015 8:25 AM

42 replies

Nov 7, 2015 11:08 AM in response to Paruretic

Unfortunately, the issue continues to come back. I have 13-inch Retina Macbook Pro, and do not have a wired keyboard. It always happens when I wake from sleep, but doesn't happen every time. I need to hold down the power button on the Apple Wireless Keyboard to stop it from filling the password form, then I can log in with the built-in keyboard.

I'm hoping this is on the radar of Apple Support.

Paruretic Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2015 5:47 AM in response to Paruretic

Solution Update:

It isn't a dying keyboard.

Swapping out what I thought was a dying keyboard for an identical one...was NOT the solution.

The issue persists and the keyboard I replaced has been functioning perfectly on another computer since the swap out.

I'm going to wipe the hard drive and reinstall El Capitan.

If THAT doesn't resolve the issue, I'm thinking it could only be a hardware issue.

I'm doing this because the issue appears to follow the computer, not the keyboard.

Another possibility is that there's something unique about the distance or orientation of my keyboard to my Mac Pro.

But the distance and orientation are literally two feet apart with clear line of sight.

Paruretic Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2015 5:48 AM in response to scottorchard

scottorchard,

What's the orientation of your Mac to your wireless keyboard?

I have my Mac Pro facing backwards because I don't care about appearance, but I do care about easy visible access to all the ports.

So my keyboard's line of sight to my Mac is two feet from the back of it.

The stylish front of the Mac Pro is facing a wall.

I'm wondering if that could be causing periodic interruption or corruption of the signal.

It would be interesting if your physical orientation of Mac to keyboard is similar to mine.

Paruretic Author

Level 1

10 points

Nov 8, 2015 6:35 AM in response to Paruretic

New clue:

I can (temporarily) resolve the wireless keyboard problem by turning it off for 10 seconds.

I did that when it occurred while I was already logged in and observing the issue with TextEdit.

I'll try that next time I'm attempting to wake the system from sleep mode.

Nov 18, 2015 10:57 AM in response to Paruretic

My keyboard is sitting directly in-front of my 13-inch Retina Macbook Pro. I too can resolve the issue by turning off the keyboard or removing the batteries, then using my laptop's keyboard to log in. I'm hoping this issue is addressed in one of the upcoming software updates.

kirk1138

Level 1

0 points

Dec 8, 2015 3:29 PM in response to Paruretic

I have this problem too, and i also thought it was a dying keyboard, except that it only happened upon login after typing the first character. 5k iMac w/ El Capitan, wireless keyboard, trackpad and Apple mouse. Problem appeared after upgrading to El Cap. Only solution I have found so far is powering down the keyboard then powering it back on.

xraflad

Level 1

11 points

Jan 3, 2016 8:21 AM in response to Paruretic

IF you go to System Preferences/General and deselect the handoff to iOS devices option this problem will go away. Reselect it whenever Apple release a new update to see if they fix it.

Feb 15, 2016 6:31 AM in response to Paruretic

I have this issue, too. It is driving me crazy. Has anyone found a solution for it since the last post in early Jan? I have an iMac running OX El Capitan, 10.11.3

fuzzymo

Level 4

2,054 points

Feb 15, 2016 8:01 PM in response to marfromdc

I have also been having this Apple Wireless Keyboard issue in all versions of OS X 10.11. I have a Late 2014 5K Retina 27" iMac with Apple Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad. I am currently running OS X 10.11.4 Beta 3 (15E39d). Shutting the wireless keyboard "off" then back "on" again works, but only until the next wake from sleep.The one thing I have been doing lately, that seems to avoid the keyboard problem, is to use the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad to wake from sleep instead of using a keystroke. This issue only seems to happen for me only when I use the Wireless Keyboard to wake the iMac from sleep. I have been using this method for about a week, and have not had a Wireless Keyboard issue.

rwright6

Level 1

4 points

Feb 29, 2016 8:42 AM in response to Paruretic

I have had this problem with my imac since installing El Capitan. Randomly after sleeping, I would wake the computer and then the password box would autofill completely across. I could not delete this without it just refilling. Required a restart to get back into my computer. I have been using a new Apple wireless keyboard and trackpad. I replaced all batteries, and the problem continued. After reading some of the posts here about other keyboards, I decided to try using a spare bluetooth keyboard that I bought for another purpose. It's a Logitech K480 that is designed to be used with up to 3 devices. It seems to have completely fixed the problem. I have been using this for about a month, with zero problems, as opposed to the multiple times a day problem I was having with the Apple keyboard. It doesn't have the smooth feel of the Apple keyboard and the keys are a little clacky, but it works. So...if you have another bluetooth keyboard around, try it. I was unwilling to go back to a wired keyboard, so I'm thrilled that this one works.

nws75

Level 1

8 points

Mar 31, 2016 5:49 PM in response to Paruretic

I am also having this precise problem since upgrading to El Cap. I have tried everything suggested in all the online posts including clearing the PRAM, resetting the Bluetooth, re-paring the keyboard, removing batteries, etc. The only thing I have left to try is a complete system reinstall which I do not want to do. I am tired of having to turn off and then turn on my keyboard every time my system wakes from sleep. Apple really needs to address this.

toddlask

Level 1

4 points

May 2, 2016 4:25 PM in response to Paruretic

I have this problem too! All the time. It starts a day or two after a restart. When it happens, I turn off my wireless keyboard, click 'cancel' with my trackpad, turn on my keyboard and wake up my mac then it works... until i sleep again. Ive had this problem since yosemite. Every time I wake up my mac I expect it. Awful!

toddlask

Level 1

4 points

May 3, 2016 2:52 PM in response to toddlask

I tried the potential solution from xrafiad above. Turning off Handoff in SysPrefs with no luck... Still a row of dots!

toddlask

Level 1

4 points

May 11, 2016 9:40 AM in response to toddlask

SOLUTION! I hope. The Clapper Plus causing interference. I had one close to my setup. Unplugged it and no crazy keyboard for 3 days. I'll post back if it starts again.

bbmjr1

Level 1

4 points

May 11, 2016 7:24 PM in response to rwright6

I have this same exact problem. It is driving me crazy.

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Password field auto-fills at login...With Wrong Password