Cocolocoi5
Level 1 (1 points)

Q: Trackpad suddenly stops working

Sometimes after my Macbook Pro goes to sleep, the trackpad will no longer work. It won't even make the clicking action when pressed down. Since I cannot figure out how to make it work again, I am forced to hold down the power button to turn off the computer (which I'm guessing is not good for it). When I turn it back on, trackpad works as though there were never an issue.

 

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015)

2.7 GHz Intel Core i5

8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3

Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch,Early 2015), OS X El Capitan (10.11.2)

Posted on Jan 2, 2016 9:57 AM

by Eric Root,Apple recommended
Eric Root Eric Root
Level 9 (74,186 points)
iTunes
A:

Did you try the SMC and NVRAm/PRAM reset suggested above?

 

Reset NVRAM/PRAM

 

Reset SMC

Posted on Jan 3, 2016 7:25 AM

Close
Cocolocoi5

Q: Trackpad suddenly stops working

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by MrHoffman,

    MrHoffman MrHoffman Jan 2, 2016 10:40 AM in response to Cocolocoi5
    Level 6 (15,637 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 2, 2016 10:40 AM in response to Cocolocoi5

    In recent releases, Apple doesn't use trackpad or mouse input to wake the system.

     

    Press the shift or control or command key on the keyboard, and see if the system can be awakened that way, and if the trackpad then starts working.

  • by Cocolocoi5,

    Cocolocoi5 Cocolocoi5 Jan 2, 2016 10:49 AM in response to MrHoffman
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 10:49 AM in response to MrHoffman

    The computer wakes up just fine, but once it's awake, the trackpad won't work. The keys work just fine, but I cannot use the trackpad to navigate around. Pressing CTRL + ALT + DELETE does absolutely nothing, nor does any other key combination - in terms of solving the issue, or restarting the computer. I don't know what keys to press so that the menu will come up and allow me to select whether to restart, shut down, etc.

  • by MrHoffman,

    MrHoffman MrHoffman Jan 2, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Cocolocoi5
    Level 6 (15,637 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 2, 2016 11:43 AM in response to Cocolocoi5

    Control-Alt-Delete is a chord specific to Microsoft Windows.  I'd assumed this was OS X and not Windows, and that was a suggestion of using one of those individual keys — not a chord — to wake the system.    It's been my experience that the trackpad — at least an external Magic Trackpad won't wake the system.   If the system is awake and if the internal trackpad is not working, then there's either a problem that an SMC or NVRAM/PRAM reset might clear, or maybe a Safe Boot to clear caches and to test whether the trackpad works there followed by a normal reboot, or maybe there's add-on software — cache cleaners, anti-virus, anti-malware, performance-enhancements or related that may be interfering (disable those per the product-specific documentation, or post the output of Etrecheck here and somebody can have a look at the configuration), or there's a problem with the system hardware.

  • by Cocolocoi5,

    Cocolocoi5 Cocolocoi5 Jan 2, 2016 11:47 AM in response to MrHoffman
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 11:47 AM in response to MrHoffman

    I am not familiar with any of the language you are using right now. I know just enough to use the computer without actually breaking it.

  • by MrHoffman,

    MrHoffman MrHoffman Jan 2, 2016 12:00 PM in response to Cocolocoi5
    Level 6 (15,637 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 2, 2016 12:00 PM in response to Cocolocoi5

    A chord is a series of keyboard keys pressed together — like in music.

     

    Control-Alt-Delete is a chord that Windows uses commonly, and that OS X does not.

     

    Alternatively, find somebody that's local that can help with this, or visit a local Apple Store and have a conversation with the folks there.

     

    Your MacBook Pro is portable, so it can usually be transported to where somebody can help, which makes this easier.

     

    Or maybe somebody else here can better describe the troubleshooting that's involved.

  • by Cocolocoi5,

    Cocolocoi5 Cocolocoi5 Jan 2, 2016 12:23 PM in response to MrHoffman
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jan 2, 2016 12:23 PM in response to MrHoffman

    Well the online chat support people have given me a few solutions that may have worked, but I won't know until it actually decides to do it again. Thank you for your help, hopefully I will be able to figure it out.

  • by Eric Root,Apple recommended

    Eric Root Eric Root Jan 3, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Cocolocoi5
    Level 9 (74,186 points)
    iTunes
    Jan 3, 2016 7:25 AM in response to Cocolocoi5

    Did you try the SMC and NVRAm/PRAM reset suggested above?

     

    Reset NVRAM/PRAM

     

    Reset SMC

  • by mikhailstdenis,

    mikhailstdenis mikhailstdenis Jun 22, 2016 6:37 AM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 22, 2016 6:37 AM in response to Eric Root

    Worked for me. Thanks!

     

    El Capitan 10.11.5

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jun 22, 2016 6:56 AM in response to mikhailstdenis
    Level 9 (74,186 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 22, 2016 6:56 AM in response to mikhailstdenis

    You are welcome.

  • by dominoslater,

    dominoslater dominoslater Jul 4, 2016 2:26 AM in response to Cocolocoi5
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 4, 2016 2:26 AM in response to Cocolocoi5

    I have exactly the same problem! Its not just the trackpad, but the keyboard, too. It never did this before, but I noticed it started happening around the same time as when I began connecting the laptop to an external display (with bluetooth mouse and keyboard). Lets hope a firmware update resolves this issue.