Changes to modifier keys don't work.

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Level 1

15 points

Changes to modifier keys don't work.

I am trying to assign the Escape key to the CapsLock key on my MacBook keyboard. I went to System Preferences > Keyboard > Modifier Keys... and to the right of "Caps Lock (_) Key:" selected "Escape" from the drop down. This appears to have no effect. I restarted my computer and no effect took place. I tried modifying a different key (to check if the issue was specific to caps lock) and this had no effect.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), macOS Sierra (10.12.6)

Posted on Nov 2, 2017 6:42 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Brooksy_ Author

Level 1

15 points

Nov 4, 2017 5:50 PM in response to Eric Root

Ok. I've solved the problem. Many thanks to PN2 and Eric Root.

So I tried PN2's suggestion, and lo and behold, the feature worked for the new user, suggesting that there were some user-level settings that were the cause of the problem.

I trie Eric's solution and after rebooting, the feature briefly worked, then stopped working. This suggested that some program had started that was messing with my keyboard settings.

The obvious culprit was Karabiner, a utility that I had installed a long time ago to do exactly this, and which I thought I had removed. I checked my active processes and discovered that certain processes related to karabiner were still running on my system.

The solution that worked for me was executing this script: https://github.com/tekezo/Karabiner/blob/master/files/extra/uninstall.sh

After that, I double checked that none of the karabiner processes were active and then the modifier keys worked. Smooth sailing ever since.

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

685,583 points

Nov 4, 2017 4:20 PM in response to Brooksy_

I misunderstood where you were trying to change key functions.

Might be a corrupt .plist.

Do a backup, preferably 2 backups on 2 separate drives.

Quit the application.

Go to Finder and select your user/home folder. With that Finder window as the front window, either select Finder/View/Show View options or go command - J. When the View options opens, check ’Show Library Folder’. That should make your user library folder visible in your user/home folder. Select Library. Then go to Preferences/com.apple.systempreferences.plist. Move the .plist to your desktop.

Restart the computer, open the application, and test. If it works okay, delete the plist from the desktop.

If the application is the same, return the .plist to where you got it from, overwriting the newer one.

Thanks to leonie for some information contained in this.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,583 points

Nov 3, 2017 8:12 AM in response to Brooksy_

You can set key combinations to do things, but I don't know of any way to alter the basic key function, which is what you are trying to do based on what you posted. There are some 3rd party applications that can do more to alter keys than System Preferences/Keyboard.

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Answer 4

Brooksy_ Author

Level 1

15 points

Nov 4, 2017 7:55 AM in response to Eric Root

Maybe I am misunderstanding what this menu does, but it looks like it is supposed to provide a way to alter basic key function. If this is not the case, please help me understand what it does do.

I know about the third-party applications that alter key-function, but I would rather use native OS X functionality if possible.

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Answer 5

Eric Root

Level 10

685,583 points

Nov 2, 2017 8:18 PM in response to Brooksy_

Based on my testing, there are certain built in keys that can't be modified.

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Answer 6

Brooksy_ Author

Level 1

15 points

Nov 3, 2017 4:00 AM in response to Eric Root

It seems like none of the keys can be modified. Is this a feature that just generally doesn't work?

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Answer 7

PN2

Level 4

1,052 points

Nov 4, 2017 11:33 AM in response to Brooksy_

Of course, the changes should work just as you say : that feature has been in OS X / macOS since at least 2009.

There is (was) a problem with any change to caps-lock failing to stick after restart/sleep on 2016 MacBook Pro's & perhaps other Mac computers using Sierra at least ... I don't know if that was resolved, since I set my caps-lock to No- Action after running into it.

If changes don't work at all on your computer : test briefly in a new User Account.

The keyboard viewer might be useful when checking.

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