Macbook Pro keyboard and trackpad stopped working

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thingamajig102

Commendable
Nov 13, 2016
1
0
1,510
It's a MacBook Pro 13 (Early 2015). They don't even work inside the restore menu. However, the computer works perfectly using an external keyboard and mouse. It started working on its own one day and stopped again. Apple says the logic board is damaged due to dust and would set me back $500. What should I do?
 
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Solution
Have you tried clearing the PRAM? Damage due to dust? HAH. My ass. The only damage dust could do is clog the fan and if it's metallic dust like in a workshop, then it can cause actual damage from shorting something out but that's very unlikely.


To clear your PRAM,

1. Shut down your machine. Yes, all the way down, not sleep or logging out.

2. Press the power button and then press command-option-p-r. You have to make sure you get those keys pressed before the gray screen comes up or it won’t work.

3. Hold those keys down until your Mac reboots again and you hear the startup chime.

4. Let go of the keys and let your Mac reboot normally.

KeelinTy

Estimable
Nov 20, 2014
8
1
4,520
Have you tried clearing the PRAM? Damage due to dust? HAH. My ass. The only damage dust could do is clog the fan and if it's metallic dust like in a workshop, then it can cause actual damage from shorting something out but that's very unlikely.


To clear your PRAM,

1. Shut down your machine. Yes, all the way down, not sleep or logging out.

2. Press the power button and then press command-option-p-r. You have to make sure you get those keys pressed before the gray screen comes up or it won’t work.

3. Hold those keys down until your Mac reboots again and you hear the startup chime.

4. Let go of the keys and let your Mac reboot normally.
 
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tempaccount123

Prominent
Jul 7, 2017
1
0
510


trust me, if the power buttons work then the keys work also. its just out of whack. i just did this after buying this make yesterday morning and using another keyboard all day. i did what he said and now I'm typing for the 1st time with the mac keyboard. trust me just do it
 

Nazanin_2

Prominent
Jul 18, 2017
1
0
510
The KeelinTy solution to reset the PRAM works great...for a good 5 minutes. After that, my keyboard and trackback become again unresponsive. Any other suggestions?

Connected external keyboard and trackback work perfectly.
 

gregory.mackin

Prominent
Aug 23, 2017
1
0
510
I had a similar issue, I went to the Apple Store, the attendant told me he had reset the SMC with the keyboard (not sure he did or could) and I'd have to replace the topcase because it was likely water damage. I asked them kindly if they could check for something inside, to do so they unplugged the battery - (SMC reset) and now I am typing on the keyboard!
 

csullens

Honorable
Nov 9, 2012
1
0
10,510
I had the exact same problem. Apparently the cable that connects the track-pad and keyboard needed replaced. The apple genius said it happens frequently enough that he knew right away what was wrong. They replaced the cable and now everything seems to be working. Set me back about $90. FYI - the power button goes through a different connection, which is why it still works.
 

lgpang.1984

Prominent
Sep 25, 2017
1
0
510


I have exactly the same issue. Have not went to fix it yet. Hope it is 90$ instead of $500. But I sm eondering whether this is a designing flaw

 

freddysampayo

Prominent
Oct 3, 2017
2
0
510
Had the same problem, tried the following who doesn't work:

  • Disabling Filevault
    Resetting SMC
    Resseting PVRAM

What did work was deleting (or moving) some .plist files located under Library/preferences. Don't know exactly wich file, I just made a search for files containing "login". I get 7 files, move it outside that folder and it works. Writing this post from my original keyboard. I don't know if the problem will reapear but definetly the issue is located there.
 

klintstrom

Prominent
Oct 14, 2017
2
0
510


Tried it and found 4 files. Removed them to my desktop and rebooted but it still freeze. If i’m lucky it ‘unfreezes’ after a few minutes.
 

freddysampayo

Prominent
Oct 3, 2017
2
0
510
Sorry, the problem came back again after deleting login files.
Another thing I tried was restoring the Macbook Pro to a Time Machine point (I have one backup 45 days old). After doing a complete restore things go back to normal but that only last 2 days. The Autoupdate feature was on and it automatically updated from version 10.12.6 (16G29) to 10.13 (17A405). I suspect that update could cause the problem, so I used Time Machine again and go back to the same restore point (v.10.12.6), turn off auto-update (just in case) but the problem reappears as soon as the system was restored.

One weird thing that I noticed is that the problem seems that it gets worse with time, before the restore, the trackpad and keypad doesn't work at all, but after the restore, both work intermittently until both reach a point where it doesn't respond at all.

I'm 99% sure it has to be software related as when you enter system recovery for example, trackpad and keyboard work just perfect.

I'm still looking for the solution. Any recommendations?
 

klintstrom

Prominent
Oct 14, 2017
2
0
510

Yeah the problem came back. I think i’ve Found the source of my problem, I don’t think it’s a software problem. When my keyboard and mousepad stops working, I can pinch/squeeze the MacBook in the right side - with the screen open. I think it’s a loose connection or some dead pins. If I ‘pinch’ it in the left side, i get a black screen and a default “something went wrong” reboot.
 

jenng980

Prominent
Oct 17, 2017
7
0
510
SAME thing is happening to me on my MacBook Air.

I've installed the latest version of the OS, PRAM and SMC reset like 80 times over the last 3 days and still nothing.

The trackpad and keyboard work intermittently after hard reboot SOMETIMES but most of the time is instantly stuck upon load, or gets stuck shortly after logging into the user.

About every 5th time it gets stuck a pop up tells me that it's searching for a bluetooth mouse/keyboard - even after i've disabled bluetooth and the 3 advanced settings within the bluetooth system.

I've had 5 different software engineers, 4 leads, look at this issue and the only thing anyone could think of doing was wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch.

There's no way this is hardware, the power-option-command-shift buttons all work to quickly turn off the system. I've read about this issue on a ton of forums and the following "solutions" are provided by random people:
1. Delete all the files on your desktop
2. Delete all the files from your downloaded folder
3. PRAM or SMC reset
4. Hardware problems per Apple
5. Stand on one foot and spin

It's all BS and this is a software issue. Apple needs to address this publicly or in a software update.
 

jenng980

Prominent
Oct 17, 2017
7
0
510
MERGED QUESTION
Question from ijamesseo : "[Macbook Pro] Keyboard and Trackpad Unresponsive."



http://www.tomsguide.com/answers/id-3239335/macbook-pro-keyboard-trackpad-stopped-working.html#20282346

SAME thing is happening to me on my MacBook Air.

I've installed the latest version of the OS, PRAM and SMC reset like 80 times over the last 3 days and still nothing.

The trackpad and keyboard work intermittently after hard reboot SOMETIMES but most of the time is instantly stuck upon load, or gets stuck shortly after logging into the user.

About every 5th time it gets stuck a pop up tells me that it's searching for a bluetooth mouse/keyboard - even after i've disabled bluetooth and the 3 advanced settings within the bluetooth system.

I've had 5 different software engineers, 4 leads, look at this issue and the only thing anyone could think of doing was wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch.

There's no way this is hardware, the power-option-command-shift buttons all work to quickly turn off the system. I've read about this issue on a ton of forums and the following "solutions" are provided by random people:
1. Delete all the files on your desktop
2. Delete all the files from your downloaded folder
3. PRAM or SMC reset
4. Hardware problems per Apple
5. Stand on one foot and spin

It's all BS and this is a software issue. Apple needs to address this publicly or in a software update.
 

jenng980

Prominent
Oct 17, 2017
7
0
510
MERGED QUESTION
Question from Manch : "Macbook Air's keyboard and trackpad not working"



http://www.tomsguide.com/answers/id-3239335/macbook-pro-keyboard-trackpad-stopped-working.html#20282346

SAME thing is happening to me on my MacBook Air.

I've installed the latest version of the OS, PRAM and SMC reset like 80 times over the last 3 days and still nothing.

The trackpad and keyboard work intermittently after hard reboot SOMETIMES but most of the time is instantly stuck upon load, or gets stuck shortly after logging into the user.

About every 5th time it gets stuck a pop up tells me that it's searching for a bluetooth mouse/keyboard - even after i've disabled bluetooth and the 3 advanced settings within the bluetooth system.

I've had 5 different software engineers, 4 leads, look at this issue and the only thing anyone could think of doing was wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch.

There's no way this is hardware, the power-option-command-shift buttons all work to quickly turn off the system. I've read about this issue on a ton of forums and the following "solutions" are provided by random people:
1. Delete all the files on your desktop
2. Delete all the files from your downloaded folder
3. PRAM or SMC reset
4. Hardware problems per Apple
5. Stand on one foot and spin

It's all BS and this is a software issue. Apple needs to address this publicly or in a software update.
 

jenng980

Prominent
Oct 17, 2017
7
0
510
MERGED QUESTION
Question from apbhakta1 : "My keyboard and trackpad don't respond at on my MacBook Pro?"



http://www.tomsguide.com/answers/id-3239335/macbook-pro-keyboard-trackpad-stopped-working.html#20282346


SAME thing is happening to me on my MacBook Air.

I've installed the latest version of the OS, PRAM and SMC reset like 80 times over the last 3 days and still nothing.

The trackpad and keyboard work intermittently after hard reboot SOMETIMES but most of the time is instantly stuck upon load, or gets stuck shortly after logging into the user.

About every 5th time it gets stuck a pop up tells me that it's searching for a bluetooth mouse/keyboard - even after i've disabled bluetooth and the 3 advanced settings within the bluetooth system.

I've had 5 different software engineers, 4 leads, look at this issue and the only thing anyone could think of doing was wiping the hard drive and starting from scratch.

There's no way this is hardware, the power-option-command-shift buttons all work to quickly turn off the system. I've read about this issue on a ton of forums and the following "solutions" are provided by random people:
1. Delete all the files on your desktop
2. Delete all the files from your downloaded folder
3. PRAM or SMC reset
4. Hardware problems per Apple
5. Stand on one foot and spin

It's all BS and this is a software issue. Apple needs to address this publicly or in a software update.
 

racchoi85

Prominent
Dec 2, 2017
2
0
510
I tried the command + option + p + r after I shut my MacBook down, and then saw my screen turn this weird shade of aquamarine, and I totally freaked out and turned the power button back on. The Apple updating loading screen came up and then I was back to the home screen and logged in. I went back to this website and the "v" key isn't doing anything fishy. This might have actually worked!
 

akireenaj_22

Prominent
Dec 14, 2017
1
0
510





It really helps thanks alot
 

michal.petricko

Prominent
Feb 1, 2018
1
0
510


I had the same problem, however the authorized service offered me to replace whole trackpad, battery, topcase and keyboard for 480€. So I rather ordered the flex cable from eBay for 15 € with postage and packing to Slovakia and fixed it myself in 20 minutes time.

Repair guide is on ifixit.com
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Retina+Display+Early+2015+Trackpad+Replacement/45138

For a trackpad replacement just followed steps 1-7 and 17-20. It worked like a charm.
 
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