How to fix a Mac keyboard that does not work

Has the keyboard of your Mac computer stopped working? We assume you have not spilled any drink on it. (As it has happened to all of us once). It is possible that all you have to do is make some changes in the configuration of your Mac’s software so that everything works again.

If on the contrary, it is your computer that has stopped working, then you are interested to take a look at this article in which we explain how to fix a blocked Mac.

And if you finally give up and decide to buy a new keyboard, then we recommend consulting our selection of best keyboards for Mac by clicking on this link.

The way to fix a broken keyboard depends on whether it is a wired keyboard (connected via USB) or a wireless keyboard (connected via Bluetooth).

It may also be that the keyboard of your Mac laptop does not work. Your MacBook, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro may be unusable because the keyboard has stopped working.

It may also be that only one or two keys are those that have stopped working instead of the entire keyboard. Or that they have changed their configuration for some reason and a key has changed its symbol.

In this article we are going to assume that you can still use your Mac’s mouse or touchpad. If it is not your case, then our tips may not be of much use to you.

How to fix a wired keyboard

This is what you should do if your wired keyboard does not work properly with your Mac.

1. Check that it is properly connected

If none of the keys on your wired keyboard work, the first thing to check is that they are properly connected to your Mac. Check the USB port on the back of your Mac and make sure the keyboard has not been booted.

2. Change the connection

It is advisable to try a different USB port if you have one available. If the other USB port works it means that the first port does not work.

If changing the USB port does not work, at least you have ruled out the possibility that the failure is from the port.

3. Restart your Mac

It may be that restarting the Mac recognizes the keyboard. It is a very classic advice, but many times it works.

Another thing you can try is to leave your user account and enter a different one, if you have more than one account on your Mac. Click on the Apple logo in the upper left and select ‘Sign out’. Log in to a different account and see if this solves the problem.

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How to fix a wireless keyboard

1. Check the feeding

If it is one of the wireless keyboards of Apple (or any wireless keyboard), you should check that the batteries are charged and that the keyboard is really on. For example, on the right side of the Apple wireless keyboard there is a power button. Press it to turn on the keyboard. A green light should appear.

If you need to change the batteries of an Apple wireless keyboard, you will have to use a coin to rotate the slot on the left side of the keyboard so that you can remove and change it.

According to our experience, we have verified that the batteries of the wireless keyboards are discharged very frequently, so it is worth having spare batteries (or a keyboard with emergency cable) always at hand.

2. Check the Bluetooth connection

If you have a wireless keyboard, you should check your Bluetooth connection with your Mac.

Check that Bluetooth is enabled on your Mac and that the Mac and keyboard are paired correctly. To check that Bluetooth is enabled, go to: ‘System Preferences> Bluetooth’. Check that it is on and if it is not, turn it on.

If the keyboard is paired with your Mac, you should see it in the ‘Devices’ list. If the keyboard is not paired, choose ‘Configure Bluetooth keyboard’ and follow the steps.

3. Restart your Mac

As in the case of wired keyboards, we recommend restarting the computer to see if the problem is solved.

And also as in the previous case, you can try to leave your user account and log in to a different one, if you have more than one account on your Mac. Click on the Apple logo in the upper left and select ‘Close session ‘

4. Disconnect the keyboard

If you have replaced the batteries and checked the power, and the keys are still not working, then you must disconnect and reconnect your keyboard to the Mac.

Open ‘System preferences> Bluetooth’. If the keyboard appears in the ‘Devices’ list, click on ‘Control’ and select ‘Delete’. Then choose ‘System preferences> Keyboard> Configure Bluetooth keyboard’.

How to repair a damaged keyboard

If you think there is a possibility that your keyboard is broken, the way to fix it depends on the cause. Next we propose different solutions according to the reason of the fault.

What to do with a keyboard damaged by water

If you spilled water or other liquid on a wired or wireless keyboard, you may still be able to dry it and make it work again.

The most important thing in this case is to act quickly, since the water can cause damage if you touch the keyboard components, or even worse if the keyboard is built-in.

Water spilled on the keyboard of a MacBook can quickly penetrate circuits, so be sure to act quickly:

• Disconnect the keyboard
• Flip the keyboard
• Blow compressed air on the keyboard
• Let the keyboard dry for at least 12 hours.
• Check that the keyboard is dry before reconnecting it.
• If you spill something stronger, or worse sticky, drying the keyboard may not be enough, especially if the residue is very sticky.

What to do with a dirty and sticky keyboard

It may not be a liquid that has prevented the keyboard from working properly. From time to time it is a good idea to clean the keyboard (apparently accumulate more dirt than the lid of a toilet).

If you need to get under the keys, maybe because some keys are stuck when pressed (possibly because you’ve spilled something sticky on the keyboard), you’ll have to carefully remove the keys to be able to clean underneath.

What to do with the keyboard of a damaged MacBook

If the keyboard of your Mac laptop has stopped working, the forecast is not so good. You may have to go to the Apple Store or your local Apple center to ask about the cost of replacing the keyboard.

Alternatively, you can try to get a second-hand keyboard and replace that of your Mac, but we do not recommend it, since the MacBook’s keyboards are fully integrated into the MacBook’s case and, therefore, are not easy to change (Apple practically does everything possible so that they can not be changed).

A better solution is to connect a keyboard to the USB port of your MacBook or use a Bluetooth keyboard.

How to fix keys that mark another symbol on a Mac keyboard

This step applies if the keyboard problem is related to specific characters and if pressing a key, it writes something you do not expect.

Go to ‘System preferences> Keyboards’, check the ‘Input sources’ and make sure that the selected keyboard is the one of your country, since the configuration can change completely.

Go to ‘System preferences> Keyboard> Input sources’ and check that the correct language appears.

What to do if the number keys do not work

If you have problems with only the numeric keys of the keyboard, you have probably activated the mouse keys by mistake.

The mouse keys are an accessibility feature that allows people to use the numeric keys to control the cursor. You must verify that you have not accidentally activated the mouse keys and, if you have disabled them.

How to deactivate the mouse keys:

• First try pressing the ‘Option / Alt’ key five times. This is a common shortcut for activating and deactivating the mouse keys.
• Open ‘System Preferences> Accessibility’
• Choose ‘mouse & TrackPad’
• Uncheck ‘Enable mouse keys’
• Click on ‘Options’
• Uncheck ‘Press the option key five times to toggle between the mouse keys’
• Click on ‘Accept’

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