Why MacBook Keyboards Break So Easily (And How to Fix Jammed Keys)

[Love Pulse]

Computers aren’t perfect. Parts can, and do, break—and when something goes awry, it’s a frustrating experience.

MacBooks are no exception. Users complain about everything from broken Mac trackpads to poor performance when running on battery.

But even more common than both those issues is a malfunctioning keyboard. It’s also a more exasperating problem. With a broken battery, you can run off external power. If your trackpad isn’t working, you can use a physical mouse. But if your keyboard breaks? It’s off to your local computer store to buy a Bluetooth device.

Or is it? Don’t grab the car keys just yet. You might be able to fix it. Keep reading to find out more.

The Butterfly Mechanism in MacBook Keyboards
Back in 2015, Apple reinvented the keyboard. Or at least, that’s what the company claimed.

In practice, it didn’t come up with a revolutionary new keyboard layout or a different way of typing; it just altered the physical mechanism under the key. As is the logic behind so many Apple design decisions, the change was made to save space. It allowed Apple to make its MacBook thinner than ever.

The new design is known as the “butterfly” mechanism. Theoretically, it reduced each key’s travel distance and paved the way for a more stable, less error-strewn typing experience. In practice, it’s prone to jamming up and not functioning.

You can see the difference between Apple’s butterfly approach and the more conventional “scissor”
The Problem With Butterfly Keyboards
So, what’s the problem? Why are the MacBook keyboards so prone to jamming?

In a word: dust.

Unlike scissor keyboards, Apple has designed its butterfly keyboards to be exceptionally good at preventing dust from getting under the keys. Again, in theory, that’s a good idea.

But dust being dust, it can get into the tiniest spaces imaginable. No matter how good the design is, it’s an inevitability that gunk will eventually work its way under the keys.

On a scissor keyboard, that’s not an issue. A good blast of air will clear it out again. On the MacBook, less so. The space between the key and the laptop chassis is so small, even compressed air might not be able to budge it.

How to Fix a Jammed MacBook Key Yourself
Warning: All MacBook keys are fragile; proceed with extreme caution.

If you don’t fancy handing over $700 to Apple for something that’s not your fault, you can try to use a can of compressed air. Sounds simple, but it’s an Apple-approved method.

Before you start using the compressed air, there are a couple of notes to keep in mind:

Always use the supplied straw so you can control air flow.
Keep the end of the straw at least half an inch away from your machine.
Never turn the can of air upside down.
Spray the first bit of air away from your machine in case there’s liquid in the nozzle.
Try to maintain a steady airflow throughout the process.
Ready? Great. Now follow the step-by-step instructions below:

Pick up your laptop and hold the keyboard at a 75-degree angle.
Move the straw over your keyboard in a steady left-to-right motion.
Rotate your keyboard to the left so it’s vertical.
Again, hold it at 75 degrees.
Steadily blow the air in a left-to-right motion.
Lastly, rotate your keyboard to the right.
Blow the air left-to-right.