Do you need help with the shift key on your MacBook Pro? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Many MacBook Pro users have experienced this frustrating issue at some point. The shift key is essential to capitalize letters and type special characters. When it stops functioning correctly, it can significantly impact your productivity.
In this blog post, I will explore why the shift key may not work on your MacBook Pro and provide step-by-step solutions to fix the issue. So grab your MacBook Pro and start troubleshooting this problem together!
Why Is The Shift Key Not Working On Mac Pro?
- For instance, the Shift key on a MacBook may stop functioning if dust and debris have accumulated under the keys.
- Disabling USB peripherals in macOS Ventura may prevent the Shift key from functioning or the entire USB keyboard.
- This issue can also be caused by temporary device faults or issues with third-party software.
- Broken Shift keys, a malfunctioning trackpad, and similar problems are also possible.
How To Fix Shift Key Is Not Working on MacBook Pro?
If the shift key on your MacBook Pro is not working, you can try a few troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue.
Check the macOS Keyboard Viewer.
The Accessibility Keyboard, an on-screen keyboard emphasizing the keys you hit, is available through the macOS Keyboard Viewer. You can use it to validate the keyboard layout and see if the Shift key responds to taps.
Here are the actions you need to take to launch the Keyboard Viewer:
- Use the Input option on the rightmost menu bar.
- Choose “Show Keyboard Viewer.”
- Launch Virtual Keyboard
- To check if the Accessibility Keyboard has the appropriate key highlighted, use the left Shift key.
- Press the left Shift key for a few seconds to see if that helps. If the Accessibility Keyboard highlights the left Shift key, other keys may be obstructed by dirt and dust.
- Tap the Shift key on the Accessibility Keyboard to release the Shift key on your Mac.
- If the Keyboard Viewer does not show the highlighted left Shift key, your device likely has a hardware problem and needs repair.
Clean Keyboard To Fix Shift Key Issues
If the Shift key on your Mac or MacBook isn’t working, try cleaning the keyboard well. Keyboards can stop functioning properly if dust, dirt, and grime accumulate underneath them. This problem sometimes extends to the Shift key as well.
The Mac keyboard is best cleaned while held at a 75-degree angle. You must now go from left to right while using compressed air. You can then thoroughly saturate the entire keyboard. It’s also possible to clean the keys that aren’t responding.
Use a vacuum cleaner to clean the gaps in your keyboard. A user may also choose to use disinfectant wipes for this purpose. You can also use the cloth dipped in the detergent-water solution.
Restart Your Mac and Check the Shift Key Again
The following answer is also relatively easy to understand. Restart the computer to test if the Shift keys are functional. Your Mac can be restarted in several different ways.
First, click the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the display. If you choose Restart from the menu, the system will power down and boot back up in seconds.
Second, you can use the Control key. Next, you’ll need to press the eject button. There’ll be a new window that pops up. A prompt asking, “Are you sure you want to shut down your computer now?” will appear. In this case, pressing the Restart button should assist.
Third, Press and hold the Power button to do a hard restart of the Mac. You can only do something once the computer powers down. Hold on for a second, and the machine will power on itself.
Change keyboard settings
Your MacBook Pro’s left Shift key is likely malfunctioning because of the keyboard settings you’re using. To make sure your keyboard is configured properly, follow the instructions below:
- Select System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Pointer Control may be found in the Accessibility menu.
- The “Secondary Controls” menu is where you want to go.
- Turn off the option to “Enable Mouse Keys.”
- Select Keyboard in System Preferences once more.
- Follow the link labeled “Hardware.”
- Deactivate “Enable Slow Keys.”
Delete the keyboard preference file.
One frequent solution for fixing a malfunctioning Mac feature is to delete the associated preference file. The “Shift key not working on MacBook” problem may be set by erasing the user’s keyboard preferences.
- Start up, Finder.
- The Go > Go to Folder option can be found in the main menu.
- Just Press Enter after pasting /Library/Preferences.
- To delete the keyboard settings file, please enter the path to the directory.
- Find com. apple. Keyboard type. List and remove it.
- Force your Mac to restart.
Reset NVRAM and SMC
If the Shift key isn’t capitalizing on your Mac, resetting the system management controller (SMC) and the non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) may help.
Safe Mode Booting
By restarting in Safe Mode, only the core components needed to boot your Mac are loaded, excluding any third-party software that could be causing your Mac’s left Shift key to stop functioning. In addition, it deletes temporary files and checks for and fixes disk issues on the internal hard drive.
Since entering Safe Mode requires pressing the Shift key, you might try booting with the correct Shift key first. If it fails, you may always plug in a separate keyboard.
Connect your Magic Keyboard again, then use the Shift key.
The Magic Keyboard is the keyboard that comes with most Apple gadgets. It uses the scissor system to make the keys more stable and reduce the distance they have to move.
Check out these steps to learn how to connect the Magic keyboard:
Step 1: Take the keys away from the computer.
Step 2: Click the Apple tab. Choose System Settings.
Step 3: Choose Bluetooth by clicking on it.
Step 4: Wait until the gadget shows up on the list.
Step 5: Tap the Connect button.
The Magic keyboard will be set up again. Now you need to make sure that the Shift keys work.
Reconnect the keyboard.
If the Magic keyboard Shift key isn’t working, reconnect or repair it with your Mac to avoid problems with the present connection. Assume it’s a wireless Bluetooth keyboard. You’ll need to unpair it and fix it in System Preferences.
- Navigate to System Preferences > Bluetooth.
- Right-click on your keyboard and choose “Remove.”
- Reboot your Mac.
- Connect your keyboard again.
- Unplug and reconnect any USB keyboards.
Apple Technical Support
If you’ve already tried those steps and the Shift key on your MacBook Pro is still malfunctioning, you’ll need to replace the keyboard or touchpad. First, you can check with Apple Support to determine if your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro is eligible for the Keyboard Service Program. In that case, a new keyboard will be sent at no cost to you.
How to fix a Macbook with a stuck shift key
FAQ
The word “shift” does not appear anywhere on your keyboard. The up arrow outline icon (⇧) represents this instead. The Shift key on your Mac keyboard is one of two. Each of your keyboard’s four corners has one.
The Finder’s Shift+Click feature makes it easy to pick multiple adjacent files simultaneously. To select all files in a folder, click the first while holding Shift, then click the last. All files between the given thresholds will be chosen.
You can also use compressed air from a can to remove debris from the keys. To clean the keyboard thoroughly, spray air in a zigzag pattern across the keys, rotate the device 90 degrees, and repeat the process. Avoid pouring the air directly under the keys, as doing so could create malfunctions.
Final Words
A malfunctioning shift key on your MacBook Pro can be very annoying, especially if it prevents you from working efficiently. Several options exist to address this problem, which is good news.
You can efficiently determine and fix the root cause of the problem by following the troubleshooting approach in this blog post. Your shift key can be set in one of three ways: a software bug, a hardware problem, or a change in settings. Stop letting things bother you, and get back to typing quickly on your MacBook Pro.
I am a regular user of computer keyboards. For using keyboard face different kinds of problems and also solve it very easily. I love sharing knowledge about keyboards.
