# Mac Keyboard Not Working: How to Fix? \(All Occasions Included\) ## What to do if the Mac keyboard is not working? **Quick Answer:** Follow these ways to fix the Mac keyboard not working: From[iBoysoft](https://iboysoft.com/) ![reset keyboard settings in System Preferences](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/reset-keyboard-settings-on-mac.jpg) The keyboard plays a vital role in letting you communicate with your Mac. It enables you to use the shortcut keys to enter Safe Mode, zoom in and out on your Mac, launch the[Spotlight Search](https://iboysoft.com/wiki/spotlight-search-mac.html), etc. But unfortunately, your whole Mac keyboard is unresponsive. Or, some of the keys on the keyboard are not working, such as the: [The left Shift key not working on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/tips/left-shift-key-not-working-mac.html) [The Option key not working on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/tips/mac-option-key-not-working.html) [The Escape key not working on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/tips/escape-key-not-working-mac.html) If you are annoyed about the problematic keyboard for a period, this post will help you out of the trouble. From there, you'll get the solutions to fix the**Mac/MacBook keyboard not working**on a startup, login screen, or after an update. ## Mac/MacBook keyboard not working on Mac, try these solutions Since a keyboard not working can be caused by various factors, you need to do troubleshooting and consider all possible causes. When all the keys on the keyboard are not working, the first thing you need to do is to check the connections between your keyboard and Mac computer. ### Check the USB connection If you use a USB keyboard, you can re\-plug your wired keyboard into another USB port on your Mac. If the keyboard still has no response, change a USB cable. Also, you can connect the USB cable to another Mac to check if works well. If not, your USB keyboard may have hardware issues, you can change a new one. ### Check the Bluetooth connection If you have a wireless keyboard, you should check the Bluetooth connection. Go to the Apple menu \> System Preferences \> Bluetooth. If your wireless keyboard can't be detected by Bluetooth, you can turn the Bluetooth off and then on. Then, connect the keyboard. If your keyboard shows up in the devices list in Bluetooth, disconnect it by clicking the close icon beside the keyboard and then pair it to your Mac again. ![repair the wireless keyboard in Bluetooth on Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/repair-wireless-keyboard-in-bluetooth.jpg) ### Clean your keyboard Maybe you have used your keyboard for a long time and the dust and dirt are scattered in the keyboard crevices, leading to your**MacBook Pro keyboard not working**. You can use a professional keyboard cleaning tool to clean up your keyboard. And then, check if your Mac goes to work now. ### Check the battery on your wireless keyboard There's one thing you may ignore. That is the battery on your wireless Apple keyboard has insufficient power. Therefore, your keyboard reacts slowly when you hit a key or even doesn't respond. You can change the battery and reconnect the keyboard to your Mac. Then, your keyboard will perform well as usual. ### Restart your Mac If your Mac keyboard doesn't have connection and hardware issues but still can't be put into use or the[MacBook typing lag](https://iboysoft.com/tips/macbook-typing-lag.html), check if the tiny errors on your Mac are the culprits. In that case, you can restart your Mac to bring the macOS to a refreshed state. ![restart your Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/restart-mac.jpg) ### Reset the keyboard settings If your keyboard is not absolutely unresponsive but reacts very slowly, you can reset the keyboard settings to adjust the amount of time between a key's hit and reaction. To reset the keyboard settings, open the Apple logo \> System Preferences \> Accessibility \> Keyboard \> Hardware. Then, uncheck in the Enable Slow Keys option. ![reset keyboard settings in System Preferences](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/reset-keyboard-settings-on-mac.jpg) ### Reset the keyboard\-related PLIST files A PLIST file is also called the setting file that contains the preferences data of an app or program on Mac. When the program runs abnormally, it is necessary to check if its PLIST file is corrupted. For a problematic Mac keyboard, you can delete the related PLIST files. Go to open Finder and click Go from the Finder menu \> Go to Folder. Then, enter*~/Library/Preferences/*and click Go. Find and delete the*com.apple.keyboardtype.plist, com.apple.keyboardservicesd.plist*, and other keyboard\-related PLIST files. ![delete keyboard\-related PLIST files](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/delete-keyboard-related-plist-files.jpg) After that, restart your Mac to allow these deleted PLIST files to be automatically recreated. Now, check if your keyboard acts well now. ### Delete the recently installed third\-party apps Some third\-party apps can cause conflicts with your Mac, making your[Mac keeps crashing](https://iboysoft.com/howto/mac-keeps-crashing.html)or the keyboard not working. If you want to clear out that if the third\-party apps interfere with your use of the keyboard, try to[uninstall these apps from your Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/uninstall-apps-mac.html). ### Update your Mac If you've tried the all way above even having changed a keyboard, the keyboard still not working at the login screen or during Mac startup. You should consider if the bugs of the current macOS version lead to this issue. Some users report that the keyboard is not working after a macOS update. If you also encounter this situation, go for[updating your Mac](https://iboysoft.com/howto/how-to-update-mac.html)to the latest update. Usually, the new update carries the bug patches and security updates. You can select the Apple menu \> System Preferences \> Software Update and click Update Now or Upgrade Now. ![update your Mac](https://iboysoft.com/images/en-news/fix-macbook-keyboard-not-working/update-macos.jpg) ## Why is your Mac keyboard not working? Many of you experienced the typing issue on your Mac. The keyboard does not work is the case. When the keyboard does not act on your Mac, it is usually caused by one of the following reasons: - The broken connections between the keyboard and your Mac. - The keyboard is damaged. - Incorrect settings for your keyboard. - Software interferences. - macOS errors.