Test Every Key in Your Browser
Open the keyboard test in Safari, Chrome, or Firefox. It picks the Mac layout on a Mac, with control, option, and command keys in Apple's order.
- Press each key once. It lights up while held and stays tinted once tested.
- Watch the counter climb toward the layout's total. A key that never lights up isn't reaching the page.
- Hold several keys together to see how many register at once.
- Press any key that types twice 20 or 30 times. The test flags a key that registers again within 30 ms of being released.
If you hold command and press another key, the test releases that key when you let go of command. The reason: macOS doesn't tell web pages when those keys come up.
Keys a Browser Can't See
- Fn or Globe: MDN lists this key on macOS as one that fires no events in Firefox or Chrome. The test draws it but never counts it.
- Caps Lock: Apple says it has a slight delay to prevent accidental presses. Hold it until its light comes on.
- Shortcuts such as command-Q and command-Tab act on the browser or macOS first, so test those keys on their own.
A key that doesn't light up here may still work. Try it in a text editor too before you decide it's faulty.
Check the Top Row of Keys
Apple says the top row on its keyboards controls Mac features by default, such as display brightness, Mission Control, and volume. A key set to a Mac feature may be handled by macOS instead of the page.
- To send F1, F2, and the rest, hold the Fn or Globe key while you press the function key.
- To make that the default on macOS Ventura or later, open System Settings, then Keyboard, then Keyboard Shortcuts. Click Function Keys and turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys".
- Apple says a keyboard not made by Apple may not show that setting. Check with its maker for a utility.
If No Keys Work
- Bluetooth keyboard: make sure it's on and charged, and that Bluetooth is on. Disconnect it in Bluetooth settings and connect it again.
- Wired keyboard: unplug it and plug it back in, making sure the connector is fully inserted.
- Connect the keyboard to a different port or a different Mac. If that fixes it, Apple says your Mac may need repair.
- Connect a different keyboard to this Mac. If that one works, your keyboard may need service.
If a MacBook's built-in keyboard does nothing, Apple says it may be showing a low battery alert you can't see. Connect it to power or plug in an external keyboard to see the alert.
If Some Keys Don't Work
Apple says you may have turned on an option that changes how the keyboard works. Check these in System Settings:
- Accessibility, then Keyboard: turn Slow Keys off. With it on, you must hold a key longer than usual before it counts.
- Accessibility, then Pointer Control: turn Mouse Keys off. Option-command-F5 also opens a panel where you can turn it off.
- Keyboard, then Text Input: click Edit and turn on "Show Input menu in menu bar". Then pick the right layout from the Input menu.
A wrong layout makes keys type the wrong characters, not nothing at all. The keyboard test reads where each key sits, so it lights the right key either way.
While you sort it out, Apple's Keyboard Viewer shows a keyboard on screen that you can click to type. Turn it on from the Input menu with Show Keyboard Viewer.
Clean a MacBook Keyboard
For a MacBook (2015 and later) or MacBook Pro (2016 and later) with an unresponsive key, Apple gives these steps with compressed air:
- Hold the Mac at a 75-degree angle, so it's not quite vertical.
- Spray the keyboard, or the affected keys, from left to right. Use the can's straw, keep it about half an inch from the keys, and don't turn the can upside down.
- Turn the Mac onto its right side and spray again from left to right.
- Turn it onto its left side and spray once more.
Then run the keyboard test again. If a key still doesn't respond, Apple suggests an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Apple warns that repairs by untrained people or with nongenuine parts may affect the device's safety and function.