Reinstall Cleanmymac X

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For some it’s the MacBook keyboard that’s not working, for others, it’s the trackpad that’s acting up. For a worrying number of people, the issue is with both. Worse still, the problem doesn’t seem to be affecting a particular type of MacBook but both Pro and Air models from 2011 onwards.

Macs are reliable machines but on the rare occasions, they may start acting strangely for no obvious reason. Your Mac’s entering sleep unexpectedly, the battery doesn’t charge properly, your keyboard isn’t responding normally, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth refuse to work — these symptoms might mean that PRAM and SMC reset is necessary. Deleting apps with CleanMyMac. Removing apps manually is quick and easy, but it’s not comprehensive. Traces of the app can be left behind in files. To fully remove any trace of the app, CleanMyMac X’s Uninstaller feature is the best solution. Download and launch CleanMyMac X (It’s free to download). Click on the Uninstaller tab. Make your Mac fast and secure with CleanMyMac X. Try free Computer viruses hold a sweet spot between boring, everyday occurrences, dating back to the 70s, and dramatic, science fiction-fueled monsters that will haunt us in our new information-driven world. It’s a good idea to use CleanMyMac X for a system cleanup before you create a backup. This way, you’ll avoid backing up unneeded files and duplicates, and therefore run a smooth and quick backup process. Plus, the app is generally a good tool to keep at your fingertips to remove any clutter. CleanMyMac is highest rated all-round cleaning app for the Mac, it can quickly diagnose and solve a whole plethora of common (but sometimes tedious to fix) issues at the click of a button. It also just happens to resolve many of the issues covered in the speed up section of this site, so Download CleanMyMac to get your Mac back up to speed today.

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Whether it’s one key or all of them, if the keyboard isn’t working, your MacBook is all but useless. Here are a few things you can try to kick it back into life.

1. Clean the keyboard

That’s right. Cleaning is actually Apple’s recommended fix for unresponsive keyboards. To make this work you’ll need a can of compressed air and a straw to control the airflow. If you have those things, here are Apple’s suggested steps:

  1. Hold your MacBook at a 75-degree angle.
  2. Use the compressed air to spray the keyboard in a left-to-right motion.
  3. Rotate your MacBook onto to its right side and spray the keyboard again, from left-to-right.
  4. Repeat with the MacBook rotated to its left side.

At the very least, using compressed air rules out any crumbs or bits of debris being the cause of the Apple keyboard not working. Hopefully, though, it provides the fix you’ve been searching for.

2. Check for updates

Is your system up-to-date? It seems obvious, but there’s every chance that outdated firmware, drivers, or even the operating system, is affecting the keyboard.

To check for updates, open the App Store and click on the Updates icon. If updates are available, click on the Update or Update All button to install them.

It’s worth having your MacBook check for updates automatically. You can do this by going to System Preferences > App Store and checking the “Automatically check for updates” box.

3. Delete recent apps

Is the problem a recent one? Has it occurred only after downloading a new app? It’s not unheard of for app to cause conflict and knock other things out of sync. Try deleting recent apps to see if the keyboard regains proper function. If it’s doesn’t work you can easily reinstall them.

Reinstall Cleanmymac X

You can delete applications manually in one of two ways: using the Launchpad and the Finder.

Deleting apps using the Launchpad

  1. Click on Launchpad icon.
  2. Position the pointer over the app you want to get rid of and press and hold until all the icons start to jiggle.
  3. Hit the Delete button.

Deleting apps using the Finder

  1. In the Finder, click on Applications.
  2. Find the app that you want to delete and drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash.
  3. Go to Finder > Empty Trash to permanently remove the app.

Deleting apps with CleanMyMac

Removing apps manually is quick and easy, but it’s not comprehensive. Traces of the app can be left behind in files. To fully remove any trace of the app, CleanMyMac X’s Uninstaller feature is the best solution.

  1. Download and launch CleanMyMac X (It’s free to download).
  2. Click on the Uninstaller tab.
  3. Click View All Applications.
  4. Check the box for any app that you want to remove.
  5. Click Uninstall.

It really is as simple as it sounds.

What to do if your MacBook trackpad is not working

The trackpad on MacBook is one of the best around and it works brilliantly with macOS… When it actually is working, that is. If you’re having trackpad troubles, work your way through these possible fixes.

1. Reboot and close the lid

This one is a bit of a strange tip, but it’s worked for a few people. It’s basically the old “switch it off and back on again” fix that works for anything and everything.

  1. Reboot your MacBook from the Apple menu.
  2. Once rebooted, close the lid to put your MacBook to sleep and leave it for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Open the lid and the trackpad should be working as normal.

This tip might also work for the keyboard so if your keys aren’t working give it a try.

2. Disable Force Click

If a failure to register clicks is the problem for the trackpad not working on your Mac, you can disable Force Click.

  1. Go to System Preferences.
  2. Click on Trackpad and locate the Point & Click tab.
  3. Uncheck the Force Click and haptic feedback option.
Cleanmymac

Note: this fix will only work on MacBooks that include 3D Touch.

3. Reset the Mac SMC

Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) is a proven fix for all manner of hardware and power-related issues. How you do this depends on whether or not your MacBook has a detachable battery.

Resetting the SMC in MacBooks with non-removable batteries

  1. Shutdown your MacBook.
  2. Connect the MagSafe adapter.
  3. Hold down Shift+Control+Option and the Power button at the same time.
  4. Release the keys and look to see if the MagSafe adapter briefly changes color. If it does, the SMC reset has worked.
  5. Reboot your Mac and test the trackpad.

Possible fixes if both MacBook trackpad and keyboard aren’t working

If both the keyboard and trackpad are not working, your MacBook is nothing more than a monitor, albeit a very pretty one. You can use a Bluetooth or wireless mouse or keyboard, but if you wanted to do that you could have just bought an iMac instead.

Here are some troubleshooting tips that have worked for dual keyboard and trackpad issues

1. Delete .plist files

Property List (plist) files are used to store user preference files related to software. Deleting them will reset your keyboard and trackpad back to factory settings. Before you go ahead and do this, you should backup your Mac using the Time Machine in case anything goes wrong.

1. Press Command+Shift+G in the Finder.

2. Enter ~/Library/Preferences/ and click Go.

3. Locate the following files:

  • com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.trackpad.plist - Magic Trackpad
  • com.apple.driver.AppleBluetoothMultitouch.mouse.plist - Magic Mouse
  • com.apple.driver.AppleHIDMouse.plist - wired USB mouse
  • com.apple.AppleMultitouchTrackpad.plist
  • Com.apple.preference.trackpad.plist

4. Delete the files.

5. Reboot your MacBook.

2. Reset PRAM

Resetting Parameter RAM (PRAM) is similar to resetting the SMC in that it’s a good fix for a wide variety is issues.

  1. Fully shut down your MacBook.
  2. Reboot your MacBook and press and hold Command+Option+P+R before the gray screen appears.
  3. Wait until you hear the reboot sound and release the keys.
  4. Let the system reboot normally.

3. Restore system to an earlier point

If problems with the keyboard and trackpad have recently appeared you can restore your Mac to a previous date using the Time Machine. The issue could be due to a recent system change and a restore can repair it.

This method will require you to have Time Machine set up to backup data to a storage device. We’ve written an article on how to do that here.

  1. Restart your MacBook.
  2. When the system restarts, press Command+R to open the Recovery Tool.
  3. Select Restore From Time Machine Backup. This will restore your Mac back to 24 hours previous.

Install Cleanmymac X

Each of these fixes have worked for one or more MacBook users, so it’s worth trying each one until you find the solution. Once you’ve found a fix, use CleanMyMac regularly to maintain your system and prevent junk files affecting keyboard and trackpad performance.

Stay in control of your Mac’s activity

If none of that works, your Mac will need a more comprehensive checkup. This is possible if you own a tool like MacPilot. Basically, it’s an uncomplicated version of Terminal that allows you to dive under the hood of your macOS. Using the app on a regular basis is also a good way to prevent your keyboard and trackpad from misbehaving in the first place.

MacPilot covers 1,200+ features — all of them accessible from one handy window. Whether you use the app for macOS activity monitoring or to investigate keyboard and trackpad issues, you’ll appreciate the help:

  • See advanced data about each of your files, including the hidden ones;
  • Reset DNS cache and clear the print queue;
  • View and manage login settings;
  • Monitor battery and network use.

In case you want a simpler version of a monitoring tool, use One Switch. It’s a set of toggles available from the menu bar. Works perfectly for searching hidden files, enabling Sleep Time or Dark Mode, etc.

If the unthinkable happens and you’re still experiencing issues, you might need to contact Apple Support or visit an authorized service provider for repairs — but hopefully, that’s not the case.

How To Reinstall Cleanmymac X

Macs are reliable machines but on the rare occasions, they may start acting strangely for no obvious reason. Your Mac’s entering sleep unexpectedly, the battery doesn’t charge properly, your keyboard isn’t responding normally, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth refuse to work — these symptoms might mean that PRAM and SMC reset is necessary.

But before we show you how to reset MacBook’s PRAM and SMC, let us explain what SMC and PRAM mean and what problems resetting may solve.

What are PRAM/NVRAM and SMC?

PRAM (Parameter Random Access Memory) stores vital system information, including display settings, the speaker volume, time zone settings, etc. PRAM is powered by the internal battery, that’s why the information is not lost when you turn your Mac off.

Occasionally PRAM gets corrupted and needs to be restored to fix problems that have developed.

Note that modern Macs no longer use PRAM, instead they use something called NVRAM (non-volatile RAM). NVRAM serves approximately the same purpose as PRAM but its corruption is fairly uncommon. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to reset it if your Mac starts acting weird — NVRAM reset is fast and harmless.

Flash

SMC (System Management Controller) is responsible for important physical aspects of Intel-based Mac computers. SMC manages a lot more interesting things than PRAM, such as fans, lights, power, and system performance. Fortunately, it’s easy to reset your SMC to its original factory settings and fix problems on your Mac.

When you may need to reset PRAM and SMC on MacBook

Resetting PRAM and SMC is a way out if your Mac starts acting strange. You may consider resetting either PRAM or SMC depending on the problem you face, or try to reset them both.

Resetting PRAM is particularly useful if you’re having the following types of problems:

  • Wrong date, time or time zone
  • Strange mouse scrolling speed
  • A question mark icon appears at a startup
  • Display resolution won’t change
  • Sound volume won’t stick

Consider to reset SMC on MacBook Pro or any other Mac computer if you experience one or more of these issues:

Reinstall Cleanmymac X

  • Unexpected shutdowns
  • Battery isn’t charging properly
  • Power button doesn’t function well
  • External devices are not recognized
  • Fans running extremely fast and loud
  • USB ports and Bluetooth are not working
  • MacBook isn’t responding to the lid opening or closing
  • Keyboard backlight doesn’t work
  • Display brightness functionality isn’t working right

Note: Resetting PRAM and SMC is usually safe, but that’s not a guarantee. Make sure to try basic rebooting and other troubleshooting steps before you begin. You can use a utility like CleanMyMac X to put things right on your Mac. Its Maintenance module gives you direct access to all sorts of Mac optimizing goodies. Run maintenance scripts with CleanMyMac to quickly optimize your system’s performance.

How to reset PRAM/NVRAM

Reinstall Cleanmymac X

Whether your computer uses PRAM or NVRAM, the steps for resetting are the same. So do the following to reset PRAM on Mac:

  1. Turn off your Mac.
  2. Press the power button.
  3. Immediately press the Command+Option+P+R keys.
  4. Hold the keys until your Mac restarts and you hear the startup sound.
  5. Release the keys.

After resetting PRAM/NVRAM, you may need to adjust some of your Mac’s settings, such as time, date, sound volume, or time zone.

If you’re still having problems with your Mac after resetting PRAM, consider resetting its SMC.

How to reset SMC

Reinstall Cleanmymac X

Before resetting your Mac’s SMC, you need to determine whether its battery is removable. That’s because the process of resetting SMC for Macs that have a non-removable battery is quite different. Plus, there are some differences for Mac desktop computers.

Resetting SMC on MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air

If the battery is removable:

  1. Turn off your Mac.
  2. Remove the battery.
  3. Press the power button and hold it for a few seconds.
  4. Reinstall the battery.
  5. Press the power button to turn on your Mac.

If the battery is non-removable:

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Press Shift+Control+Option on your keyboard and press the power button at the same time.
  3. Hold these keys for 10 seconds.
  4. Release the keys.
  5. Press the power button again to turn on your Mac.

Resetting SMC on iMac, Mac Pro and Mac Mini

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Unplug a power cord.
  3. Wait 15 seconds.
  4. Plug the power cord in.
  5. Wait several seconds and turn on your computer by pressing a power button.

That’s it. Really. Lots of steps for something that won’t take so much of your time.

Now that you have reset your Mac’s SMC and PRAM, your computer should be back to operating as you expect. However, if you still experience the sluggish performance, make sure to check a comprehensive guide on “How to Speed up Mac”.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more tips and tricks!