Stuck Shift Key (Help!!)

I needsome help!
I've been having a LOT of problems with my MacBook Unibody late 2008 with Lion installed. The shift key is stuck. At first I thought it was a bug and restored everything from a timemachine backup. Nothing changed. The computer refuses to stay in sleep mode and everything is just weird and wonky. I tried to find similar cases but I have found nothing yet that could help me with this.
Has this happened to anyone else with lion?
And I haven’t dropped any liquids on the keyboard. I’ve also checked under both shift keys to see if there was something (dirt or whatnot) under them, I couldnot see anything. It was clean.

I did test with a spare keyboard, and it performed the same way: does not work for my user account, is fine for the test account I set up as an additional log-in.
I also did this to try and solve my issue, but still nothin':
- ran OnyX AND Cache Cleaner
- ran & configured PrefEdit
- ran AppleJack twice, once on AUTO for deep cleaning (in single-user mode, of course...)
- ran MacJanitor
- tried again to re-set my system prefs
- reset PRAM again
Sigh.
All I want is to be able to type capital letters in Mail & Safari. Seems like I'm asking for too much!
Sigh again.
Thanks for any other advice or things you think I should try.

Similar Messages

Stuck Shift Key

I've been having a problem with my MacPro, OS 10.5.8, for at least a week.
The Shift key appears to be stuck across the board, in all apps. Besides the obvious upper-casing, selections are all extensions, transforms are all constrained to uniform, the dock minimize effect is in super slo-mo.
I have checked the shift keys and they appear to be fine. Is this a software issue.

Been out of the Leopard for a year now so details are fuzzy, but check the settings in System Preferences / Universal Access. Maybe one of the Sticky Keys overstayed its stickyness.

Left Shift Key Remapped, How?

MacBook Air running OS X.
Left shift key when depressed remaps my keyboard, how can I get it to not do this? Example below:
Right Shift Key - ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ?><
Left Shift Key - ÅıÇÎ´Ï˝ÓˆÔÒÂ˜Ø∏Œ‰Íˇ¨◊„˛Á¸¿¯˘
Help please.
Kent

Please read this whole message before doing anything.
This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it.
Step 1
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account.
Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.”
While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin.
Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem?
After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it.
*Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing.
Step 2
The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login, by a peripheral device, by a font conflict, or by corruption of the file system or of certain system caches.
Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards, if applicable. Start up in safe mode and log in to the account with the problem. You must hold down the shift key twice: once when you boot, and again when you log in.
Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t do this. Ask for further instructions.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, with limited graphics performance, and some things won’t work at all, including sound output and Wi-Fi on certain models. The next normal boot may also be somewhat slow.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, reboot as usual (not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of steps 1 and 2.

Macbook typing in all caps, shift key issue.

Alright, so I've been battling with this for a bit now, as I discovered to my chagrin: My macbook is now only typing in caps. Upon pressing Command + Q to try and close an application, I noticed it brought me to the "log out" prompt, suggesting the problem was a stuck shift key. I've removed both keys and checked for any particulates and they're all clean. Any ideas?

No. Sounds like you powered it backup while it was still wet. If so the damage is done. Problems will only get worst as corrosion sets in.
Suggest you take it to Apple and ask them for the cost of repair it.
Allan

TS2570 My Mac stays stuck on the grey screen. Doesn't boot up. I've tried everything the shift key to safe boot still doesn't boot. I've tried the option key n only has one option to go into. please help. problem Is I bought off a friend so I have no disk

My Mac stays stuck on grey screen. I've tried the option key. The shift keys. Nothing helps. The problem is I bought the computer off a friend and I don't have any disks. Any suggests would be great..

Can you see a serial number anywhere? Don't post it here, just let me know if if you have it.

Screen stuck on gray, used shift key and my screen appears with MacBook Pro and not the recovery option. Please help

Screen stuck on gray, used shift key and my screen appears with MacBook Pro and not the recovery option. Please help!

Hi ..
Shift key boots into Safe Mode, not Recovery.
This only works on a Mac running v10.7 Lion or later.
Startup your Mac while holding down the Command + R keys. From there you should be able to access the built in utilities to repair the startup disk and restore OS X using OS X Recovery
If you can't boot into Recovery Mode, help here > Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup

HELP! Keyboard -lowercase 'stuck'-no caps, no Shift key-Can't 'select all'

HELP!
I have tried all sorts of things, like:
- removed syst prefs to desktop then restarted
- un-done, re-done, re-booted
- tried various options in International and Keyboard & Mouse
- run disk utility, both from startup CD AND in target disk mode
- ran Smasher
- swapped out different keyboards and/or mice
...but these are my keyboard problem symptoms that persist:
- numeric keypad not working
- the shift key (for caps & shift characters) not working&
- commands (i.e., "Select All") not working
...the keyboard does not work in ANY native Mac appl (e.g., Mail, Safari, TextEdit).
The only time my keyboard will work correctly is when I am using Firefox or Word, etc., or when I create a new account as a test new user and I log-in. Keyboard works fine. So it must just be me as user.
Also, oddly enough, keyboard prefs do not show up anywhere.
Anyplace where I should see something, such as
Library>preferences - there should be a file com.apple.keyboardtype.plist --- there is no file in any of the folders anywhere.
All of a sudden the keyboard stopped working, no warning. But my mouse attached to it still works fine. I have no clue what to do to fix and my AppleCare has ran out.
Other things I have noticed and tried:
- running tech tool
- repairing permissions
- switching usb ports for the keyboard from the back of the display
- removing the mouse from the back of the keyboard
- unplugging everything but the keyboard and mouse
...any ideas???

I did test with a spare keyboard, and it performed the same way: does not work for my user account, is fine for the test account I set up as an additional log-in.
I also did this to try and solve my issue, but still nothin':
- ran OnyX AND Cache Cleaner
- ran & configured PrefEdit
- ran AppleJack twice, once on AUTO for deep cleaning (in single-user mode, of course...)
- ran MacJanitor
- tried again to re-set my system prefs
- reset PRAM again
Sigh.
All I want is to be able to type capital letters in Mail & Safari. Seems like I'm asking for too much!
Sigh again.
Thanks for any other advice or things you think I should try.

I have a hp g61 running windows 7 and suse 11.4. Both of my shift keys are not working..help.

i have tried the following but it didnt help;
                 Hard reset
1. Press and Hold power button till the laptop turns off (5-7 sec approx).
            2. Then unplug the AC adaptor.
            3. Turn the laptop upside down.
            4. Then remove battery.
            5. Then press and hold the power button for 2 minutes (to remove static electricity).
            6. Then, put the battery back in the notebook and plug in AC adaptor and turn on the laptop.
Re-installing battery drivers:
1. Click Start and type device in the search field, then select Device Manager .
2. Click on + sign beside the Keyboard category.
3. Under the Keyboard category, right-click the Microsoft ps1/ps2 driver, and select Uninstall.
Note: Do not remove the Microsoft AC Adapter driver or any other ACPI compliant driver.
4. On the Device Manager taskbar, click Scan for hardware changes.
I tried installing latest Bios software.
ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp51501-52000/sp51527.exe

Hi Abu-Bakr,
Thank you for visiting the HP Support Forums and Welcome. I have read your thread on your HP Notebook and the shift keys not working correctly. I find that in most cases a keyboard that stops responding or some keys don't work is generally a keyboard is stuck cleaning might be the only option. Here is a document on how to clean the keyboard.
If a small vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment is available, use it to clear the keyboard of debris. A can of compressed air can be used to blow out particles that get in between the keys. I would be happy to assist if needed. How Do I Find My Model Number or Product Number?
Please respond with which Operating System you are running:
Which Windows Operating System am I running?
Please let me know.
Thanks.
Please click “Accept as Solution ” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom to say “Thanks” for helping!

Shift key somehow stuck on my 2-week old MBP

Did anyone have this problem before?
I turned on my 2-week old uMBP 13" and it wouldn't accept my password! After minutes of frustration, I booted into Single user mode and that was when I realized the Shift key is somehow stuck! Typing will show everything in capital letters, typing "1" will show "!", etc.
No physical damage has been done to this computer, I have not spilled any liquids on it and the keys are definitely not physically stuck (I did pry them off and check to see if there was anything under there).
Any ideas?
Thank you so much!

Welcome to Apple Discussions.
This sounds like a defect and should be handled by warranty. If you have an Apple Store nearby make and appointment and bring it in. If you did not then contact Apple on Monday using the phone number in your manual and call them. They will help you get it taken care of. You are covered by 90 days of phone support so take advantage of it!
Regards,
Roger

Apple Mac mini g4 with Apple Pro Keyboard shift key stuck on

Hey guys,
My mac mini g4 with Apple Pro keyboard has it's shift key stuck on and will not disable, this happened after I cleaned the keys with a "magic eraser" and is probably water damage, but when it is plugged into a PC the shift key is off and can be toggled as should be. Any help will be appericiated and if I can fix this it will save the faithful keyboard. Thanks in advance!

Thank you chorleyman! I just need a cheap platform for Logic to run, I'm not an advanced user, just to play for my soul. I'm usually using Windows based platforms, that's why I was confused about this particular model.
So if it looks good I think I will order this hardware next week.
If anyone have any more thoughts about the topic, please feel free to comment here! Thank you!

MacBook stuck with shift key enabled and numbers not working - even the keyboard app in languages wont type lowercase nor numbers?! Anyone know whats up? no spillage...cant understand why the keyboard app wont do anything.

Anyone have a clue? I can understand the keyboard being broke / shift key being stuck but why in the world would I not be able to type the numbers on the language keyboard app on the operating system? Numbers show up on the app but when I press them I still get the special characters like #^&#* and it wont type lower case. Nothing has ever been spilt, just stopped working one day. Rebooted from Time Capsule restore dated a month ago and its still doing it. (problem started two weeks ago). Only way to get lower case or numbers to actually show up is the copy and paste.
Any help would be amazing!
Details on computer: 13 inch MacBook6, 1 (Late 2009) / Intel Core 2 DUO / 2.26GHZ / 2GB / Memory running Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5

If you can afford it, I would recommend replacing the topcase and keyboard as Apple suggests. If like me, you can't afford it or are open to a hack fix, then read on.
The problem
Yesterday, a little water spilt on my 13" MBP keyboard. I turned it around immediately, drained out the water and used tissue to suck it all up but the keyboard was still acting funny. I turned it off and left it out in the sun for a couple of hours and turned it on again but problems remained. Like Rickdubya, my warranty had run out just a month ago and I knew Apple would not cover this under warranty. I tried to clean the shift keys and left it overnight with some rice on them with hopes that the moisture might get sucked out. Nothing worked. (The rice bit is an urban legend that seems to work with some electronics). Went to the Apple Store this morning and was told that they wouldn't even take out the key and clean it, and that the entire top case would have to be replaced. A total bill of 156 Euros which I cannot afford. I had a USB keyboard that would let me use the Mac for the moment so I decided to try to work out a fix.
Symptoms
- Boots in safe mode everytime (which I later found out was because the shift key is pressed)
- Cannot login because password is in lower case or has numbers
- Cannot boot in super user mode and try to disable keys or override password as some commands won't work in uppercase (I wouldn't recommend this anyway because its super user mode)
- All text is in caps and numbers are symbols as though shift key is always pressed
- Audio doesn't work
- Keyboard viewer would not always show the shift key pressed. The key seemed to get pressed at random
Fix
1. Hold the Option button down on boot to bypass the Safe Mode ensure a normal boot
2. At the login screen, plug in a USB keyboard and enter your password to login
3. Change your password to one that uses all caps and no numbers
4. Download and install KeyRemap4MacBook .
5. Use a combination of the functionalities of the Keyboard Viewer and KeyRemap4MacBook to figure out which shift key is the problem. In my case, I found out that it was only my left shift key.
6. Disable the left/right shift key on KeyRemap4MacBook and click on the 'Reload XML' button to make that take effect.
If only one shift key was the problem, then you are done. If both shift keys were shorted, then its likely other keys are too. In which case you should probably just replace the entire thing. If you think other keys are not affected, then you can use KeyRemap4MacBook itself to remap the shift functionality to a lesser used key like the Left Option key.
7. Under System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items , add KeyRemap4MacBook as an application that should start on login. This will ensure that your disable/remap of the shift key is active everytime you login.
Usage change/Things to remember
1. Remember to hold down the Option key everytime the computer boots or reboots to bypass safe mode. The fix above is at the software level. The key is physically still shorted at the hardware level and will affect boot.
2. Remember that at the login screen, the disable/remap is not active. So your password now has to be all caps and only letters.
As soon as I can save some money, I will get my topcase and keyboard replaced but until then this solution works great with minimal change. Hope this helps!

Itunes does not open,everytime i try it says "The itunes application could not be opened. The required folder cannot be found" I have tried the shift key option but that does not work. help!!

I cannot open itunes. Everytime i try it says "The itunes application could not be opened.The folder cannot be found." I have tried the shift key option but this does not work. Please help.!!

Try the actions here for that driver.
iOS: Device not recognized in iTunes for Windows
I would first do this:
Removing and reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows Vista or Windows 7

Spill has caused right shift key to be stuck on

A few months ago I spilled juice on my MBP keyboard (out of warranty - purchased June 2012). I removed all the keys effected and cleaned them. The result of this was that the right shift key was stuck on and it would only start in safe mode + I couldn't log in because I could only type in caps. This is what I did:
I plugged in a usb keyboard - was able to log in
I downloaded keyremapper4mac and disabled the right shift key so I could type in NOT CAPS
Switched to automatic login so I wouldn't be prompted to enter my password anymore
Removed the usb keyboard
Again, MBP would only start in safe mode. Then I found out that the key remapper would only work when the computer wasn't in safe mode. I did some googling and found a key combination that would stop the MBP from starting in safe mode. I have left my computer on for awhile now (not shutting it down) and yesterday I shut it down. I started it up holding down the cmd/shift and my login screen came up.
My problem is that I think I may have forgotten the key combination to bypass the safe mode boot up and I don't know why my login screen came up - maybe because of the key combo I used temporarily turned off the automatic login.
Does anyone know the combination of keys to press to get past the safe boot so my computer will start up normally? I am running 10.7.5.
Thanks!!

Someone else said to try and reboot by holding down the menu and play button on the remote for several seconds and then try again. It worked for several people and seems to be working for me now.

T61 - Help needed to re-attach the "Shift" key

I accidentally popped off the shift key when cleaning my keyboard. Unlike most other keys on the keyboard, underneath the actual "shift" key cover is a raised point made of a blue rubber-like material. I cannot figure out to re-attach the cover to the shift key and hoping someone can help me out!
Solved!
Go to Solution.

You need a pair of tool tweezers and sober pair of hands or a small screwdriver like the jewelers driver included in those eyeglass repair clips on grocery store endcaps.
The blue cone you're referring to is often called a "chute" and black and white scissors is sometimes referred to as a "pantograph"
Use your tool to snap the pegs into the plastic brace on your deck and it should stand erectly over the blue chute.
The important part is installing the scissors with correct orientation because it can still snap fit but upside down and prevent proper key attachment before overwhelming frustration. On the bottom of your Shift key is likely the scissors and this should be snapped off the key. The white half of the scissors should be oriented north to the LCD
Then snap the scissors into the brace, the shift keys have a metal U bracket and this should be unfurled as far as possible towards the bottom / mousepad.
The shift keys are the hardest keys to reinstall but not impossible, if you become frustrated and break it,, you can buy replacement keys from third parties and we use http://www.machinaelectronics.com/store/ (no affiliation except always satisfied) for $6 replacements shipped first class.
Don't just sit there, take a second and use the Kudo's button to compliment the people who help you.

Enter and shift keys not working. HELP!!!

A few days ago my mouse started behaving erratically all of a sudden. It would move by itself, click apps, and switch tabs rapidly all on its own. I've had this computer for over 2 years and this has never happened before. Restarting and rebooting into safe mode didn't work, but one user suggested a PRAM reset and that fixed the mouse problem. However, my enter and shift key on the right side do not work now (this is much less annoying than the mouse problem, but still very inconvenient!). Restarting the computer and doing another PRAM reset doesn't work unfortunately. I also used the keyboard viewer to confirm that all but those two keys work. I don't think the issue is with keyboard lint because both keys worked fine before I tried the reset. Booting up in safe mode also doesn't fix the problem. It would be great if I could find a way to fix this here since I won't be able to go to an Apple genius bar until December!

Hello sandi3s,
The troubleshooting detailed below may help restore functionality to your MacBook Pro's keyboard.
Some keys don't work as expected
From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.
From the View menu, choose Speech.
Click the Text to Speech tab.
If "Speak selected text when the key is pressed" is enabled, the key or key combination set to speak text cannot be used for other purposes or used to type text--click Set Key and change it to a less-commonly used key combination (try to use modifier keys such as Shift, Command, Option, and Control). Or, disable the "Speak selected text when the key is pressed" option.
Click the Accessibilty or Universal Access pane in System Preferences, then click the Keyboard tab.
Make sure that Slow Keys is turned off. With Slow Keys on, you need to press a key for a longer period of time for it to be recognized.
In the Accessibilty or Universal Access pane, click the Mouse tab, and make sure Mouse Keys is turned off. With Mouse Keys enabled, you cannot use the Numeric Keypad to enter numbers--instead the keypad moves the pointer (cursor). (There is an option to enable Mouse Keys with five presses of the Option key; you may want to turn that option off to avoid accidentally enabling it.) If Mouse Keys is enabled and you are using a keyboard with no numeric keypad or Num Lock function, see Unable to type while Mouse Keys is enabled in Mac OS X.
If the function keys on the top row of the keyboard are not working as expected, see Mac OS X: How to change the behavior of function keys.
If the issue persists, use Keyboard Viewer to help isolate the issue:Start from the Mac OS X Install Disc, choose Terminal from the Utilities menu and test the keys which were previously not working. If the keys work while started from the Install disc, then the keyboard itself is working correctly. Use How to troubleshoot a software issue to isolate the software issue that may be causing the keys to not respond.
Click the Language & Text pane (Mac OS X v10.6) or International pane (Mac OS X v10.5.8 or earlier) in System Preferences.
Click the Input Sources tab (or Input Menu tab in Mac OS X 10.5.8 or earlier).
Click the Keyboard & Character Viewer "On" checkbox to select it (click the Keyboard Viewer "On" checkbox in Mac OS X 10.5.8 or earlier).
From the Input (flag) menu, choose Show Keyboard Viewer.
If the keyboard is connected and detected by OS X, the keys you type will highlight in the Keyboard Viewer window. Open TextEdit (or any text application), and try to type something using the keys that were previously not responding to see if they highlight in Keyboard Viewer.
One or more keys on the keyboard do not respond
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1381
Cheers,
Allen

Stuck Shift Key (Help!!)

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for