Caps Lock issue on Macbook Pro ( 17inch Late 2011 )

[sk688]

Hi all , I just wondered if anyone could provide any help with an issue that Ive encountered on my MBP , so here goes

I have a Late 2011 , 17 inch Macbook Pro

It was in good running order , but today afternoon the CAPS LOCK became stuck , and despite me being able to press the key itself , on the laptop I could not change from Caps to lower case , essentially I could only type in Caps lock

I tried many other apps , to see if the problem was only in one app , but I tried in Opera Dev , Safari Tech Preview , Firefox Dev , Chrome Canary , Word for Mac 2016 and Outlook

In every app this issue kept cropping up

I decided to restart , but after restarting I couldnt log in , as the CAPS lock issue was still present , and my password is in lower case , so now I am locked out of my Mac as the thing wont accept lower case

Is there any solution to this ?

It is running Sierra 10.12.4 , has an i7 2760qm and 16gb of RAM if that helps

Any responses would be appreciated

 

[DaleCooper]

It sounds like a mechanical fault, i.e. the switch is stuck down. You might try tapping the underside to try and free it or even spray some switch lubricant into it.

 

[DaleCooper]

Another idea, using shift when in caps lock should give lower case, it works on my pc.

 

[D365]

Another idea, using shift when in caps lock should give lower case, it works on my pc.

Good call.

Could also try an external keyboard as caps lock keys are usually independent on different keyboards under macOS.

 

[Domh245]

Is there no option to launch an onscreen keyboard from the login screen? I remember when my PC was having issues of some sort that I had to resort to that.

 

[sk688]

So I tried the solutions, but none of them worked

The shift and caps lock didn't work

The external keyboard didn't work as I needed to pair it first ( which needs me to log in)

And I tried cleaning around and under. No luck

I also tried to see if there was an on screen keyboard. No luck there

I guess I will have to take it to the Apple store in white city and see what they say

Thanks all for the suggestions

 

[najaB]

The external keyboard didn't work as I needed to pair it first ( which needs me to log in)

I think the idea was to use a USB keyboard.

 

[Lrd]

Can you not pop the button off? You could then clean the area underneath, most keyboards are just electrical contacts that accumulate a lot of dirt.

Your keyboard is supposedly dirtier than your toilet seat.

 

[sk688]

I think the idea was to use a USB keyboard.

Yh my parents got rid of wired stuff in our house a few years ago

Gave the keyboards and mouse away to a charity shop/ sold it , and bought wireless only stuff

Regretting it now

 

[sk688]

Can you not pop the button off? You could then clean the area underneath, most keyboards are just electrical contacts that accumulate a lot of dirt.

Your keyboard is supposedly dirtier than your toilet seat.

I tried taking off the top of the key , and took a keyboard cleaner to that , but It still isnt working

I think its a software issue , because the key seems to work properly , the light does go green , but on screen there is no difference

 

[tony_mac]

Are you sure it isn't one of the shift keys being stuck down? If you can see what you are typing then you should be able to tell by using the number keys.

 

[DaleCooper]

Yh my parents got rid of wired stuff in our house a few years ago

Gave the keyboards and mouse away to a charity shop/ sold it , and bought wireless only stuff

Regretting it now

You can get a USB keyboard for peanuts, it would be worth trying it before splashing out more money on a repair.

 

[D365]

Yh my parents got rid of wired stuff in our house a few years ago

Gave the keyboards and mouse away to a charity shop/ sold it , and bought wireless only stuff

Regretting it now

I'd always recommend having at least one wired example of every device as a spare, landline phone included. Wireless is never going to completely supplant it.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Any OS updates installed around the time the caps lock issue started?

 

[D365]

A quick google search (an idea that just occurred to me) suggests the PRAM might need resetting ; press and hold the Command+Option+P+R keys simultaneously, before the grey screen appears. But only attempt this once.

 

[sk688]

A quick google search (an idea that just occurred to me) suggests the PRAM might need resetting ; press and hold the Command+Option+P+R keys simultaneously, before the grey screen appears. But only attempt this once.

I had tried that , but wasnt able to

 

[sk688]

Any OS updates installed around the time the caps lock issue started?

No , it had been running Sierra fine , on the same build for at least 1-2 weeks previously

 

[sk688]

Are you sure it isn't one of the shift keys being stuck down? If you can see what you are typing then you should be able to tell by using the number keys.

Sadly I cant see what I am typing anymore , as I cannot get past the password screen

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Have you tried booting into safe mode?

 

[James H]

I also tried to see if there was an on screen keyboard. No luck there

Yes there is - instructions here.

 

[sk688]

Yes there is - instructions here.

You need to long in for that

I'm stuck on the password screen as I can't get In anymore

 

[najaB]

Have you tried a USB keyboard yet? You can pick one up for less than a fiver.

 

[sk688]

Have you tried a USB keyboard yet? You can pick one up for less than a fiver.

Yep . Its coming tomorrow , so hopefully that should solve the problem