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MacBook keyboard and trackpad – sticky keys, butterfly and replacement

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Quick answer

MacBook keyboards from 2015–2019 (butterfly) are notorious for dead and double-typing keys. Newer scissor-mechanism keyboards are more robust. Trackpad faults are most often caused by a swollen battery underneath the panel. Unlike Apple and most workshops, we repair butterfly keyboards on a per-key basis from DKK 50 per key — so you usually avoid a full top case replacement.

What kind of keyboard fault do you have?

Sticky / double-typing keys. The classic butterfly symptom: a letter types two or three times on a single press, or a key feels “dry” and only responds sometimes. A single dust particle is enough to take the mechanism out of action.

Completely dead keys. The key doesn’t respond at all. Test in another user/system (boot into Recovery: if the key doesn’t work there either, it’s hardware).

Squeaky or loose keys. The mechanism under the key is broken. We replace individual mechanisms on both scissor-mechanism and butterfly keyboards — you don’t need to replace the whole top case.

Trackpad with no click. The Force Touch mechanism is faulty — or, far more often, a swollen battery is pushing the trackpad up from below. Check for bulges or unevenness on the underside of the MacBook.

Phantom clicks on the trackpad. The trackpad clicks by itself. Almost always caused by the same swollen battery — it presses the trackpad’s contacts together.

The butterfly keyboard: a quick history

Apple introduced the butterfly mechanism in 2015 to make MacBooks thinner. The design turned out to be extremely vulnerable to dust, and from 2017 the complaints poured in. Apple launched a “Keyboard Service Program” that covered free replacements, but the programme has now expired for most 2015–2019 models.

From 2019 (16” MacBook Pro) and 2020 (Air and 13” Pro) onward, Apple switched back to a scissor-mechanism keyboard. It’s significantly more robust, but not immune to liquid and wear.

What does a keyboard replacement cost?

Individual key repair (our preferred solution):

  • Butterfly key, intact mechanism + good contact: from DKK 50 per key
  • Butterfly key, intact mechanism + faulty contact: ~DKK 150 per key
  • Butterfly key, broken mechanism + good contact: ~DKK 200 per key
  • Butterfly key, broken mechanism + faulty contact: up to ~DKK 550 per key
  • Spacebar (butterfly): DKK 150-750 depending on damage
  • Scissor-mechanism key: DKK 50-150 per key

Top case replacement (only for extensive damage — many dead keys, or a faulty battery/trackpad):

  • Scissor-mechanism keyboard (2020+): DKK 1,800-3,500
  • Butterfly (2015-2019): DKK 3,500-4,500 (whole top case including battery)
  • Trackpad alone: DKK 1,500-2,500

See the current price for your model and fault level at macmo.dk/reparation.

With us you get a free diagnosis, a fixed quote before we start, and 2 years’ warranty.

Where can I get it repaired?

We repair keyboards and trackpads on every MacBook model. Unlike Apple and most third-party workshops, which only offer a full top case replacement, we have the specialist tooling to swap individual butterfly mechanisms at the key level — typically saving you thousands of kroner.

Self-help before repair

  1. Compressed air. Hold the MacBook on its side and blow dust out from between the keys. Works best on butterfly.
  2. Boot into Recovery. Hold Cmd+R at boot. If the key works there, it’s software — check keyboard layout and settings.
  3. Reset SMC. On Intel Macs, an SMC reset can fix trackpad issues.
  4. Check for bulges or unevenness. Place the MacBook on a flat table and see if it rocks — that’s a sign of a swollen battery.

If nothing helps, get in touch with us.

How to test whether the keyboard fault is hardware or software

⏱ PT5M

  1. Boot into Recovery Mode. Restart the Mac and hold Cmd+R (Intel) or hold the power button until 'Loading startup options' and select 'Options' (Apple Silicon). Test the keys there: if they work in Recovery, it's software (login items, drivers, a hung app) — not the keyboard.
  2. Connect an external USB keyboard. If the external keyboard works fine, the built-in keyboard is the faulty link. If BOTH built-in AND external keyboards fail, it's software or the logic board.
  3. Compressed air between the keys. Hold the MacBook on its side and blow dust out from between the keys. Works best on butterfly (2015-2019) where a single dust particle can jam the mechanism. Never use metal to pry — it shorts out the pins.
  4. Check for bulges or unevenness. Place the MacBook on a flat table. Does it rock, or does the trackpad bulge upward? That's a swollen battery pressing on the keyboard and trackpad — power off and contact us straight away (this is a safety hazard).
  5. Check the backlight in the dark. If keys light up but don't type, the contact below the key is dead (the mechanism works, the contact doesn't). This can often be repaired at the individual key level with us.
  6. Book a diagnosis. If nothing helps, contact us. Diagnosis is free if you proceed with a repair. On butterfly keyboards we repair individual keys from DKK 50 per key.

Frequently asked questions

My MacBook key types double — can it be fixed without replacing the whole keyboard?
Yes, in most cases. On butterfly keyboards (2015–2019), a thorough clean with compressed air can sometimes fix the problem temporarily. For a permanent fix we usually replace just the individual key mechanism — from DKK 50 per key with an intact mechanism and a good contact, up to around DKK 550 for a key with a broken mechanism and a faulty contact. Only with extensive damage (many dead keys, faulty battery or trackpad) does a full top case replacement become relevant.
Wasn't Apple replacing butterfly keyboards for free?
Yes — Apple ran a 'Keyboard Service Program' for the MacBook 12'' and the 2015–2019 MacBook Pro. The programme has expired for most models. If you're still experiencing the issue, we typically repair it at the individual key level for a fraction of the cost of a new top case.
What does a MacBook keyboard replacement cost?
Our preferred solution is individual key repair: from DKK 50 per key on butterfly (intact mechanism + good contact) up to around DKK 550 for a key with a broken mechanism plus a faulty contact. Spacebar DKK 150-750. Scissor-mechanism keys typically DKK 50-150 per key. Only with extensive damage (many dead keys or a faulty battery/trackpad) does a full top case replacement become relevant: DKK 1,800-3,500 for scissor-mechanism keyboards, DKK 3,500-4,500 for butterfly including battery and trackpad. See the current price for your model at macmo.dk/reparation.
The trackpad won't click — is that always hardware?
Not necessarily. Test first: System Settings → Trackpad → 'Tap to Click'. If tap-to-click works, the Force Touch mechanism or the battery underneath the panel is faulty (typically a swollen battery pushing up). We can diagnose this in 30 minutes.
Can I replace keys on a MacBook myself?
Individual loose keycaps (the plastic cap itself) can be clipped back on with precision tools and a careful hand. But if the butterfly or scissor mechanism itself is broken — or if the contact pad below is destroyed — the mechanism has to be replaced with precision equipment. We do this on a per-key basis from DKK 50 per key — instead of replacing the whole top case.