Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
[2016 MBP touch bar] Pressing the ESC button by accident!
- Thread starter KohPhiPhi
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There are times when you aren’t typing on the laptop. People do various things with their hands. They rest it on the laptop or move around. The point is that they are not aware of it. There is a huge difference between examining yourself how you use a computer and using it.
However, I believe this issue will be solved. With every PC laptop I had the problem of accidentaly touching the touchpad during typing. The cursor moves away, and I continue typing in the middle of another paragraph. I know I’m not alone with this.
The only laptop free of this is the Macbook (any version). It’s not free because I don’t touch the touchpad by accident. It’s free because the Apple engineers managed to distinguish the accidental and the intentional use.
That’s why I believe the ESC and the Send Mail pressing issues will be solved. It’s more or less the same thing.
Unfortunately, I have other issue with the Touch Bar: its existence. It could be solved with no engineering but making it an option.
However, if Apple would think Touch Bar is good, it would be an option. They know how bad it is that’s why it’s forced, and that’s why one can’t even turn it off.
[doublepost=1484195754][/doublepost]I hit the esc key a dozen times every hour. It truly is infuriating. The only way I can use this computer is by taping a small piece of curled business card over the esc key. I'm 63 years old and I've been using computers since my homebuilt back in 1976... Apple since a 1988 Mac IIx. I am an engineer and I don't touch type conventionally although I do type 50+ words per minute with my strange 2 to 4 finger typing method. I don't put my fingers on the home row; my hands are rotated in 30°. In this position, my little fingers constantly hit the esc key and the Siri button. In the evening when I am at home with my MacBook Pro in my lap, my elbows rest on my chair arms and the position of my hands necessarily are rotated. I'll never be able to retrain muscle memory after 40+ years of daily use.
The only thing I like about the touch bar is the fingerprint sensor and that is only usable with half the applications. Seems like it should be incorporated into all of Apple's software. And it now takes two steps to adjust volume and screen brightness with sliders as opposed to dedicated function loud/soft and bright/dim keys. The touch bar sliders are a serious step backwards for these functions. Apple, give me a way of moving the touch bar keys inwards towards the center or turning the touch bar off completely or at the very least, a way of turning off the dangerous esc key. My laptop is a fully optioned 13" with maxed out processor speed, memory and a 1 TByte SSD drive. I've had four MacBook Airs over the years and they were 500% more usable. My last MBA was 4 years old and I thought it was time for a change... big mistake. This is the first time I've been disappointed with an Apple computer hardware design.
I think there has possibly been a misunderstanding by the apparent "two sides" of this argument. The argument that you are typing wrong, while maybe valid for some, does not necessarily apply to everyone. While typing, I hold my hands in (what I consider) a normal position and have no problem whatsoever. The issue arises while I am using my left hand to execute keyboard shortcuts in different programs while also using my right hand on the trackpad.
I am using a 15" MBP with touch bar and I think my habit has been either developed or at the very least, worsened, by the fact that the track pad is enormous. I almost unconsciously try to avoid touching the track pad with my left hand while my right hand is using it that my left hand goes into that awkward 45º degree angle. It seems the problem is most pronounced when trying to hit CMD+T. Again, not while I am typing but while my right hand is on the track pad. This mousing + keyboard shortcuts is very common for my workflow and I don't think it has anything to do with bad typing habits (though I am not claiming to be some amazing typer). I think it has to do with learned habits that have been worsened by two things: bigger trackpad and sensitive escape key.
Notice that my hand position is a natural (to me) response to avoid accidentally hitting the trackpad:
I didn't have this problem before because the trackpad was not as large and my hand wouldn't go all crazy sideways like this. I know the trackpad would reject input from my left hand while I am using it with my right so this is probably just a matter of forcing myself to change my habit. Again, this is a super first-world problem and if it is my biggest challenge in life, I think I will be OK. I am just happy to know I am not the only idiot experiencing this.
I am using a 15" MBP with touch bar and I think my habit has been either developed or at the very least, worsened, by the fact that the track pad is enormous. I almost unconsciously try to avoid touching the track pad with my left hand while my right hand is using it that my left hand goes into that awkward 45º degree angle. It seems the problem is most pronounced when trying to hit CMD+T. Again, not while I am typing but while my right hand is on the track pad. This mousing + keyboard shortcuts is very common for my workflow and I don't think it has anything to do with bad typing habits (though I am not claiming to be some amazing typer). I think it has to do with learned habits that have been worsened by two things: bigger trackpad and sensitive escape key.
Notice that my hand position is a natural (to me) response to avoid accidentally hitting the trackpad:
I didn't have this problem before because the trackpad was not as large and my hand wouldn't go all crazy sideways like this. I know the trackpad would reject input from my left hand while I am using it with my right so this is probably just a matter of forcing myself to change my habit. Again, this is a super first-world problem and if it is my biggest challenge in life, I think I will be OK. I am just happy to know I am not the only idiot experiencing this.
Yeah the palm rejection on MBs is second to none. Maybe that's the problem most people are having, by attempting to avoid the trackpad. I can comfortably place my lower palms on the trackpad whist using it and it causes no issues. So as you say, maybe just need to get used to that, don't know how though... Good luck!
The trackpad's palm rejection is so good that you don't even realize how often it's rejecting. When you get on a non-Mac laptop with a smaller trackpad and it suddenly jumps the cursor everywhere while you're typing -- that's when you realize how good your Mac was treating you.
Can agree completely with those of you that say this happened fairly often when I have my left hand in the "shortcut position" which causes my hand to be slightly tilted (near 45 degrees) due to my thumb being on the Apple key which in turn brings my pinky to hover almost exactly where the ESC key on the TB is. I've had my 15" for several weeks and thought I would get better at not doing it but it still happens often. I will note that I have very large hands.
When I am in a "normal" typing position there are absolutely no worries though, but every time I go to a shortcut position I am constantly trying to avoid that damn pinky sliding up there. I too am hoping to get the ability to just slide the ESC key over a few ticks and all will be well.
When I am in a "normal" typing position there are absolutely no worries though, but every time I go to a shortcut position I am constantly trying to avoid that damn pinky sliding up there. I too am hoping to get the ability to just slide the ESC key over a few ticks and all will be well.
Hmmm I agree with the trackpad hypothesis...
The sheer size of the trackpad, and the fact that I (and many others apparently) unconciously rest our palms AROUND it, make our hands to engage the keyboard at a 45 degree angle. That is when the pinky stretches out to the ESC area, specially while manuvering for shortcuts.
The sheer size of the trackpad, and the fact that I (and many others apparently) unconciously rest our palms AROUND it, make our hands to engage the keyboard at a 45 degree angle. That is when the pinky stretches out to the ESC area, specially while manuvering for shortcuts.
I see you have much smaller hands than me, and you probably like keeping your elbows tucked in.
This is ergonomics 101 guy's. If your pinky is touching your esc button you are sitting to low. Your elbow's are to much to the side, thats when your hands rotate and your pinky is getting higher on the board.
Increase the hight of your chair (or lower the table) so your upper and lower arm have a 90degree angle. Keep those elbows on your body and your pinky will never hit esc again. Will save you alot of backpain and other problems at the same time.
So in short, if your middle finger is the longest in your hand, it should also be the furtherst away on the keyboard. If not? Your position is wrong.
Wondering why this hasnt been notices before since most of the people here are pro's, working the computer all day.
Increase the hight of your chair (or lower the table) so your upper and lower arm have a 90degree angle. Keep those elbows on your body and your pinky will never hit esc again. Will save you alot of backpain and other problems at the same time.
So in short, if your middle finger is the longest in your hand, it should also be the furtherst away on the keyboard. If not? Your position is wrong.
Wondering why this hasnt been notices before since most of the people here are pro's, working the computer all day.
Last edited:
In my opinion you are a 100 percent right. This is the first time in many years I have been disappointed with an Apple product. 3000 Euros for a Notebook that is very annoying bedaure of this Touchbar error.
This is ergonomics 101 guy's. If your pinky is touching your esc button you are sitting to low. Your elbow's are to much to the side, thats when your hands rotate and your pinky is getting higher on the board.
Increase the hight of your chair (or lower the table) so your upper and lower arm have a 90degree angle. Keep those elbows on your body and your pinky will never hit esc again. Will save you alot of backpain and other problems at the same time.
So in short, if your middle finger is the longest in your hand, it should also be the furtherst away on the keyboard. If not? Your position is wrong.
Wondering why this hasnt been notices before since most of the people here are pro's, working the computer all day.
Here is why your advice, while sound, is not realistic: the MBP is a laptop, not a desktop.
As such, I type on it in airplanes, in the park sitting under a tree, lying on the couch, in a bench while waiting for the train, at my desk, at the kitchen counter, etc.
Every place (and every person) has different ergonomics, and the touchbar ESC does not accomodate to that. As a result, people are posting their negative feedback in this thread.
Im going crazy with this issue. 4 layers of electrical tape doesn't even work. I wish the touchbar just was truly customizable. I would then just move or remove the esc key. Problem solved.
By the way, screw all the people using the "you're holding it wrong"-argument.
By the way, screw all the people using the "you're holding it wrong"-argument.
For me it happens more often when I'm going to hit the backspace and accidentally I hit the siri button (or whatever button is there)
No one is saying "You're holding it wrong" so there's no need for that.
It all just comes down to typing habits and technique, as I've said before and tried to offer advice. It is clear that many people with this issue are self taught touch typists, and have picked up bad typing habits through this. As such, it's never been a noticeable issue until now due to the new TB at the top.
There's a number of reasons these are bad habits, most notably ergonomics and accuracy. This is not saying you're using it wrong, it is saying you're using it differently to the norm. And as such, are coming across this issue.
I appreciate it is a laptop and not a desktop, but the use case is the same. You can either attempt to adjust your typing habits, by making a conscious effort (You don't need to avoid touching the trackpad, and try keep your hands parallel and not bent at 45' angles), or you can suffer with what is clearly an irritating issue.
Either way blaming Apple, designers, tech industry or whatever is not going to change the issue. You could buy a different computer or use an external keyboard. But you are just putting off changing by using a handicap of some kind.
So in summary, this is a problem only evident by the inclusion of a touchbar, which is highlighting bad typing techniques. No one is going to change their user experience unless you make a conscious effort to adapt. If you do this now, you will have a much better experience today, and probably into the future too. There are plenty of online resources to learn and adjust your technique into more commonly accepted norms. If you do not want to change these habits then you'll carry on suffering needlessly.
Now I think that's pretty fair and I'm not trying to rile anyone or flame up any arguments (I'm not trying to defend anything or anyone). I do not envy anyone needing to change any habits and appreciate it's a strain, but I would say in the long run it would be worth it.
At least for me, I use document based apps a lot (like e-mail) and the way back from opening a message is ESC. I've developed the habit of automatically "touching" the ESC key in preparation for going back. So there are workflow related issues in some cases perhaps more so than typing techniques.
Even just haptic feedback without force would be an improvement. I find that I forget that I don't have a real escape key and I manage to find it without looking anyway, but I can't tell that I hit it and I can't tell how many times I hit it. I was in a program in which the ESC backs you up a step and I only wanted to back up one step. I ended up backing out two because I couldn't feel that I hit the ESC key and there was just enough of a delay in the cancel action that I hit ESC again.
Overall I'm liking this new MBP, but I really want to rip out the stupid touchbar.
Touchbar is nice and has a lot of potential. Add a Force component so that for certain zones a force action is required and I think we have a winner. Well those that buy them. Us shlogs that bought this one need to rework our muscle memory
I found myself here on this forum as I was convinced I must not be the only one with this problem since buying the MBP 13 Inch with TB, so I googled it and here I am, registering to become a member to leave a comment. This is absolutely destroying my MBP experience, I was a MBA user up until last week and I thought I would treat myself to a new space grey MBP, really excited to get it... but holy crap this is killing me, hitting the escape button when I type and it took me ages to realise why I was suddenly jumping out of forms as I was typing.
My typing style is non traditional but I type fast and have got myself through a couple of university degrees so I'm not going to accept the argument that my 'style' of typing or the way I sit (posture) is the issue. The issue is simple, Apple need to fix this REAL problem, that many will be experiencing. I should imagine that many folk do not come on here to report their problems openly!
THIS NEEDS FIXING, sort it Apple.
I'm taking this MBP back to Apple and going for the version without the over engineered touch bar that is gimmicky at best and absolutely infuriating at worst. I can't reprogram my way of typing after all these years, it's not practical at all. Anyone who doesn't suffer with this problem, you should be very grateful, but wont judge, its a real stress for me and I would image for some of the others sharing the issue with the over sensitive escape key that cannot be moved.
One more issue I use Garage band a lot, for making jingles and backdrop music ... but.. DRAG AND DROP is so unbelievable poor it doesn't drag like my MBA did and it actually feels like the response time on this so called more powerful machine is a LOT SLOWER!
I'm fed up with this machine, and I was so looking forward to being blown away by upgrading!
Brian.
My typing style is non traditional but I type fast and have got myself through a couple of university degrees so I'm not going to accept the argument that my 'style' of typing or the way I sit (posture) is the issue. The issue is simple, Apple need to fix this REAL problem, that many will be experiencing. I should imagine that many folk do not come on here to report their problems openly!
THIS NEEDS FIXING, sort it Apple.
I'm taking this MBP back to Apple and going for the version without the over engineered touch bar that is gimmicky at best and absolutely infuriating at worst. I can't reprogram my way of typing after all these years, it's not practical at all. Anyone who doesn't suffer with this problem, you should be very grateful, but wont judge, its a real stress for me and I would image for some of the others sharing the issue with the over sensitive escape key that cannot be moved.
One more issue I use Garage band a lot, for making jingles and backdrop music ... but.. DRAG AND DROP is so unbelievable poor it doesn't drag like my MBA did and it actually feels like the response time on this so called more powerful machine is a LOT SLOWER!
I'm fed up with this machine, and I was so looking forward to being blown away by upgrading!
Brian.
Had there been a non-touchbar 15 incher, I would have done the same. The touchbar has given me more frustrations than actual solutions. In all honestly, it has proven to be nothing but a gimmick
At least I could get rid of the Siri button: System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Customise Control Strip -> move the pointer down onto the control strip, and drag away anything you don't like (except the ESC button
).Here’s a way to disable the Esc key on the Touch Bar (duplicate of my post on https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7768870?start=0&tstart=0):At least I could get rid of the Siri button: System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Customise Control Strip -> move the pointer down onto the control strip, and drag away anything you don't like (except the ESC button
- Download Karabiner-Elements from GitHub: https://github.com/tekezo/Karabiner-Elements/blob/master/README.md, install it, and launch it.
- Under devices, in the “Modify events from this device” section, “Apple Internal Keyboard” is enabled by default. Also enable “No product name, Product Type 0x8600.” This is the Touch Bar.
- In “Simple Modifications,” klick on “Add item” and remap “escape” to, say, “left_shift” (or any other key that does no harm).
- Done. (Close Karabiner-Elements.)
