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[2016 MBP touch bar] Pressing the ESC button by accident!

I'm a touch typist and while I have somewhat large hands, they're not freakishly so... and I do this ALL THE TIME. It really is annoying - especially when dropping out of full screen mode unintentionally! If the 15" MBP had an option with physical keys, or if any MBP had the option with 4 ports and physical keys, I'd have gotten it.

The touch bar (which I often refer to as the "gimmick bar") should have some sort of pressure threshold and haptic feedback to make it work more like a keyboard... at least when displaying buttons! (I realize it wouldn't necessarily make sense for all interfaces, e.g. a scrub interface like when YouTube is visible.)

Or if they could just have put a physical escape key in there opposite the touch ID key... too obvious?
 
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Yes this is really annoying!!! I would buy a MBP without touchbar if they offered this on a 15". Its not so much when I'm typing, but when I am using Photoshop or any app where I use the "power stance" (i.e. having thumb on command key).

I actually tried the MBP13 inch without touchbar and it was awesome. Perfect size, compact form factor and footprint, lighter, and no touchbar. I upgraded to 15" for better graphics card but the touchbar is actually annoying!!! I've accidentally touched the ESC key about 50 times with my pinky. And...no I don't stick my pinky out when I drink beer. If only I could get the 13 inch with the better graphics card.

Oh well, guess I have to adjust my power stance.
 
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I'm a BIG fan of the new tMBP (I own the 13 and 15 inch models).

But, YES!!! This has happened to me a few times until I trained myself to adjust my hand position.



R.
 
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This is hillarious. Apple has tried to solve a problem thatnever existed and instead created one that really exist. I mean come on, who wouldn't get a MBP2016 WITHOUT the TouchBar if possible...but Apple being Apple, that probably wont happen.
 
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improwise said:
This is hillarious. Apple has tried to solve a problem thatnever existed and instead created one that really exist. I mean come on, who wouldn't get a MBP2016 WITHOUT the TouchBar if possible...but Apple being Apple, that probably wont happen.
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There's no way I'd skip the touch-bar. It's fun to use and will gain practicality over time. My battery life is excellent, so why would I skip it? It took me a little effort to train my pinky away from the esc key...hardly the end of the world.

I have the 13" & 15" touch-bar Macs and these are the best yet from Apple. The only change I'd like next cycle...bring back the SD slot please.


R.
 
YES!!! At first I thought my keyboard was broken. Gmail windows would mysteriously close and filling out online forms the browser was jumping BACK. Then I realized it was because I was barely brushing that ESC touch key.

Anyone figured out a way to DISABLE it?
 
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johnturbo said:
YES!!! At first I thought my keyboard was broken. Gmail windows would mysteriously close and filling out online forms the browser was jumping BACK. Then I realized it was because I was barely brushing that ESC touch key.

Anyone figured out a way to DISABLE it?
Click to expand...

It can reportedly be moved with Better Touch Tool, but I haven't tried it. (I don't think you'd want to disable it--you'll need it sometimes.)
 
KohPhiPhi said:
Is anybody else hitting the Touch Bar ESC button by mistake while typing with your left hand's pinky finger?

The problem is this: since the button has no physical weight, the sightliest caress with your pinky finger triggers the ESC button, and therefore exiting whatever input form you might be filling in at that moment. As a result, I have had to type the whole thing again quite a few times already. It is driving me nuts!

Is anyone else hitting the ESC button by mistake?

Full_Size_Render.jpg
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There's no logical reason to make the esc key like this other than a design (i.e., cool-factor) reason. As a graphic and web designer (who's worked on a hundred different machines) I have to constantly maneuver my fingers around the keyboard to grip, select, resize, copy/paste, et al elements in my workspace and if you breathe near this esc key, the command will be sent, and your unsaved work is lost. It's usually minor stuff (thankfully, although I doubt that's the case for everyone) but it adds up when it happens time after time after time after time. The idea for this touch key (especially with it being, of all keys, the escape key) is half-baked at best, and just BAD at worst.

That being said, does anyone know whether it can be removed, centered, replaced, etc? Anything for it to just not be there, period? Thanks in advance.
 
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oleosanxez said:
There's no logical reason to make the esc key like this other than a design (i.e., cool-factor) reason. As a graphic and web designer (who's worked on a hundred different machines) I have to constantly maneuver my fingers around the keyboard to grip, select, resize, copy/paste, et al elements in my workspace and if you breathe near this esc key, the command will be sent, and your unsaved work is lost. It's usually minor stuff (thankfully, although I doubt that's the case for everyone) but it adds up when it happens time after time after time after time. The idea for this touch key (especially with it being, of all keys, the escape key) is half-baked at best, and just BAD at worst.

That being said, does anyone know whether it can be removed, centered, replaced, etc? Anything for it to just not be there, period? Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned a couple posts up, it can reportedly be moved with Better Touch Tool, but I haven't tried it.
 
When you are on a 15" and working off your lap you have to come in at an angle from the sides to reach the keyboard which makes this happen to me all the time.
 
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Interesting that so many people are having issues with this. Had my MBP since day 1 and never had an issue. Of course most of my work is research and typing, with only some video editing. My fingers just don't go up there that often unless they need to.
 
Add me to the list of people struggling with this. Google sent me here while I was looking for some sort of solution after fiddling with Better Touch Tool first.

Definitely annoying.
 
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Sefi said:
When you are on a 15" and working off your lap you have to come in at an angle from the sides to reach the keyboard which makes this happen to me all the time.
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Exactly THIS. If you come in straight and square, it might not be an issue.

HOWEVER, if you come in from an angle, either because you are working off your lap, on at an airplane/train, or in bed, or simply because you want to avoid resting your palms over the unnecessarily-oversized trackpad, it is fairly easy to hit both the ESC or the Siri buttons with your pinky fingers.
 
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myscrnnm said:
Lol, not sure if this is a troll thread.o_O My fingers rarely reach that far up while touch typing. Definitely have not had this happen to me, or any other keys on the Touch Bar for that matter.
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I'm with you on this. How can you accidentally hit the ESC key that's so far away from the alphabet keys? I have to extend my pinky very consciously to reach it, and as a VIM user, I do need to hit it regularly! :)
 
KohPhiPhi said:
Exactly THIS. If you come in straight and square, it might not be an issue.

HOWEVER, if you come in from an angle, either because you are working off your lap, on at an airplane/train, or in bed, or simply because you want to avoid resting your palms over the unnecessarily-oversized trackpad, it is fairly easy to hit both the ESC or the Siri buttons with your pinky fingers.
Click to expand...


Happened to me OFTEN and I really did have to train myself. It still happens at times, more so with the 13" and always when working on my lap.

I got over it, but Apple should make the ESC key a real key again.


R.
 
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n00bctrl said:
I bought the new book pro with the touch bar and I kept hitting the email send button. Its was annoying here's how I fixed it.
  1. Open Apple Mail
  2. Open a new message on Apple Mail
  3. On the top toolbar click “View”
  4. Select “Customize Touch Bar”
  5. Drag the send icon off the touch bar
Click to expand...
I find it interesting that people hit a key on the Touch Bar by accident. Do you have long hands and/or fingers? For me, I have to make a conscious effort to reach the Touch Bar.
 
daihard said:
I find it interesting that people hit a key on the Touch Bar by accident. Do you have long hands and/or fingers? For me, I have to make a conscious effort to reach the Touch Bar.
Click to expand...

Haha for me it's when I stop and think for a moment when I'm writing the email then I rest my hands down and accidently touch it. Then I freak out for a second while its sending.
 
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It is a laptop, and i keep it on my lap 99% of time... fingers literally rest on the tb. And i have small hands.
 
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Sanpete said:
Interesting. When I have it on my lap, my hands aren't very close to the touch bar. Everyone has different habits, I suppose.
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I'm with you. I have my MBP on my lap most of the time, and my fingers rest on the regular keys or the touchpad, not on the Touch Bar.
 
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