MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro 2024) – loud rattle/click on Shift, Delete, Tab, Return keys. Normal?

[helqz]

Hi everyone,
I recently bought a MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4 Pro 2024) and I noticed something strange about the keyboard.

Most of the keys sound and feel fine, but Shift, Delete, Tab, Esc, and Return are noticeably louder. They produce a metallic "rattle" or click, especially when pressed from the edge.
The Tab key is the loudest — it makes the most noticeable rattling noise.

Here’s a short video showing the sound:

My questions:

• Is this normal for these larger keys (because of stabilizers)?
• Or does it sound like a defect in my unit?
• I tested a MacBook Air 13 with a similar keyboard, and it doesn’t have this metallic rattle on Delete/Tab.

I’d appreciate any feedback from other MacBook owners — does your keyboard sound the same?

Thanks!

 

[brerlappin]

I don't have an M4 MacBook Pro to compare it to, but those keys aren't louder on both my 14" M2 MacBook Pro and 16" M1 MacBook Pro keyboards.

I'd have Apple look at it. And do a backup beforehand in case they swap it out.

 

[goldmac2006]

Hi everyone,
I recently bought a MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4 Pro 2024) and I noticed something strange about the keyboard.

Most of the keys sound and feel fine, but Shift, Delete, Tab, Esc, and Return are noticeably louder. They produce a metallic "rattle" or click, especially when pressed from the edge.
The Tab key is the loudest — it makes the most noticeable rattling noise.

Here’s a short video showing the sound:

My questions:

• Is this normal for these larger keys (because of stabilizers)?
• Or does it sound like a defect in my unit?
• I tested a MacBook Air 13 with a similar keyboard, and it doesn’t have this metallic rattle on Delete/Tab.

I’d appreciate any feedback from other MacBook owners — does your keyboard sound the same?

Thanks!

Hey, 👊 I’ve got the same MacBook Pro as you, but in space black!

I listened to and watched the video you sent over, and when I compared it to pressing the same keys on my MacBook Pro, those sharp sounds from the return, delete, and caps lock keys were super obvious, even when I listened closely with my AirPods. While my Mac would have a different sound even with pressing them, yours is definitely out of the ordinary in my opinion. It wouldn’t have that type of behaviour on my Mac.

To help, maybe give your keyboard a good dusting with a makeup brush or a fine brush you have. Then, wipe it down with a polishing cloth to give it a nice clean. Also, test the keys to make sure they’re registering the character or function correctly.

Oh, and has anything spilled on the Mac near the keyboard? That would be a red flag if any liquid was spilled on it.

If it’s really bothering you or if the issue keeps happening, you could try using an external keyboard for a bit, like a Bluetooth keyboard you can grab for a couple of bucks at a store or Amazon, or even a Magic Keyboard. Then, make an appointment with an Apple Genius at your local Apple Store to get your MBP checked out. Before you bring it in, please do a Time Machine backup to an external SSD.

 

[DeepSix]

Unfortunately it's normal. There is huge keyboard lottery across MacBooks. It's really a hit or miss on what type of quality you get with their keyboards. All the outter keys (like enter, delete, shifts etc) will rattle depending where you press on the keys. It's very annoying and no other notebook that I know of has this issue. Thank Apple for using cheap springs under the keys.

Best to use an external keyboard. Far better typing experience on something like a mechanical keyboard anyways.