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Unresponsive Caps Lock key on new MacBook Pro

D

Droooooj

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 19, 2009
104
5
London, UK
I got a new Macbook Pro in December and straight away I noticed I have to really jab at the Caps Lock key to activate it, sometimes several times.

Pressing it on the left hand side (where my finger naturally reaches to) almost never works.

Anyone else have this? Is it a known problem?
Would Apple be likely to be able to sort it out if I took it to a store, or am I wasting my time?
 
Apple keyboards are made like this so you don't accidentally turn it on. Try it; it takes a good key press to turn it on, but only a light flick to turn it off. Magic. :)
 
Yes, the Caps Lock is pressure sensitive, even on the Wireless keyboard. It seemed to me to be defective in the beginning but I actually love this little feature.
 
Jesus Christ that's a FEATURE????!

I'ts been bugging me for 4 months solid. :D

Oh well, saved me a trip into town and a red face I suppose. Thanks guys.


Is there no hack to get round this? It must be software controlling this ridiculous function?
 
its_not_a_bug_its_a_feature_tshirt-p235088094553051709a7tgw_210.jpg
 
I guess I just learnt something new! :p
This thing has been bugging me for months! I have a white MB (Rev. E) and I'm experiencing the same issue.

On a more generic note, I find that the keyboard has the same problem, I've been using this laptop for almost 2 years now but I still haven't got used to the keyboard. I often miss characters, numbers etc while typing. I find it difficult to use. I'm way slower than on the previous laptop (a PC).

Do you know why? is my keyboard faulty? Previous laptops were, in reverse order, Sony (latest), Dell, Samsung, Acer (oldest).
 
Just new to Mac as well.

1. The CAPS-lock is not pressure driven, it's time driven. You can try it for yourself - just touch it slightly but longer will engage it. Punching it heavy will usually engage it because you just have it held down longer but it's not the pressure that drives it, just the time.

2. The keyboard itself is quite good I have to say, typing is much better than on my previous Sony (but that keyboard was really lousy). Although I also find myself at times missing letters while typing it's not terrible.

For the CAPS lock "feature" I wished there was a way to disable this but of course there never will. Once Apple decided something is good, it stays and the user won't have a chance to go against it.

But I think now that we know that we have to press the CAPS lock key fully, it's easy to adapt and I must say I'm partial towards this "feature" as it happened to me as well that I was accidentally having CAPS-lock on unaware.

Just my 3 cents.

Tom
 
Here's the official support document on caps lock:

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1578

I wish they hadn't done it. Accidentally hitting the caps lock was never really THAT much of a problem for me, as I ever did it often. If anything, my problem has been more forgetting it's still on after deliberately hitting it. :)

Now, of course, my problem has been that when I DO need caps lock, I accidentally don't hit it long enough to turn it on...
 
This is the worst deliberate "feature" I have ever seen in my life.
Accidental press prevention?!?!
WTF are they talking about? Who accidentally hits the caps lock key?!?!
The only problem I've EVER had wit the caps lock key, is caused by this "feature"! EVERY time I go to press it, it doesn't activate. Every NSWhatever I type (hundreds a day?!?!) I have to type the word twice!!! OMG HOW DO YOU TURN THIS ISH OFF?

I thought my left pinkie somehow broke at the same time I got this computer... At first I thought I was wasn't hitting it or something..... for 8 MONTHS this thing had me wondering wtf was wrong here....
 
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Norrin said:
This is the worst deliberate "feature" I have ever seen in my life.
Accidental press prevention?!?!
WTF are they talking about? Who accidentally hits the caps lock key?!?!
The only problem I've EVER had wit the caps lock key, is caused by this "feature"! EVERY time I go to press it, it doesn't activate. Every NSWhatever I type (hundreds a day?!?!) I have to type the word twice!!! OMG HOW DO YOU TURN THIS ISH OFF?

I thought my left pinkie somehow broke at the same time I got this computer... At first I thought I was wasn't hitting it or something..... for 8 MONTHS this thing had me wondering wtf was wrong here....
Click to expand...

I used to hit the caps lock key all the time. Just like you probably don't hit the right key 100% of the time especially when you type fast and use many different keyboards.
 
They're just saving you from yourself, you need it, really you do. Drink the Kool-Aid.
 
TheJing said:
I used to hit the caps lock key all the time. Just like you probably don't hit the right key 100% of the time especially when you type fast and use many different keyboards.
Click to expand...

With that type of logic, why not make EVERY key on the keyboard, press repellent?!?! Let's put a press delay on all of them, since users are so dumb, they rarely hit the key they're trying to hit. Why only this key? That damn S key is ALWAYS getting in my way!

WTF!

If my finger hit it, because it's a keyboard! That means I wanted the key to be pressed! I can't believe how dumb this feature is. I don't press keys to improve my health. I press them for them to be activated!
 
I actually like this 'feature'...BUT there should be a way to turn it off for those who don't....
 
It actually appears that if you hit the caps lock delay gets turned off if you hit the caps lock button quickly a few in a row. I hit it quickly 2-3 times in a row and then it was instant instead of delayed.

Or maybe try press and hold the caps lock key for a couple of seconds...not sure which way is actually causing the delay to turn off, but the delay is turning off.
 
Norrin said:
With that type of logic, why not make EVERY key on the keyboard, press repellent?!?! Let's put a press delay on all of them, since users are so dumb, they rarely hit the key they're trying to hit. Why only this key? That damn S key is ALWAYS getting in my way!

WTF!

If my finger hit it, because it's a keyboard! That means I wanted the key to be pressed! I can't believe how dumb this feature is. I don't press keys to improve my health. I press them for them to be activated!
Click to expand...

Why not make every key on the keyboard press repellent? Because unlike the caps lock key they are used all the time?

But I am too "dumb" to understand anyways... I give up.
 
I have to admit I never used the caps lock key - except by accident. I love this feature - didn't know about it, but I have less trouble with accidentally hitting it!

What do you use CAPS LOCK for? TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE IN FORUMS?
 
Droooooj said:
Jesus Christ that's a FEATURE????!

I'ts been bugging me for 4 months solid. :D

Oh well, saved me a trip into town and a red face I suppose. Thanks guys.


Is there no hack to get round this? It must be software controlling this ridiculous function?
Click to expand...

bugging you for 4 months and you got it in December??


:rolleyes:
 
thundersteele said:
I have to admit I never used the caps lock key - except by accident. I love this feature - didn't know about it, but I have less trouble with accidentally hitting it!

What do you use CAPS LOCK for? TO SHOUT AT PEOPLE IN FORUMS?
Click to expand...

Neither do I. Which is why I went into settings and told it to just not even activate my caps lock key. Cause the only time I hit it is by accident. And the time driven thing apparently doesn't save me cause I tend to hold shift down for a second anyways (I tend to hit caps lock when I meant to hit the shift key).

I personally hate the key, I'm glad there is a setting to turn it off (I can understand the need for the key so no I don't want to see it go away. I just find it obnoxious for me so I was ecstatic when I heard you could tell it to ignore the key entirely).
 
iforbes said:
It actually appears that if you hit the caps lock delay gets turned off if you hit the caps lock button quickly a few in a row. I hit it quickly 2-3 times in a row and then it was instant instead of delayed.

Or maybe try press and hold the caps lock key for a couple of seconds...not sure which way is actually causing the delay to turn off, but the delay is turning off.
Click to expand...

I hate to quote myself, but can anyone confirm that either of these work to turn off the caps lock delay?
 
I cant turn on caps locks from keyboard

I cant turn on caps lock from keyboard. just with character viewer i can activate it and the green led turn on/off.

i tried to multiple press immediately or with longer (10 secs) press and no luch. it seems like hardware issue for me. i even tried the modifier key and no luck.

is annoying

iforbes said:
I hate to quote myself, but can anyone confirm that either of these work to turn off the caps lock delay?
Click to expand...
 
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