Apple 'sorry' some MacBook keyboards are still having issues

The tech giant says a small number of people are having trouble with the third-gen butterfly keyboard.

Shelby Brown Editor II

Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.

Credentials

She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.

See full bio

Shelby Brown

March 27, 2019 2:01 p.m. PT

Last year on its website, Apple talked up the butterfly mechanism.
Apple/Screenshot by Edward Moyer/CNET

Apple acknowledged Wednesday that some MacBook owners are having trouble with the company's latest butterfly keyboard but said most aren't.

"We are aware that a small number of users are having issues with their third generation butterfly keyboard and for that we are sorry," an Apple spokesperson said in an email. "The vast majority of Mac notebook customers are having a positive experience."

Earlier Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal published a playful interactive column about the issue. Visitors to the news site could read the piece (or at least try to) complete with the sort of problems users of the keyboard have said they've encountered: dropped R's, dropped or doubled E's, doubled T's. Or readers could toggle various switches to make the problems go away, rendering the column far more legible.

Apple released its 2018 MacBook Pro with the promise of a dirt-resistant keyboard, and many hoped that would solve reported issues with unresponsive and sticky keys.

Last May, Apple was hit with two lawsuits over alleged defects in the 2015 "butterfly switch" keyboards on MacBooks and MacBook Pros. Though the keys were designed to keep out dust and other debris, particles occasionally did get inside and damaged the butterfly switch, according to the second suit.

Apple said on Wednesday that any customers with issues should contact AppleCare.