Comments on: Fixing a MacBook Pro Trackpad Button That Sticks

By: Ram

Ram — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:51:34 +0000

A piece of glossy card stock took care of it for me, thanks for the tip!

By: Andy

Andy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:50:01 +0000

Thank you! Before the cleaning it sounded like it was grinding metal on metal, and now the button works almost like new. Much appreciated.

By: Stef

Stef — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:53:30 +0000

it worked, thank you

By: Vikki

Vikki — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:51:43 +0000

Wow, thanks so much! I had a, erm, coffee mishap. A piece of paper was so simple an idea, I’d never have thought of it in a million years. Cheers, mate!

By: David

David — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:31:58 +0000

Who woulda thought…I spilt something sticky in there and I was looking for some kind of goof-off product for over 2 months. A piece of paper was all it needed. I am so mad at myself. Thank you.

By: willwjl

willwjl — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:33:02 +0000

Thanks. I am going to the Apple store/ with the laptop after work today…

By: Gon

Gon — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:09:39 +0000

@willwjl: I was way past warranty when my battery swollen, but I emailed internal-customer-relations@apple.com, until they sent me a replacement one.

By: willwjl

willwjl — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:01:27 +0000

I think I have the same problem with the swollen battery. But now I am past the warranty!

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:09:12 +0000

Trackpad button went nuts, clicking everything then this morning nothing. Couldn’t log in. Reset eveything and resolved to pull it apart then presto ! I googled up this solution on another machine and it worked immediately. You are a hero, a national treasure and possess an inventive mind on the scale of Edison.

I salute you.

By: Puffin

Puffin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:32:45 +0000

Worked like a charm! Thanks!!!

By: Luke

Luke — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:32:50 +0000

Ha, totally worked on my MacBook Pro; saved me a day without my computer. Thanks!!

By: jessant

jessant — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:59:03 +0000

Wow, worked like a charm! Thank you thank you!

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:17:16 +0000

The swollen battery defiantly was the cause of the track buttons not working.
The Apple store replaced it without any question.

By: isaac

isaac — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:12:03 +0000

you rock! solvvvvved!

By: Bruce

Bruce — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:17:20 +0000

Great tip. Simple, crude, and extremely effective.

By: Ricardo

Ricardo — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:47:12 +0000

Awesome-O…. I used a piece from the top of a Kettle Chip’s bag. Tilt it a bit so that it goes under the button a bit. Worked like a charm.

By: Kara

Kara — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:18:52 +0000

Hahaha, this worked amazing, at first I didn’t think that a piece of paper would fix this issue I’ve been having for so long. I got tired of trying to find a solution, so I just decided to try it and see for myself.

Hot damn, it worked like a charm. Thank you so much, this was pissing me off for the longest time.

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:51:43 +0000

I took out the battery and the track buttons worked!
BTW the MBP wont start without the battery.
Thanks for all the help.
Is Apple replacing the batteries for free or at discount?

By: ejb

ejb — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:17:50 +0000

worked for me too! thanks for taking the time- and saving me a headache. You rule.

By: Fred

Fred — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:15:34 +0000

Wow, just wanted to thank you for that great tip. I was ready to go the the Mac store and stumbled upon your website. A single piece of paper solved the problem.

Just FYI, my problems started when I used cleaner to clean the face of my keyboard and trackpad. The liquid seeped in the trackpad and dried creating all my problems. The paper I used to clean the trackpad was filthy.

Once again thanks!!

By: David

David — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:50:54 +0000

Just as we were going to the Mac support shop here in Hong Kong for the same problem, I tried your fix.
Excellent! Works a treat. Many thanks from all of us.

By: E

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:55:27 +0000

THANK YOU! Metro Card is where it’s at. I LOVE YOU!

By: Jacquie Van Tichelt

Jacquie Van Tichelt — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:22:19 +0000

Oh my gosh I was about to have a nervous breakdown because that thing was not working…I use this computer a lot and don’t even think about that trackpad or button, it is like an extension of my hand I use it with out thinking. Then when it stared acting up it was like someone tied my hand behind my back! THANK YOU…but I should have thought of the myself.

By: dniel

dniel — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:24:32 +0000

oh man I LOVE YOU!!!!!! thanksssss

By: Nancy

Nancy — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:48:41 +0000

Thanks! It was really annoying me, and your fix worked instantly! Elegant and efficient. ;^)

By: Chrsi

Chrsi — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:57:18 +0000

Awesome! Thank you so much, saved me a trip to the Genius Bar.

By: Campy

Campy — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:08:33 +0000

@ Nickel

Thanks man! Actually I figured this much out about 5 minutes after making that post. So easy, I didn’t realize the trackpad button was tapping straight down onto the battery like that.

PS – Detected a slight bulge in the battery pack (17 inch MBP) – seems like a lot of people have this problem about 2 years after purchase. All things considered its done a good job for me, $129 to grab a new one really isn’t the end of the world.

By: Nickel

Nickel — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:30:00 +0000

Campy: Try taking out the battery and going after the torn paper from behind.

By: Campy

Campy — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:25:39 +0000

My problem is that now I have paper jammed in there, making the situation even worse (my bad, should’ve skipped ahead to read some of the later posts).

Is it possible to pop this thing off?

By: Jason Cone

Jason Cone — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:13:03 +0000

Swollen battery for me, too. Thanks for the tip.

By: Luke

Luke — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:02:43 +0000

Absolutely Brilliant! I can’t thank you enough…!

By: ian

ian — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:36:03 +0000

used my metro card and was back to normal in seconds! Great advice!

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:42:13 +0000

My trackpad/mouse click problem problem was a SWOLLEN BATTERY in my Mac Book Pro!

Take out the battery with your power source plugged in and see if your trackpad problem is solved IMMEDATELY.

Then look at the battery carefully and apply a ruler to it or put it on a flat surface. mine has a visible bulge that is messing up the trackpad.

You have a 2 year warrantly, like was said
thanks all!

http://www.apple.com/support/m.....eryupdate/

By: TAKE2EDITOR

TAKE2EDITOR — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:28:03 +0000

RRRRR! IT WAS THE BATTERY FOR ME! IT’S SWOLLEN!

TOOK OFF THE BATTERY AND IT WORKED FINE… PUT IT BACK ON AND IT JAMMED AGAIN…

WHOEVER OFFERED THE BATTERY SUGGESTION YOU’RE A GENIUS TOO!

THANKS GUYS

By: Gon

Gon — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:58:46 +0000

I got offered a new battery for free!
Thank God Apple came through.

By: Gon

Gon — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:57:31 +0000

I was having the same issues as you guys, i tried your tips but nothing worked.

When i removed the battery I also noticed it was deformed, kind of swelled. This was causing pressure on the trackpad button.

The link published by Lucy seems to refer only to the Intel Core Duo Macbook Pro’s, mine is a Intel Core 2 Duo.

I’ve emailed Apple to see if this program would cover me or if there is another one, will keep you posted.

Is anyone else with a machine like mine having these problems?

By: WFM

WFM — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:25:34 +0000

Thanks for the great advise. Seemed to help a lot.

By: Domingo

Domingo — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:27:59 +0000

I was planning on sending my MacBook in and even purchasing a new mouse …. now I do not have to send it in and the mouse purchase can wait

I didn’t see anything on the paper I used … but I’m not really too concerned where the junk went … it is a laptop from work.

By: cambocowboy

cambocowboy — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 05:55:44 +0000

Great advice. I was planning a trip to Genius bar tomorrow, but his solves it. However, I’ve torn about 4 corners of paper under there (and had to leave it). Best tool? Plastic playing card. Flexible, thin, and won’t tear off!

By: Curtis Winslow

Curtis Winslow — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:34:38 +0000

Didn’t do it for me but set me on a great idea which did work. Go to your local hardware store and get a FEELER GUAGE. Costs about $7.00 and has a bunch of strips of metal in different thicknesses ranging from 3 hundredths of a millimeter to nine-tenths of a millimeter (varies by manufacturer). These also work great when tring to coax a stuck cd (put on of the thinnest metal strips on top of the cd and press the eject button, works every time).

By: Sean Roman

Sean Roman — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:22:21 +0000

Thanks a bunch. Worked beautifully.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 04:13:20 +0000

Great tip,was just about to pull it apart so simple. Many thanks

By: Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:21:05 +0000

This is a great tip. Something so simple too. I was just about take the topcase off of mine! Thanks again for the post.

By: David Hogg

David Hogg — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:47:24 +0000

Fantastic tip! Yesterday my girlfriend and I (we were joint culprits!) spilt a thick, sticky fruit smoothie over the front of my MacBook Pro (15″ old version …. the smoothie covered the front edge of the trackpad button), and although we quickly mopped it up, the button became very sticky / clonky which became pretty irritating pretty quickly

A quick application of the edge of a piece of paper (had to fold it in half to make it strong enough) and voila!

Just a quick hint though, make sure you use paper that’s thick enough not to tear off whilst between the button and the laptop body! …

Many thanks!

By: michelle

michelle — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:51:32 +0000

worked for me, as well. took a bit of time and a couple pieces of paper, but just kept moving the corners back and forth until whatever it was finally dislodged and VOILA!!!!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 10:07:44 +0000

awesome – had a right old session with a strip of thin card, eventually dislodged what it was – it looks like a tiny rubber mounting, so god knows what its dropped off, that was wedged underneath the button – all working perfectly again now

By: Lucy

Lucy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:29:08 +0000

One more possibility is a swollen (faulty) battery. Check this by taking out the battery using a coin and examining it – mine had a visible bulge, which was causing it to press on the trackpad. Faulty macbook batteries are covered under Apple’s replacement programme if they’re less than 2 years old. See: http://www.apple.com/support/m.....eryupdate/

By: Rachel

Rachel — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:07:08 +0000

Thanks so much! This trick worked for my regular (non-pro) MacBook also. I would never have tried jamming a piece of paper under the button. How did I not think of this first? By the way, if there is no visible liquid damage, Apple Care will cover replacing the top-case for a sticky trackpad button. Found out the hard way on my last top-case.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:15:15 +0000

You are a genius sir a genius

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:20:13 +0000

It works but it will stick again. For a more permanent fix take the battery out and carefully squirt a tiny dab of WD40 under the trackpad from behind. Bingo!
PS – I have black macbook, don’t know if this will work for macbook pro.