Have you locked your Mac keyboard by mistake and don’t know how to make it functional again? No problem; you can unlock the keyboard without putting in much effort.
To unlock the Mac keyboard, navigate to Apple menu > System Preferences > “Security & Privacy” > “General” > “Require Password after Sleep” > “Show All”. Then, navigate further to “Desktop & Screen Saver” > “Screen Saver” > “Hot Corner”. Lastly, click “OK”, take the cursor to the hot corner, and enter your password.
To make the process easy for you, we took the time to write a comprehensive step-by-step guide on unlocking the Mac keyboard. We will also explore some troubleshooting steps if you fail to unlock your Mac keyboard.
Unlocking a Mac Keyboard
If you don’t know how to unlock your Mac keyboard, our following 4 step-by-step methods will help you do this task effortlessly.
Method #1: Enabling Hot Corners
You can unlock a Mac keyboard by enabling hot corners on your device with the help of these steps.
- Click the Apple menu from the desktop of your Mac computer and choose System Preferences.
- Select “Security & Privacy” and head to the “General” tab.
- Select “Require Password after Sleep”.
- Click “Show All” > “Desktop & Screen Saver”.
- Choose the “Screen Saver” tab.
- Click “Hot Corners” and select a hot corner on your screen.
- Click “OK”.
Now, move the cursor to the hot corner of the screen, press a key on the keyboard, and you will be prompted to enter a password to unlock the Mac keyboard.
Method #2: Using a Third-Party App
Another way to unlock your Mac keyboard is by using a third-party app by doing these steps.
- Launch a browser on your Mac computer and go to the KeyboardCleanTool website.
- Click “Download”.
- Open the app on your computer and choose “Click to start cleaning mode/lock the keyboard”.
To unlock the Mac keyboard, relaunch the KeyboardCleanTool on your computer and select “Click to start cleaning mode/ lock the keyboard”.
To unlock your Mac keyboard, you can also use other third-party applications, including MollyGuard 1.0 and Alfred.
Method #3: Turning Off Sticky Keys
If you cannot unlock your Mac keyboard, try turning off the sticky keys by following these steps.
- Select the Apple menu on your Mac computer.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click “Universal Access”.
- Head to the “Keyboard” tab.
- Select “Off” next to “Sticky Keys”.
Method #4: Updating Keyboard Drivers
You may be unable to unlock your Mac keyboard if its drivers are outdated, so do these steps to fix this issue.
- Navigate to the Apple menu at the top-left screen corner on your Mac dashboard.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click “Software Update”, and if any updates are available, you will be prompted to install them.
You can also allow your Mac computer to automatically install software updates and keyboard drivers by selecting “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” in the “Software Update” window.
Troubleshooting Mac Keyboard Unlocking Issues
Despite trying all the above methods, if you are still unable to unlock your Mac keyboard, try the following fixes.
- Restart your Mac computer by selecting the Apple menu and clicking “Restart”.
- Unplug your external keyboard from the Mac computer and plug it again while pressing it properly into the respective port.
- Plug the external keyboard into a different port on your Mac computer.
- Try using the external keyboard with another Mac computer because your computer needs service if it works.
- If the built-in Mac keyboard fails to function, your device is running low on battery, so connect it to a power supply.
Summary
In this guide, we’ve discussed how to unlock the Mac keyboard using different methods. We’ve also discussed some quick ways to troubleshoot the issue if you cannot unlock your Mac keyboard.
Hopefully, your problem is resolved, and you can quickly unlock the keys and resume your work on the Mac computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to turn off slow keys on a Mac computer, select the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and click “Accessibility”. Head to the “Keyboard” tab and select “Hardware”. Select the “Off” option next to “Slow Keys”.
You can turn off the mouse keys on a Mac computer by navigating to the Apple menu and selecting System Preferences. Click “Accessibility” and head to the “Pointer Control” tab. Select “Alternative Control Methods” and click the “Off” option next to “Mouse Keys”.
If your Mac keyboard keys are unresponsive, you need to thoroughly clean the keyboard and blow out all the dust and grime stuck between the keys.
