Keyboard keys now launch Launchpad on my MacBook Air

[cursocale]

Hi there, I accidentally spilled water on my 2015 Macbook Air last night. I immediately turned it off and left it face down on my mantlepiece last night while the fire was going. Fired it up this morning and all was going well until I started typing and realised that both the 'r' and 'f' keys cause the mac to launch Launchpad. Very annoying and also makes my trusty old steed pretty much unusable.

Any hacks to get around this? I can't delete Launchpad. Disabling it in System Preferences doesn't work. Removing it from the dock doesn't work. I'm guessing something is shorting - but I don't understand why this is happening when there's no shortcut set up to get to Launchpad.

Help?!

 

[0128672]

Sorry to hear that happened to your machine. What happens when you try to remove it from the Dock?

Although it may not resolve the "f" and "r" issue, there is a keyboard shortcut on by default using the F4 key for launching Launchpad. Go to Settings > Keyboard > Shortcuts > Launchpad & Dock. Uncheck the box for Show Launchpad.

Did that work?

 

[cursocale]

Sorry, I should have been clearer - when I say disabling Launchpad didn't work - this is what I meant. Sadly it doesn't work.

 

[0128672]

Sorry, I should have been clearer - when I say disabling Launchpad didn't work - this is what I meant. Sadly it doesn't work.

OK so if disabling you meant turning off the keyboard shortcut, did you also disable it in trackpad gestures?

 

[cursocale]

Yes.

 

[0128672]

Yes.

Well, it's not sounding like there's not a solution to this issue. What will your next steps be concerning the possible damage?

 

[KeesMacPro]

The issue is not Launchpad but the keyboard.
Depending on the amount of water spilled, I'd shut it down and use a hairdryer to get the water underneath the keys to evaporate.
If that doesnt work I'd open it and remove the keyboard fur further cleaning/replacing.