Preventing "shiny keys" on MacBook Pro

[Diablo1945]

Just use a silicone keyboard cover.

When Apple says don’t use a keyboard cover, they’re talking about hard covers. A silicone cover will obviously flex, not to mention the keys themselves will travel down to accommodate the cover.

I may be wrong, but I think Apple officially said not to use keyboard covers, the soft kind. May be wrong.

 

[JPack]

I may be wrong, but I think Apple officially said not to use keyboard covers, the soft kind. May be wrong.

Apple's playing it safe because there's a million different covers, including those made of wood. There's no possible way a standard silicone cover can cause damage especially since the keys can travel and accommodate the cover.

 

[MrGimper]

Apple's playing it safe because there's a million different covers, including those made of wood. There's no possible way a standard silicone cover can cause damage especially since the keys can travel and accommodate the cover.

But they can damage the screen tho when the laptop is closed ....

 

[Diablo1945]

Is this not the perfect "fix?" $16 to replace all your MBP key caps! Anyone tried this? Are they hard to replace?

Macbook Pro Key Replacement

 

[UKapple73]

I mean why don’t Apple just use glossy keys to start with

 

[Alameda]

Wear cotton gloves.

 

[Vanarak19]

The quicker your brand new laptop shows wear the quicker people will replace it, I think it's that simple. It's really the only thing I dislike about the latest laptops, but its not a reason to buy a windows box

 

[Chancha]

Is this not the perfect "fix?" $16 to replace all your MBP key caps! Anyone tried this? Are they hard to replace?

Macbook Pro Key Replacement

The keycap mechanism has changed since butterfly switches era (2016), at least some keycaps are really difficult to remove, and / or the hooks are very likely to be broken if you do it "wrong". After switching back to scissor switches in 2019/20, the current KB repair are usually done by replacing the entire "sheet", which isn't the most ideal but at least better than replacing the entire top case with the butterfly era.

So no, replacing individual keycaps with DIY methods and parts has not been practical for years.

 

[Diablo1945]

The keycap mechanism has changed since butterfly switches era (2016), at least some keycaps are really difficult to remove, and / or the hooks are very likely to be broken if you do it "wrong". After switching back to scissor switches in 2019/20, the current KB repair are usually done by replacing the entire "sheet", which isn't the most ideal but at least better than replacing the entire top case with the butterfly era.

So no, replacing individual keycaps with DIY methods and parts has not been practical for years.

Got it. So, my solution of buying all the keycaps for $20 and then replacing them is not a realistic solution. Bummer.

 

[pryzen]

Mine is like this after 4 weeks... It really bothers me but I can't do anything with it... I use it soo much for video editing so that's why. My previous one was worst but it was 2 years old when I bought the new one. I didn't expect to get that much wear in this short period of usage

 

[Rkuda]

Fair enough, but think the quality was far better. I used the 2011 for work purpose in an engineering role, my daughter used it as a PlayStation for years. Its KB remains to be matte, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 keycaps all polished up in a matter of months.

No magic with the 2011 the KB it was just manufactured to a higher standard with better materials. The evidence is obvious and physically the new KB's simply wear faster as said is just Apple being cheap...

Q-6

I'd say it might be 50% being cheap and 50% using inferior "green" recycled material.

Tim loves to tout how green Apple is but their plastic cables used to be much better a decade ago and now turn yellow, crack, get sticky etc. even if kept out of the sun and not kept tightly wound.

Just like their iPhone cases they went from Leather that would patina nicely -> Leather with a thick coat of paint that left a **** patina -> FineWoven disaster.

Eco at all costs is stupid if their products turn to **** in months and people go out and buy even more products to fix it.

 

[arcite]

I am noticing the paint wearing off a few of the keys, like the K where the finger guide is, the light is shining through! Kind of a annoying considering the laptop is less than a year old. Contrast to older macbook keyboards of a decade ago, the plastic stood up to a lot more wear.

 

[DeepSix]

There is lots of ways to prevent shiny keys. The best is to carry an external keyboard. The less you use the MacBook keyboard, the longer it will take to get shiny.

You can also use Saran Wrap or put a TPU cover on top of it.