How to Unlock Keyboard On Mac? A Quick & Easy Guide

If you’re wondering how to unlock keyboard on Mac, first double-check whether you’ve set any automatic screen saver locks, then disable them. Or else, you can use a third-party tool like Karabiner. I always lock my keyboard whenever I clean it, so I’m familiar with the process. One of my friends asked me to unlock her keyboard after she accidentally locked it. I showed her what to do, and have explained the steps you can follow below. I also covered some additional information, like how to restart your Mac while your keyboard is locked.

How to Unlock Keyboard on Mac?

There are a couple of ways to unlock your keyboard. I’ve taken a look at them below. Let’s get to it.

Method 1: Disable Screen Saver

If your keyboard was automatically locked when your screen saver came on, you may have manually set this. To get your computer keyboard working again:
  • Move your cursor to the corner of your screensaver
  • Press any key on your keyboard, like the num lock or right shift key
  • Wait for a dialog box to appear
  • Enter your Mac password
  • Press Ok to regain access to your Mac laptop or Apple keyboard

Method 2: Use Third-Party Applications

You can use third-party apps to lock your keyboard, like Karabiner Elements and Keyboard Lockers. In case you used one of these popular tools to lock your device, I’ve shown you how to undo this. To remove your keyboard lock if you’ve used either of these two tools:
  • Look for the padlock icon on your system menu
  • Click on it, then enter your computer password when prompted

How to Lock Macbook Keyboard?

There are two main ways to lock your Mac computer/laptop keyboard.

Method 1: Screen Saver Method

You can set your screen saver to come on when you’re away from your keyboard, and automatically lock it. Here’s how:
  • Click on the Apple menu bar
  • Select System Preferences
  • Look at the Personal Section, and click on Security and Privacy
  • Mark the checkbox next to the preference in the General tab
  • Click on the Show All button
  • Return to the System Preferences main section
  • Choose the Desktop and Screen Saver button (should be in the Personal section)
  • Click on the Screen Saver option
  • Click on Hot Corner (bottom left side corner)
  • Select the specific four corners you want and the picture you’d like to save

Method 2: Third-Party Tools

There are a couple third-party tools that you can use to disable your keyboard. Karabiner Elements and Keyboard Locker are some of the best in my opinion. To lock your keyboard using Karabiner Elements:
  • Download and launch Karabiner Elements
  • Click on the Keyboard tab
  • Click on the Lock Keyboard button
  • Select Yes on the confirmation message that appears
To use Keyboard Locker:
  • Download and install the application
  • Launch it after it has downloaded
  • Click on the Lock Keyboard button
  • Click on Lock Keyboard again to confirm

FAQ

Answered below are some popular questions.

Why is My Macbook Air Keyboard Not Working?

Macbook Airs (from 2018-2019) use Apple’s butterfly keyboard mechanism. This will help you type more smoothly. However, know that even a small amount of dust can cause the keys to get stuck. You should clean its filter keys and the entire keyboard. This should fix the issue. However, if it’s a newer Macbook Air that you own, the issue could be due to a bug or glitch. Try restarting your computer and see if your Macbook keyboard is working now.

How Do You Turn on The Keyboard On a Macbook Air?

There are two parts to this. First:
  • Go to the Apple Menu from the System Tray/Control Center
  • Click on System Preferences
  • Choose Keyboard, then select Input Sources
  • Click on the Show Input Menu option in the menu bar
  • Find and click on the input menu bar icon
  • Click on the Show Keyboard Viewer button
  • Make sure the mouse keys are turned off from the drop-down menuThen:
  • Choose Apple Menu, then go back to System Preferences and click Keyboard
  • Select Input Sources
  • Click Show Input Menu on
  • Make sure the correct keyboard layout is selected now

Final Thoughts

There are a couple of ways to remove your keyboard lock, regardless of whether you’re using a wired or wireless keyboard. I also ran through some additional information, while discussing how to get your Mac keyboard working again. For example, what you need to do if your Mac keyboard is not working, and how you can restart your device if your keyboard malfunctions. We hope you found all the points discussed useful.