Mouse and trackpad not clicking or registering hovers

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MacBook Air 13" Early 2015

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Ezra @ezra

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Gepost: 14 apr. 2020

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Mouse and trackpad not clicking or registering hovers

I’m trying to fix a family member’s 2015 MacBook Air, it’s having some strange problem where the trackpad tracks fine, but won’t register clicks (physical click or tap to click) and the UI doesn’t respond to the cursor hovering over elements like the dock or window buttons. It does this with the built in trackpad, and a USB mouse that I’ve tested in both USB ports. I’ve tried booting into safe mode and recovery mode, resetting the SMC and PRAM, and it still hasn’t fixed it. I have tried booting into this computer’s hard drive using target disk mode, and the trackpad works fine on my own 2012 MacBook Pro running on this Air’s hard drive. Both of the computers are running High Sierra.

I first thought it was water damage, because the owner of this computer frequently uses it with wet hands, but the cursor moves fine, so I’m thinking it must be a software problem?

This is a work-owned computer so I don’t want to need to open it up.

Thank you!

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Hi Ezra,

I understand this is an older post, did you ever find the solution to the problem? Did it turn out to be water damage?

My friend is currently in the exact situation you described, and I have also tried the things you have outlined. Battery was replaced within the last couple of years, so really not concerned it’s swelling battery/like you shared, the physical click does occur (just not registered).

22 okt. 2020 door Andy Wood

Hi Andy, we never were able to figure out what it was. After a few months, the computer started working again. At first it seemed kind of intermittent, but now it seems to be consistently working fine. I can't tell you an exact fix, but if you're having the same problem, it might be worth backing up the computer and reinstalling macOS, and maybe see if there's a firmware update that needs to be done. Does your friend's computer register clicks using tap to click or an external mouse? If you're able to open the computer and remove the trackpad, it might be worth doing that, to see if there's any visible water damage, or if maybe the trackpad cable got dislodged. Good luck!

22 okt. 2020 door Ezra

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Hi Ezra,

I understand this is an older post, did you ever find the solution to the problem? Did it turn out to be water damage?

My friend is currently in the exact situation you described, and I have also tried the things you have outlined. Battery was replaced within the last couple of years, so really not concerned it’s swelling battery/like you shared, the physical click does occur (just not registered). — Andy Wood
Hi Andy, we never were able to figure out what it was. After a few months, the computer started working again. At first it seemed kind of intermittent, but now it seems to be consistently working fine. I can't tell you an exact fix, but if you're having the same problem, it might be worth backing up the computer and reinstalling macOS, and maybe see if there's a firmware update that needs to be done. Does your friend's computer register clicks using tap to click or an external mouse? If you're able to open the computer and remove the trackpad, it might be worth doing that, to see if there's any visible water damage, or if maybe the trackpad cable got dislodged. Good luck! — Ezra