Mac keyboard tester
Press every key on your Mac or MacBook keyboard and see each one light up on a Mac layout.
Connect a USB or Bluetooth keyboard to test it. The on-screen keyboard of a phone does not send real key presses.
Stopped. Your keys work normally on the page again.
Last key: none yetLabels from your system layout
Event logShown only on this page, never saved or sent.
| key | code | location | repeat | held, ms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Press a key to see its events here. | ||||
Chatter (double input)0
No double inputs so far.
A worn switch can send a second press right after you release a key. Press the suspect key many times; real chatter shows up again and again on the same key.
Keys a browser can’t detect
If one of these stays dark, it is not broken: the browser simply does not get it.
- Fn is handled inside the keyboard and is never sent to the computer.
- Print Screen: Windows sends only the release, so the key lights up when you let go (or not at all if a screenshot tool takes it).
- Windows / ⌘ key: the system may open the Start menu or a shortcut first. On a Mac, other keys pressed while ⌘ is held do not report their release.
- Media, brightness and volume keys go to the system, not to web pages.
- Input-method keys (한/영, 한자, 変換, かな) may be taken by the system’s input method.
This test runs in your browser and needs JavaScript. Turn JavaScript on to start it; the explanation and the checklist below work without it.
How to test a MacBook keyboard
- Press Start keyboard test, or click the drawing.
- Press every key once. A key glows while held and stays marked after you let go.
- Keys that stay dark are your suspects; press them a few more times before deciding.
- Hold esc for one second or press Stop capturing keys to leave.
The drawing is Apple's full-size layout with command, option and control, F1–F19 and a numeric keypad. A MacBook or a compact Magic Keyboard has fewer keys, so F13–F19, the keypad and the home/end block simply stay dark: you are done when every key you actually have is lit. The Mac form is available for the US, Japanese (JIS) and Korean layouts; other layouts use the standard keyboard test.
Mac quirks this tester handles
- ⌘ command: macOS does not report the release of keys you press while holding ⌘. The test marks those keys as tested when you let go of ⌘, so ⌘ shortcuts don't leave keys stuck "down".
- caps lock behaves oddly on a Mac (some browsers report its release only when it switches off again), so the test counts it on the first press.
- fn / Globe is handled by the keyboard and macOS (emoji picker, input source, dictation), never by a web page. It stays dark and is not counted.
- Touch ID and the eject key on older keyboards do not reach the browser either.
- Top row: by default it controls brightness, Mission Control and media. To test F1–F12, hold fn while pressing them, or turn on System Settings › Keyboard › Keyboard Shortcuts › Function Keys › "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" (Apple: use the function keys on Mac).
When a MacBook key is not working
A key that lights up here but misbehaves in one app is a software issue: check that app's shortcuts and your input source. A key that stays dark here in every browser is a hardware issue, often dust under the key; check Apple's support site for your model. Letters appearing twice show up in the Chatter (double input) panel.
For gaming, see how many keys register together with the rollover test, or estimate the report rate with the keyboard polling rate test. Using a Windows laptop too? Try the laptop keyboard test. Everything runs on your Mac; nothing is recorded or uploaded. All tools: device tests.
Frequently asked questions
How do I test my MacBook keyboard?
Open this Mac keyboard tester in Safari, Chrome or Firefox, click the drawing and press every key. Working keys light up and stay marked. Keys your MacBook doesn't have (F13–F19, keypad) simply stay dark.
Why don't F1–F12 light up on my Mac?
By default the top row controls brightness, volume and media, which go to macOS, not to web pages. Hold fn while pressing them, or turn on "Use F1, F2, etc. keys as standard function keys" in Keyboard settings.
Why can't the test see the fn / Globe key?
The fn / Globe key is handled by the keyboard and macOS (emoji, input source, dictation) and is not sent to websites, so no online tester can show it.
Does this work with a Magic Keyboard or a Windows keyboard on a Mac?
Yes. Keys are matched by position. On a Windows keyboard, the Windows key acts as command and Alt as option, and both light up in those places.
Related tests
- Keyboard testEvery key, your layout, chatter check
- Laptop keyboard testCompact layout with Fn row, no numpad
- Rollover & ghosting testKeys at once, blocked combos, 6KRO/NKRO
- Keyboard polling rateHonest Hz estimate from your key presses