Macbook Pro issue with typing: scrambling up & automatically copying texts

[Len_Art]

Hey everyone,

So I'm not entirely sure how to describe this but I'm currently having some issues with the typing on my Macbook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2012).

Specifically, when I'm typing, my Macbook seems to (sometimes) automatically copy a part of the previous word I wrote or autocorrect a word but in the wrong way. I fir fist (<-- like this for example) first noticed this issue when using Word, but the issue also pops up in other text programs and well, mainly everywhere else on my Macbook as well.

Now I have updated to Catalina yesterday so that might have created the problem, but right after the update I used my Macbook for a couple of hours without any problems whatsoever. Therefore I'm not sure whether the issue is related to the new OS update.

I've already did a hardware test and scanned for any virus or malware but nothing came up. I also changed the key-repetition rate but nothing worked thus far. I also tried to turn off the autocorrection in Word & on on my Macbook, but that did nothing as well.

Moreover, I searched the internet but have not come across this issue up until now.

I don't understand where the issue is coming from nor how to resolve it.

Can anyone please help me out?!

Thanks, Len

 

[IWT]

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums, Len. Thank you for your post.

When this autocorrection occurs, do you notice that before you complete the word that a small bubble appears below it with a suggestion for that word? You may have to type slowly to be aware of this.

That small bubble is the suggested spelling or suggested word which it thinks you are going to type. And adjacent to it, within the bubble, is an "x". If you click on that "x", it removes the bubble and effectively ignores its own suggestion, allowing you to type what you wish.

If you are typing quickly, say touch typing, then without clicking on the "x" it types what it thinks the spelling or the word should be. I am so slow at typing, that can usually catch this before it comes up with the wrong word!

Turning this off? Well you can try System Preferences > Keyboard > Text and uncheck those boxes you don't want.

Any help? Please post back.

Ian

 

[Len_Art]

Hi Ian, I've tried typing slowly but the small bubble does not occur. I've already tried the 'Text and uncheck' boxes in the system preferences but that did nothing for me. The weird thing about it is, is that this ''autocorrection'' (which actually doesn't autocorrect whatsoever, it just scrambles up a correctly spelled word or copies the word I've typed out).

Len

 

[Len_Art]

So I found a threat where people described similar issues (yet this doesn't just happens in pages, but literally everywhere on my Mac). Anyone familiar with this problem:
Pages autocorrects with wrong spelling - Apple Community

 

[pm-r]

So I found a threat where people described similar issues

So did their suggestions fix your problem???


- Patrick
======

 

[Len_Art]

Unfortunately not. It really seems like an OS issue since it's not limited to Word or Pages but literally everything I type on my Macbook. So annoying to constantly correct every sentence.

Len

 

[chscag]

Hi Len:

Let's try something: Boot to Safe Mode (hold down shift key as soon as you hear the boot chime) and use TextEdit to type out several words as a test. Does the problem still occur in Safe Mode?

 

[Len_Art]

Hi Len:

Let's try something: Boot to Safe Mode (hold down shift key as soon as you hear the boot chime) and use TextEdit to type out several words as a test. Does the problem still occur in Safe Mode?

Hey @Chscag, I tried and in Safe Mode the problem doesn't seem to occur. Any idea what this could mean?

Len

 

[IWT]

@Len

Don't mean to barge in here. Just give you a link about Safe Mode (how to get there, how to use it, what it does and mean): Use safe mode to isolate issues with your Mac - Apple Support

Ian

 

[Len_Art]

@IWT

Thank you so much for the link. I followed the instruction on the ''if an issue doesn't happen in safe mode paragraph'' and since then, the problem seems to have vanished. Although I'm not entirely certain, there's a high probability that the issue was in fact caused by an incompatible login item. I have not re-instated any of the login items but for now everything works like a charm again!

Thanks everyone for providing the useful tips!

Len

 

[Len_Art]

@IWT it seems like I've cheered too early because the issue is back. It seemed to be resolved the first couple of sentences but re-appeared quite quickly.

Any further ideas?


Len

 

[IWT]

Len,

It's very nice to hear from you again. Thank you for the feedback.

In my simplistic view of things, the fewer login items at Boot up, the better. Yes, of course that means manually opening apps after every reboot (some updates, all upgrades); but this can be minimised by selecting the option "Reopen Windows when logging back in". You get the chance to do this every time you Restart or Shutdown.

However, from a practical viewpoint, I suggest you have no login items for the present, confirm over time that things are working properly - then, maybe, consider adding one login item at a time and, if the problem recurs, that's the culprit.

Of course, as the link said, it may have been a corrupted cache or similar which Safe Mode cleared out.

Good luck, Len.

 

[Len_Art]

@IWT

Unfortunately, as mentioned in my earlier post, the issue is popping back up after a few minutes. Any further ideas?

Len

 

[Rod]

This is a long shot but I had a keyboard issue with my 2015 12” MBPr which was intermittent. It was not an auto correct issue though, it was keys repeating themselves. For example I would press t once as part of a word and get ttttttttttttttt. I contacted Apple about this and they suggested it could be the cable connecting the keyboard to the mother board. They replaced it and the keyboard but the problem returned after a few days. They then replaced the circuitry where the cable attaches. Same problem. Finally the replaced the whole device with a new one.
I’m not saying this is your problem but Apple did admit it was a known issue. So if your device is covered under Apple Care (or even if it’s not) it might be worth contacting them.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

 

[Len_Art]

This is a long shot but I had a keyboard issue with my 2015 12” MBPr which was intermittent. It was not an auto correct issue though, it was keys repeating themselves. For example I would press t once as part of a word and get ttttttttttttttt. I contacted Apple about this and they suggested it could be the cable connecting the keyboard to the mother board. They replaced it and the keyboard but the problem returned after a few days. They then replaced the circuitry where the cable attaches. Same problem. Finally the replaced the whole device with a new one.
I’m not saying this is your problem but Apple did admit it was a known issue. So if your device is covered under Apple Care (or even if it’s not) it might be worth contacting them.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

@Rod,

I'm familiar with the problem you describe but that sounds more like the infamous issue with the butterfly keyboard on newer Macbooks. My issue is not so much that the keys keep repeating themselves but that entire words are copied automatically. Like this: lilike thi this for examxample.

Len

 

[chscag]

It seems the problem goes away in Safe Mode. That can only mean there is something you have loaded that's interfering; perhaps a non compatible kext or program. Another thing you can try: Create a test user, give it admin rights and play around with TextEdit for a while as the test user to see if the problem is there. Let us know.

 

[pm-r]

Now I have updated to Catalina yesterday so that might have created the problem, but right after the update I used my Macbook for a couple of hours without any problems whatsoever. Therefore I'm not sure whether the issue is related to the new OS update.

As I reread your #1 post with the quote that's above, I'm a bit confused as you say you got the problem after the Catalina update and then you say the problem disappeared in the same sentence.

So I guess my question now is, is it working properly now or not???

Otherwise, did you try any of the suggestions and did any work???


- Patrick
======

 

[Len_Art]

It seems the problem goes away in Safe Mode. That can only mean there is something you have loaded that's interfering; perhaps a non compatible kext or program. Another thing you can try: Create a test user, give it admin rights and play around with TextEdit for a while as the test user to see if the problem is there. Let us know.

@chscag,

I've created a test user with admin rights, and the problem seems to reoccur there as well.

Len

 

[Len_Art]

@Patrick,

What I meant in the first post was that my Macbook seemed to work fine the first few hours after installing the Catalina update and after that, the issue started to appear. Therefore, I'm not entirely sure whether the issue is actually caused by the Catalina update but I imagine it potentially has something to do with it since that was the only big change/update I did on my Mac recently.

I have tried every suggestion (except for contacting Apple directly) and none has worked thus far.

Len

 

[chscag]

Sorry but I have run out of suggestions. You can try contacting Apple but they will want to charge you for the tech support call. Instead, if there is an Apple store nearby take the machine on in and let the genius bar do a diagnosis. That service is free but any repairs will be at your expense.

I'm wondering if your keyboard is defective or the keyboard cable? That would be something Apple should be able to detect.