(215) 914-5775
Mon-Fri 11am-6pm · Sat 11am-3pm
4329 Main St, Philadelphia, PA
Free Diagnosis · Quote in 24 Hours · 1-Year Warranty

MacBook Keyboard Replacement Philadelphia

Sticky, dead, or double-typing keys on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air. We replace butterfly and scissor keyboards, individual keys where possible, and full top cases. Free diagnosis, 1-year warranty.

MacBook Keyboard Replacement Philadelphia

Free Diagnosis

No charge to find the problem

1-Year Warranty

On every repair

Microsoldering

Component-level repair

Philadelphia Shop

Walk in or mail in

Why Choose MackTechs for MacBook Keyboard Replacement

We have been replacing butterfly and scissor keyboards on Retina MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs since 2016, and it is one of our specialties. A steady stream of A1706, A1708, A1989, A1932, and A2179 top cases come through the shop each month, many of them from customers whose Apple Keyboard Service Program window expired before they noticed the problem. We know the quirks of each generation: which screws are different lengths, which connectors crack if you flex them wrong, and which trackpads need recalibration after the swap.

The 2016-2019 butterfly keyboard era is our specialty. Apple used four revisions of the butterfly mechanism across 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 MacBooks, and every one of them had the same fundamental flaw: tiny particles of dust get trapped under a key and cause it to stick, double-type, or stop responding. Apple ran a free Keyboard Service Program to cover affected models for four years from purchase, but that program has now expired for most of them. We pick up where it left off, using the latest revision of the top case where available so you get the most reliable replacement possible.

Top-case replacement on a Retina MacBook is not a DIY job. The battery is glued to the same chassis as the keyboard, the trackpad ribbons run underneath, and the speakers, antennas, Touch Bar, and Touch ID assembly all have to be transferred from the old chassis to the new one. We have the right tools (heat pad, Y-driver bits, pentalobe drivers, alignment jigs) and the 10 years of bench experience to do it cleanly. Every keyboard replacement includes a free diagnosis, a fixed quote before any work starts, and our 1-year warranty on the completed repair.

M2 2022 MacBook Air on the MackTechs keyboard service bench

Keyboard Issues We Fix

These are the symptoms we see most often. If your Mac has any combination of them it is almost always a top-case job, though on older non-Retina models we can sometimes do single-key swaps instead.

Sticky Keys

Keys that do not release properly after pressing, or require extra force to actuate. Classic early-stage butterfly failure.

Double Typing

One keystroke registers as two characters on screen. The most common butterfly defect and a direct trigger for the Apple service program.

Dead Keys

Keys that do not register at all. Usually means the dome collapsed or a trace cracked under the key.

Repeating Keys

Characters spam onto the screen unprompted. Sometimes a software issue, often a stuck contact under the keycap.

Spacebar Problems

Spacebar only works when pressed dead center. Butterfly-era issue where the stabilizer mechanism wears out.

Liquid Under the Keyboard

Coffee or water seeped through. See our Mac liquid damage repair page for the full spill recovery workflow.

Our Keyboard Replacement Process

Every keyboard job runs through the same careful workflow because a rushed top-case swap is how you end up with a cracked trackpad or a pinched battery. Same-day diagnosis, 2 to 4 business day repair turnaround on most jobs, and a 1-year warranty on the finished work.

  • Diagnose which keys are failing. We test every key through the OS, then check for debris, liquid residue, and corroded contacts under the worst offenders.
  • Determine the right repair. Single-key swap (rare on modern Macs), full top-case replacement (most common on Retina models), or a deep clean if the keyboard is otherwise healthy.
  • Order the matching part. Top cases are model-specific. We order for your exact A-number to avoid any hardware mismatch on things like the keyboard layout, speaker grille pattern, or Touch Bar revision.
  • Transfer the internals. Battery, Touch Bar, Touch ID, speakers, antennas, and trackpad all move from the old top case to the new one (or we install a fresh battery if you bundle both repairs).
  • Test every key and the trackpad. We verify keyboard backlight, each individual key actuation, trackpad gestures, and Touch ID enrollment before handover.
MacBook on the MackTechs repair bench for keyboard service

MacBook Keyboards We Replace

We replace keyboards on every MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air from the 2015 12-inch Retina through the current M3 generation. The table below summarizes which keyboard mechanism each generation uses.

ModelYearsKeyboard Type
MacBook 12" Retina2015-2017Butterfly Gen 1/2 (A1534)
MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar2016-2019Butterfly Gen 2/3/4 (A1706, A1708, A1989)
MacBook Pro 15" Touch Bar2016-2019Butterfly Gen 2/3/4 (A1707, A1990)
MacBook Air Retina2018-2019Butterfly Gen 4 (A1932)
MacBook Pro 13"/14"/16"2020 - 2026Scissor / Magic Keyboard (A2289, A2338, A2485, A2780, A2918, A2991)
MacBook Air2020 - 2026Scissor / Magic Keyboard (A2179, A2337, A2681, A3113)

Apple butterfly Keyboard Service Program has expired for most affected models. If your MacBook is out of program, we can still replace the keyboard at our shop with the latest available revision of the top case. The trackpad sits in the same top-case assembly on most of these models, so if your trackpad is clicking oddly, ghost-clicking, or unresponsive we can address that at the same time through our dedicated MacBook trackpad replacement service. Related work: battery replacement is often bundled with a top-case swap because both require opening the MacBook, and spill-triggered keyboard failures run through our liquid damage process first.

Walk-In and Nationwide Mail-In Repair

Our Manayunk shop is at 4329 Main Street, Philadelphia. Walk in Monday through Friday 11am to 6pm or Saturday 11am to 3pm for a free keyboard diagnosis. If you are outside the Philadelphia area, ship it to us and we will diagnose, quote, repair, and return the MacBook with tracking and a 1-year warranty. For more context on the larger Mac line see our MacBook Pro repair and MacBook Air repair hubs, or go back to the full Mac repair hub for all services.

MacBook Keyboard Replacement in Philadelphia - Walk In or Mail In

Our shop is located at 4329 Main Street in Manayunk, Philadelphia PA 19127. Walk in Monday-Friday 11am-6pm or Saturday 11am-3pm for a free diagnosis - no appointment needed. Can't make it to the shop? Submit a mail-in repair request from anywhere in the US and we will send shipping details and track your repair end-to-end.

We serve customers throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region - Manayunk, East Falls, Roxborough, Germantown, Bala Cynwyd, Chestnut Hill, Center City, and nearby suburbs - plus nationwide mail-in customers.

MacBook Keyboard Replacement FAQ

How much does it cost to replace a MacBook keyboard?
Cost varies by model because most modern MacBook keyboards are riveted into the top case, so a keyboard replacement is really a top-case swap. We quote within 24 hours after a free diagnosis. As a directional guideline, butterfly-era top-case replacements typically run $300 to $500, and current scissor or Magic Keyboard top cases run $400 to $700. Every repair includes our 1-year warranty on the completed work. Request a free quote with your exact model number.
Can you fix a single key on a MacBook?
On older non-Retina MacBook Pros and pre-2018 MacBook Airs, yes. Individual key caps and butterflies or scissors can sometimes be replaced on those generations. On Retina MacBook Pros from 2016 onward, the keys are part of a riveted top-case assembly, so single-key replacement is not possible without re-riveting the chassis. We will tell you on the free diagnosis whether your specific model qualifies for a single-key fix or needs the full top case.
What is the butterfly keyboard issue?
Apple butterfly mechanism keyboard, used in 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros from 2016 to 2019, the 12-inch MacBook from 2015 to 2017, and the 2018-2019 MacBook Air, has a known design flaw where small particles of dust can get trapped under a key and cause it to stick, double-type, or stop responding entirely. Apple ran a free Keyboard Service Program for affected models, but that program has now expired for most of them. We replace the entire top case with a current-revision part and back it with our 1-year warranty.
Did Apple keyboard repair program expire?
Yes. Apple Keyboard Service Program for butterfly MacBooks expired in 2022 and 2023 depending on the specific model. If you missed the free-repair window, your options are to pay Apple retail price (often $700 or more at a Genius Bar) or to bring it to an independent shop like MackTechs. We use the latest revision of the top case where available and back the work with a 1-year warranty on our end of the repair.
How long does a MacBook keyboard replacement take?
Top-case replacements typically take 2 to 4 business days because we carefully transfer your battery, Touch Bar, Touch ID, speakers, and antennas into the new chassis and fully test every key before handover. Same-day diagnosis is standard when you walk in. Drop off at 4329 Main Street in Manayunk or mail it in from anywhere in the U.S. Mail-in end-to-end time is usually 5 to 10 business days including shipping.

Ready for Your MacBook Keyboard Replacement?

Free diagnosis. 1-Year Warranty. Walk in or ship from anywhere.