I decided to switch around my new Apple Keyboard to use the Dvorak layout. I didn’t find any resources when I searched, so here are photos and directions. It worked for me but I can’t guarantee your success. Research the cost and availability of replacement parts before attempting.
All of the keys that must be moved to convert the new aluminum keyboard to the Dvorak layout have their scissors arranged this way. The two clips along the top of the keycap hold onto the bars near the top of the scissors. These must be pulled free. Then the lower tabs are released by moving the key toward the upper edge of the keyboard; turning the keyboard face down helps.
I found these easier to remove than the keycaps on the MacBook Pro—I didn’t break any of the scissors this time! Also, the scissors appear to be harder to replace as a result of their stronger design. If you break one, leave a note to help others avoid the same outcome.
Keycap Removal
- Slide a thin, non-marring tool such as a fingernail under the top edge of the keycap.
- Depress the bottom edge of the keycap.
- Rotate the keycap up with increasing pressure until the two top clips are released from the scissor.
- Invert the keyboard and jiggle the key to release the lower hinges.
Keycap Replacement
- Drop the keycap into place.
- Jiggle the key to seat the lower pivots.
- Press down with increasing pressure until the top clips click into place.
Thanks for posting this, Andy! My MacBook keyboard gave me such a hard time, I was a little nervous when I couldn’t figure out where to unhook the scissor hinge on the aluminum. I guess I didn’t have to after all!
I spilled some soda on my keyboard and after an hour or so my Spacebar got really sticky and I just wanted to let you know that this post really helped me out.
Watch the larger keys. The Ctrl key, for one, has a metal support hoop to stabilise it. This if pulled off too hard WILL bend the support tang. The metal tang is very soft and will not stand repeated removal. Just pushing the key on with the hoop out of alignment made a permanent impression in the metal.
Thanks a lot! My T key got sticky and you helped me find the booger underneath it. Works fine now.
Just wanted to let anyone reading this that this does work. It’s the best way to clean your keyboard especially if you got some soda in there.
Just a heads up … not all keys come off the same way. Trying this it appears that atleast the arrow keys are different. The up arrow should be lifted on the left side to start out and then unclipped from there. I have no reason to take my keyboard apart, so I did not try any other keys. Be gentle and patient or you risk damaging small difficult to replace parts.
Definately easier to get them out…
Thanks, much better to use the keyboard with less… i don’t even know what it was… under the keys!
Thanks for this. It worked great.
I wish there was some way to get the index marks in the right spot again or that — gasp — Apple actually sold some of these as Dvorak to begin with so we didn’t have to muck around with it… or sell a hard wired Dvorak so you didn’t even have to change the keyboard setting at all on OSX.
This tutorial helped me a lot. I spilled about a half of a can of soda onto the center of my keyboard. I figured that there was no way to fix it, since it was all so compact. Don’t try to remove the larger keys though. (Command, option, control, etc.) They are held in place by metal, if you break those, you won’t be smiling.
So then what’s the best way to clean under the right command key if I can’t remove it due to the metal? The other day I was having McDonalds Hot Cakes while I was editing some film and as I poured the syrup there was a piece of Pankcake leaning over the edge of the plate. Syrup hit it, slid off and right onto my Spacebar/Command/Option keys on the right side but I was able to clean it out so the spacebar and option keys have no stickiness to them. But hours later I find that my command is still screwed and I do use that key on a semi-regular basis. What should I do to specifically break down the syrup substance under that key?
arghhhh, I’ve struggling with re-clipping the “y” key for an hour… it won’t clip arggghhhhhh
Thank you! I was worried that my current apple keyboard (dvorak layout) would have to carry me well into the new generation of mac keyboards! I would sit around the mac section of the store pondering if it were possible to extract the keys and surreptitiously trying to remove them when the salespeople weren’t looking!
Now I’ll feel much better about getting a new mac, but seriously, I think I’ll just switch to a happy hacking keyboard with no key markings!
Thank you very much for this post. By the way, how do you like the feel of the keyboard itself? I have only ever used the old-style mac keyboards up until the version included with the g5 imacs and the original intel imac. Is it nice? I’ve always found that the mac keyboard is pretty decent.
Thanks a lot – I spilt Orange Juice in my old style Wireless KB, and it died. Just a couple of points for anyone coming across this – you need to pull harder than you think, but still to be careful. I don’t know if I broke anything when putting them back on, but the only problem I had with taking them apart was the two halves of the scissors coming apart, but I could carefully and reasonably easily put them back together.
Not so keen on the keyboard though, but people seem to like it so maybe it’ll grow on me.
My aluminium keyboard was the recipient of the best part of a pint of orange squash yesterday.
I’ve dried it all out as best I can, but some of the keys are still sticky – in particular, the space bar. Has anyone had any luck with getting it off? Any help with getting the space bar off would really be appreciated.
Any other tips on getting the other keys off would be helpful, too – I haven’t work out how, exactly. Do I just have to pull them up really hard, or do I have to depress something to release it? I took the keys off my MacBook keyboard a while back to turn it to Dvorak, and I had to press the scissors in the right place under those to pop them off…
OP here. My dad spilled coffee with cream and sugar right over my keyboard. Funny, I wrote this without giving much thought to liquid disasters.
Anyway, I unplugged up the keyboard and took it to the sink for a long rinse in warm water. Total time from spill to rinse: 5 seconds. The coffee barely had a chance to cause damage. After about a minute of rinsing I left the keyboard near a vent to dry.
A month later, it still works perfectly and I never had to remove a key. Take this advice: if you spill something on your keyboard, unplug it and get it into clean water ASAP!