Everyone's a gangster until they get locked out of their Mac with a broken keyboard. It's a problem with no cure other than to arrange a spare keyboard and log in using that or be lucky that a few keys are still working to launch the Accessibility keyboard. This guide explores these two quick solutions.

Find Out Why Your Mac's Keyboard Isn't Working

Before you start with any solution, it's important to ensure that you troubleshoot the problem properly. Your Mac's keyboard may not be working due to a number of reasons, for example:

  • Its Bluetooth may have been disabled
  • It may have been powered off
  • Its battery may have died
  • Mouse Keys accessibility settings may have accidentally been turned on

But if none of those factors are affecting your Mac's keyboard, its hardware may be at fault, and you'll need expert assistance. So, while your wait for a technician to look at the keyboard, here's what you can do to log into your Mac.

Option 1. Log In Using a Wired Keyboard

If your keyboard is simply not working anymore, arrange a spare one.

  • Use a wired keyboard: Find a wired keyboard from the olden days (or borrow it from your neighbor), plug it into your computer, and enter your password to log in. This applies to all Macs (including MacBooks).
  • Use a wireless Magic Keyboard: If you only have Apple's Magic Keyboard with you, plug it into your system as you would when charging it, using the USB to Lightning cable, then log in by entering your password.

For most problems, using a spare keyboard is the quickest way around.

Option 2. Log In Using the Accessibility Keyboard

The Accessibility Keyboard is a virtual, on-screen keyboard you can use to log in to your Mac. However, this works only if the Accessibility shortcut keys are working. Here's how to try it:

  1. If you're on a user login screen, click Switch User and instead go to the main login screen.
    Mac lockscreen on macOS
  2. Press the Cmd + Option + F5 keys to open Accessibility Shortcuts.
  3. Enable Accessibility Keyboard from the list, and the keyboard will open.
    Opening accessibility keyboard on login screen
  4. Now, click Done, drag the keyboard aside, and open the profile you want to log in to.
  5. Type in the password by clicking on the virtual keyboard and log in.

Fix Problems With Your Mac's Keyboard Quickly

Whether the methods above helped you log in to your Mac or not, a broken keyboard must be fixed as soon as possible. If you haven't still, try troubleshooting the problem yourself. There can be various issues with your keyboard, so diagnose and fix them to avoid future obstacles.