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This teardown is not a repair guide. To repair your MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018, use our service manual.

  1. MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown, MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 1, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown, MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 1, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown, MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 1, image 3 of 3
    • Visually speaking, the new keyboard is strikingly similar to the previous model. In the first image you can see the slightly taller option ⌥ symbol on the new model.

    • The new keycaps measure ever-so-slightly thinner (about 1.25 mm, vs. 1.50 mm on the 2017 model), allowing for easier removal with less risk of damage. We also note that the space bar's inner workings have been subtly redesigned.

    • And of course, there's the new silicone layer draped over the delicate butterfly mechanisms.

    • A while back, Apple filed a patent for all sorts of keyboard ingress-proofing methodologies. And today Apple may have confirmed the silicone's true purpose as dust protection.

  2. MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 2, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 2, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 2, image 3 of 3
    • Let's address the key concern on everyone's minds: do the new silicone implants work? Here's our highly scientific analysis:

    • We sprinkled some blue powder on the keys, mashed on them, and then popped the keycaps off to see where the powder went.

    • Mild success! The third-gen keyboard (first image) routes most of the powder towards the edge of the key and away from the delicate butterfly mechanism. Last year's mechanisms (second image) don't fare so well.

    • Accelerated testing (aka more powder, more typing) pushes glowing dust past the membrane's not-infallible defenses and onto the dome switch.

    • Shoutout to our buddy and fellow Mac enthusiast @danj for the fluorescent powder idea! Thanks Dan.

    • Stage 1 cleared! Onward to stage 2: the sand test of DOOM.

    • We sprinkle a pinch of sand over the keyboard, type on the keys for a minute, and ...

    • We don't even have to lift the keycaps off to realize that something is wrong. A few keys have seized up!

    • Prying the keycaps off, we find that grains of sand have invaded through the corner perforations in the membrane and have jammed the butterfly mechanism.

    • Conclusion: the silicone membrane adds a significant degree of ingress resistance, but falls short of being fully bulletproof dustproof.

  3. MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 4, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 4, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 4, image 3 of 3
    • Now that we've extensively explored the topside of the keyboard, it's time to shift our attention underneath, where our teardown begins in earnest.

    • First we peel back a heavily-glued shield, exposing the large keyboard base.

    • Before going any further, we have to return to the top of the keyboard and remove every remaining keycap to get access to the silicone barrier.

  4. MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 5, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 5, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 5, image 3 of 3
    Tool used on this step:
    Marlin Screwdriver Set - 5 Specialty Precision Screwdrivers
    $22.99
    Buy
    • Just three more stages in this gauntlet before the keyboard can ESCape its prison:

    • In our line of work, P2 pentalobe screws are as common as, well, iPhones—so we've got the professional tools to tackle them.

    • Apparently security screws aren't secure enough, so the keyboard also features rivets. We had to carve off over a dozen of these single-use posts in order to proceed.

    • What remains is a mild layer of adhesive; we pile on the iOpeners and heat things up.

  5. MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 6, image 1 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 6, image 2 of 3 MacBook Pro 13" Touch Bar 2018 Keyboard Teardown: step 6, image 3 of 3
    • With all of its defenses thwarted, the keyboard PCB gives way and peels from the chassis, fully exposing the membrane that was sandwiched underneath.

    • The membrane happens to be a single sheet of die-cut silicone, reminiscent of some old-school keyboard covers.

    • Apart from the improved keycaps, this keyboard design is still pretty lacking in serviceability. The sheer amount of disassembly required, along with obstacles such as rivets and adhesive, makes replacing a failed keyboard seriously impractical.

    • Wondering where the rest of the 2018 MacBook is? Check out our 13" MacBook teardown, or our 15" MacBook video teardown.

    • We've also got more detailed keyboard analysis and sparkling commentary for you over on our blog.

    • And if you're wondering why we care so much about this keyboard thing, check out our recap post for the tl;dr.

16 Comments

Obviously not perfect, but the removeable keycaps + silicon seals are good enough for me. Now I have to somehow find enough money to buy one.

Martin Karel - Reply

Nice breakdown! It really explains why the keyboards were such a problem and why it was taking place. Thanks!

I have the 2017 version, in the 7 months that I’ve had it, I’ve yet to run into the problems that others have had, yet. (Well, that I have an external Apple Keyboard hooked up, and I don’t eat over my laptop either) but I do feel I need to keep a can of air at the ready just in case I do.

Thanks again!

Chris

Chris Denny - Reply

Chris, much better idea to have a small vac handy. Compressed air can either push debris below a key cap or break debris into smaller pieces.

Wiley -

Having this tear-down showing a significant improvement in redesign, I’d cop one of these for sure. Not the i9, but an i7 with 16gb is more than enough for me. Thanks for the quaity post and for your sponsorship of the right-to-repair movement!

jeremyfitz - Reply

Just to put the whole mess into perspective for those of us who haven’t had to deal with these keyboards directly, I’d be curious to see the glow-in-the-dark dust trick on an ordinary chiclet keyboard (and maybe a proper old-school PowerBook/ThinkPad keyboard) for comparison.

JK_ - Reply

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