OSX 11.2.3 Issue
 

Since I updated my system to Big Sur 11.2.3 recently, I'm finding that when typing and hitting the space bar it often makes 2 or 3 spaces instead of 1. I think that I'm typing in the same style/cadence as normal, so it must either be my space bar having an issue, or that there's some quirk in the latest upgrade that's causing this annoying quirk. When typing and not looking at the screen, I'm left with re-reading the whole amount written to amend the 'space' issue. I had thought that it might be site specific, but it seems to happen on multiple sites.

Has anyone else experienced this ?

Nope, everything’s working fine.

A keyboard cleaning might solve the issue: macreports.com/keyboard-double-space-problem-fix

Can you not 'desensitize' your space bar in settings (I am not a Mac user, so only guessing!)

How old and how many miles (keystrokes) has your Mac done. Does seem to be a coincidence that the problem occurred after the upgrade. Most operating systems have a key repeat setting with a delay (sometimes configurable) and a repeat frequency (configurable) so that you only have to push a key once and hold it down, the setting is for all the keys including the space bar. I don't have Big Sur just yet but it's on the cards so I can't help here, but this key repeat setting is available on all Macs so I guess you could play around with it to confirm if it's a hardware issue.

My Mac is mid 2014 and only has average miles on it with no issues whatsoever (but doesn't run Big Sur yet).

Apple had issues with some earlier keyboards including the older one I am typing this from right now. They are said to age early under heavy use and miss type commands. The one I use right now feels still perfect. It is on the latest OS version.
Apple changed the keyboards. Current ones don't have these issues anymore.

https://support.apple.com/keyboard-s...-mac-notebooks

Thanks for the replies. My laptop does qualify for the keyboard program, which is nice, but I think that I'll wait until the stores open again and visit the genius bar rather than send it off to it's fate! I'm reasonably tidy and clean, so there's not too much detritus on the keyboard, but it's of course possible to have some small whatever affecting the proper functioning of the keys. I'll play around with the key repeat feature and see how I get on :-)

Update...

I waited until one of the Apple Stores opened 2 weeks ago and arranged an appointment with the Genius Bar. On inspection they found that a handful of keys, plus the space bar, plus the key pad were malfunctioning from spec and immediately assigned the laptop for repair. Hurrah! Too busy in the store repair facility, so I was recommended to have it sent to the Apple Repair Depot, 7-10 days... I assumed that it would be done quicker and in the London area.

2 weeks later it arrived by courier from Ostrava in the very east of the Czech Republic! Hopefully the laptop had it's lateral flow tests going and coming. As the keyboard is now in-built to the top case, a whole new unit was installed, and the best bit is that I've got a brand new battery because the battery is welded to the underside of the top case! Result ;-)

Thankyou to whomever suggested I look. I was vaguely aware in the past, but had completely forgotten.

I had a screen issue with the same model of MacBook and was initially told I had to go to a store, despite me saying that the stores were closed and that we couldn't travel - apparently there was no mail in facility.

Live chat got me a more knowledgable agent who arranged the mail in service which has been specifically put in place for Covid. A box arrived the next day, the courier collected it a day later. A few days later I had a message to say it had arrived at the repair facility in Czechia and a couple of hours later another to say it was repaired and on the way back. The whole thing took less than a week which seemed pretty remarkable - intriguing though, given Apple's supposed green credentials, that it couldn't have been done closer to home.

Yes, indeed a strange green policy, but perhaps in some convoluted way it might be greener in total! I'm glad you got your problem sorted quickly and efficiently. Might I enquire what the screen issue was ?

Yes - as shown. Most noticeable on a plain log in screen but always present. It is something to do with the cable in the hinge getting frayed and the only option is to replace the lid.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d2558e7a4c.jpg


It is a known issue: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/13-i...klight-service, although the initial agent mentioned above made out she was unaware of it, and also suggested that if a repair programme did exist it was only valid for 3 years despite the note saying 5 years. The chat agent however, was quite open and said it was a well known issue and that they were seeing 'lots' of repairs at the moment.

I had previously had the intermittent keys issue too, but cleaning with compressed air had always seemed to fix it - and I think that repair scheme had time expired on me. Anyway, I traded it in for a new M1 MacBook when the screen issue appeared. In fact, I had return packages for repair and trade-in all overlapping, so I got the new one, then the old one got repaired and was immediately sent back to complete the trade in! M1 is much quicker even with only 8Gb RAM vs the old one's 16Gb.

Thank you for that. That would be annoying after a while. I'm glad you got it fixed under the Apple support system. I think that the Apple after care is for the most part excellent, but it makes me wonder why a newish high end laptop model developed issues for so many people with both the keyboard and screen. Apple quality is, imho top notch and for most they'll have few problems over the years, yet with these models that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm glad you're enjoying the new M1 chip's performance, a friend with a desktop says it's very fast.