How to clean a keyboard

Prepare before cleaning

1. Shut down a laptop and disconnect its charger. Switch off an external keyboard, unplug it and remove user-replaceable batteries if fitted.
2. Take a photo if you will remove approved keycaps. Work on a clear surface and keep liquid out of the keyboard body.
3. Apply a model-approved cleaner to the cloth, not directly to the keys. The cloth should not drip.

Laptop and scissor keyboards

1. Wipe exposed surfaces gently. Do not pull laptop or Magic Keyboard keycaps off as though they were mechanical caps; their clips and mechanisms differ.
2. For MacBook models covered by Apple’s compressed-air procedure—MacBook from 2015 and MacBook Pro from 2016—hold the notebook at about 75 degrees and spray left to right.
3. For that procedure, keep the straw about 1.5 cm away and the can upright. Repeat with the notebook rotated to each side. Use your own model’s instructions for other laptops.

Mechanical keyboards with removable keycaps

1. Check the manual for removable caps and stabilizer handling. Use the appropriate puller and avoid forcing large stabilized keys.
2. For caps approved for washing, clean the detached caps separately. Keep switches, electronics and the keyboard body out of water.
3. Remove loose debris from the unplugged board using the manufacturer’s approved method. Let washed caps dry fully, including their stems, before refitting them.

Liquid spills and keys that still stick

For a spill, stop using the device and disconnect power. Surface cleaning alone does not remove liquid inside a laptop or switch. Arrange inspection rather than powering it repeatedly to test it.

If a cap, clip or stabilizer is damaged, use model service or the correct replacement part; pressing harder can worsen the damage.