Caps Lock won't turn on or off on your Mac

Why it happens

Your Mac ignores very quick taps on Caps Lock, so brushing it by accident doesn't switch on capitals. That means a fast tap can feel like it did nothing. A setting can also make Caps Lock switch your typing language, or do nothing at all.

How to fix it

1. Press Caps Lock and hold it for a moment, like a slow, deliberate press, then let go.

2. Look at the small light on the key. When it's on, everything you type comes out in capitals. Some other keyboards have no light, so type a letter to check.

3. Press Caps Lock again the same way to go back to small letters.

Still not fixed?

1. If Caps Lock changes your typing language instead, open Keyboard settings, click Edit… next to Input Sources and turn off Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from ABC. The exact wording depends on your languages.

   Keyboard›Text Input›Edit…›Use the Caps Lock key to switch to and from ABC

2. If the key does nothing at all, it may have been changed to act as another key. In Keyboard settings, click Keyboard Shortcuts…, then Modifier Keys, and set Caps Lock back to Caps Lock. If you use more than one keyboard, pick yours at the top first.

   Keyboard›Keyboard Shortcuts…›Modifier Keys›Caps Lock (⇪) Key

3. If every key needs a long press before it types, Slow Keys is on. Turn it off in Accessibility > Keyboard, unless you use it on purpose.

   Accessibility›Keyboard›Slow Keys

4. Typing in capitals with Caps Lock off? A stuck Shift key or Sticky Keys can do that. Check that Sticky Keys is off in Accessibility > Keyboard.

   Accessibility›Keyboard›Sticky Keys

5. If the light never comes on and the key still won't respond, try another keyboard or test yours on another Mac. If only the built-in keyboard fails, the key itself is likely faulty, which is a hardware repair: contact Apple Support.