Please Explain How to Shut Off 2021 MacBook Pro

[Merkava_4]

2021 MacBook Pro 16-inch. Monterey OS.

Please explain how I may be able to clean the keyboard or screen without waking the computer? With previous Mac notebooks, the machine would stay off until you physically push the power button. Touching the trackpad or bumping a key would never turn the machine on. But this time, it thinks I'm trying to enter in my password on the Desktop when all I'm trying to do is wipe the fingerprints off the keys. What I have to do presently is hurry up and clean the keyboard while the machine is booting up, but these new machines boot up quick.

 

[MacInWin]

Click on the  in the top bar of the screen, upper left corner. Then click on "Shut down..." and wait. Eventually the system will be totally shut. The fans don't run on M1 systems much, so what I do is watch for the keyboard backlight to go out. Once it's out, it's off and should staff off unless you press/hold the power button OR close/open the top lid.

 

[MacInWin]

Dang, just tested that again and you are correct that pressing any key seems to boot the system, even from that cold power down. Hmm, about all I can suggest is to lighten up on pressure to clean the keys, or get a skin for the keyboard. I used this one: Amazon.com

 

[Raz0rEdge]

Since about 2018 or so, you can't do it. A workaround is to use an app like this that hijacks all the keyboard input and allows you to do your cleaning. So check it out.

Keyboard Cleaner - plok

 

[pigoo3]

If you're using the proper materials & procedure to clean the keyboard...cleaning the keyboard while it's powered on shouldn't be a problem.

By "proper materials"...I'm talking NEVER spray any liquids on the keyboard directly. Always apply the cleaner to the rag/cloth/towel you're using to clean with (minimal cleaner as possible)...then proceed with cleaning.

Of course never use any cleaning solutions/solvents that are harmful to the plastic keys...or the aluminum case.

Nick

 

[vansmith]

Give this a read. Apple has various cleaning documents and guides if this isn’t what you want.

 

[Merkava_4]

If you're using the proper materials & procedure to clean the keyboard...cleaning the keyboard while it's powered on shouldn't be a problem.

By "proper materials"...I'm talking NEVER spray any liquids on the keyboard directly. Always apply the cleaner to the rag/cloth/towel you're using to clean with (minimal cleaner as possible)...then proceed with cleaning.

Of course never use any cleaning solutions/solvents that are harmful to the plastic keys...or the aluminum case.

Nick

I spray the iKlear liquid onto the iKlear cloth and then gently wipe off the key. While doing that, I have to be mindful of what's going on in the login box. Every so often I have to click the delete key to remove the dots that I unintentionally entered while wiping off the key. I've even gone so far as to make the machine so angry that it would no longer accept my password. I had to call AppleCare to get myself out of that bind.

 

[MacInWin]

Try this: Open a word processor, which one doesn't matter. Create a new document. Now do the gentle wipe of the keys. All the keypresses will be in the document. Once done cleaning, discard the document full of junk. Better yet, get the skin I linked to and put it on the keyboard. To clean it, take it off and do the cleaning to the skin because the keys are totally pristine. Then put the skin back on. The one I linked to is really, really thin and after 10 minutes I forget that it's on the keys at all. I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in the product, I'm just a happy user.

 

[Merkava_4]

Try this: Open a word processor, which one doesn't matter. Create a new document. Now do the gentle wipe of the keys. All the keypresses will be in the document. Once done cleaning, discard the document full of junk. Better yet, get the skin I linked to and put it on the keyboard. To clean it, take it off and do the cleaning to the skin because the keys are totally pristine. Then put the skin back on. The one I linked to is really, really thin and after 10 minutes I forget that it's on the keys at all. I have no interest, financial or otherwise, in the product, I'm just a happy user.

Thank you for the link to the GhostCover. Bookmarked. And thanks for the Text Edit tip.