Apple's butterfly keyboard failed for five years — and cost $50M to settle

In 2015, Apple introduced the butterfly keyboard mechanism in the 12-inch MacBook. The design used a single-piece 'butterfly' hinge that was 40% thinner than the traditional scissor-switch mechanism, allowing Apple to make the MacBook thinner than ever. Apple marketed it as 'four times more stable' than a traditional keyboard.

The mechanism proved highly unreliable. Keys would stick, repeat characters, or fail to register entirely when dust or debris entered the mechanism. The design was so tight that even a single grain of sand could disable a key. A report by AppleInsider found the butterfly keyboard failed twice as often as previous models. Out-of-warranty repairs cost over $700.

Apple iterated the design four times over four years — adding a silicone membrane in 2018 to block debris — but the fundamental flaw remained. Two class-action lawsuits were filed in 2018. Apple launched a service program offering free keyboard repairs, but the program only covered four years from the date of purchase, leaving many customers with out-of-warranty costs.

In November 2019, the 16-inch MacBook Pro introduced a new scissor-switch 'Magic Keyboard,' effectively abandoning the butterfly design. The last MacBook with a butterfly keyboard was the 2020 MacBook Air. In July 2022, Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle the class-action lawsuit. Customers received up to $395 for multiple keyboard replacements, $125 for a single replacement, or $50 for key cap replacements.