It seems to happen more often than you think: your cat or dog plays with your MacBook keyboard, a child is a bit too curious and before you can do anything you are missing a key. Besides the fact that you can’t type comfortably anymore, it also looks unpleasant.
So what can you do if your Mac keyboard is missing a key? for Mac mini/Pro or iMac Users this my be not a real problem, as you can easily replace the keyboard with great cost and bringing your Mac in. Do you have a MacBook though, you are in a whole different situation: you not only need a new keyboard or even topcase, you also have to disassemble the machine or pay somebody to do it. So you are looking at a huge bill.
A new key is just a few bucks.
But there is a better alternative: you just buy a single key on eBay. You will find keys there for the white MacBook, Unibody MacBook Pros and older MacBook Pro and PowerBooks in silver. As the keys are just clipped in, you can just assemble them yourself – very carefully. You connect the little hooks first the underlying mechanics and when you are sure it fits right you let it fall flat and press it to connect the other two little connectors. Done.
Before you buy, check that the offered key is compatible to your exact model. There are different designs out there that are structural the same, but have different details, so the keys may not be interchangeable. Then just buy a new key, click it on and be happy about some huge savings.
