MacBook Trackpad Won’t Click or Is Lifting: Settings, Mechanism, or Battery?

The short answer: If the click gradually becomes stiff, works only near the edge, the trackpad starts lifting, or the bottom cover no longer sits flush, stop charging the laptop and do not press it back into place. The battery may be causing the deformation, and tightening the screws at home is not a safe solution. If there is no visible deformation, first check the settings and see how the trackpad behaves after a normal restart — many seemingly faulty trackpads turn out to be a settings issue or a frozen application.

First distinguish between cursor movement, clicking, and deformation

A trackpad performs several functions that can fail independently. The cursor may move while clicks are not registered. Clicking may work while gestures intermittently fail. Both the cursor and clicking may work, except for one part of the surface that does not respond. Or the trackpad may physically sit higher than the surrounding palm rest — and this is the only one of these conditions that takes safety priority over everything else.

Place the powered-off MacBook on a level table and visually check whether the bottom cover and trackpad sit flush. A sheet of paper can also help: does it slide under the edge of the cover where it did not before? Do not twist or press the device while checking. If you notice an odor, unusual heat, or a visible gap, disconnect the power and stop testing.

Identify which MacBook you actually have

Trackpad, cable, and battery designs differ between generations, so “13″ MacBook Pro” is not enough information to work with. You can find the model, year, and chip type as follows:

1. On a working Mac: open the Apple menu → About This Mac.
2. For more detail: hold Option and select System Information from the Apple menu.
3. The bottom cover has an engraved model number beginning with the letter A; you can also find it on the packaging and proof of purchase.

The families most commonly confused in practice are:

• Intel-based MacBook Air (up to 2020) and MacBook Air with Apple silicon — M1 (2020), M2 (2022 and the 15″ 2023 model), M3 (2024).
• 13″ and 15″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (2016–2020) and 16″ Intel model (2019).
• 13″ MacBook Pro with M1 (2020) and M2 (2022).
• 14″ and 16″ MacBook Pro with Pro and Max series chips (2021 and later).

One model distinction directly affects the information available to you: Apple explicitly states that battery health management applies to Mac laptops with Apple silicon. On an older Intel-based MacBook, therefore, do not expect the same information or charging behavior as on an M2 MacBook Air.

A safe settings test

If there is no deformation, start the Mac and check the tracking speed, secondary click, tap-to-click option, and click pressure under System Settings → Trackpad. Sometimes a user enables tapping instead of mechanical clicking, gets used to it, and then finds that the “trackpad does not work” after reinstalling the system.

Connect a standard USB or Bluetooth mouse. If the external pointing device works but the built-in trackpad does not, the problem is more localized. If both fail, the cause may be the operating system, high system load, or a frozen application. Restart the Mac and test the trackpad before launching your usual work applications — this separates hardware from software more efficiently than any utility.

Testing the powered-off machine can also be useful: see whether the trackpad clicks while the MacBook is switched off. Some designs click and others do not. A trackpad that “does not click” is therefore not a diagnosis on its own — what matters is comparing how the same device behaves when powered on and off. We do not recommend installing utilities that promise to “increase sensitivity” until you know whether you are dealing with a settings issue or a physical fault.

How to interpret the symptoms

The battery is a red flag, not an automatic diagnosis

Our article on replacing a MacBook battery explains battery condition and capacity in more detail. Only the essentials matter here: according to Apple, a MacBook battery is a consumable component. Lithium-ion cells age not only with time but primarily through what is known as chemical aging, which is affected by their operating-temperature history and charging habits. A standard battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity after reaching its maximum cycle count. Apple’s one-year warranty covers the replacement of a defective battery; after it expires, battery service is chargeable. Apple also explicitly states that its warranty does not cover normal battery wear or accidental damage.

A raised trackpad, however, is not a battery health indicator — it is a physical limit beyond which testing should stop. Our operating rule is therefore simple and deliberately strict: do not continue charging such a MacBook, do not leave it unattended on a flammable surface, do not press the trackpad back into place, and do not tighten the bottom-cover screws. Applying pressure to a potentially deformed battery will not fix anything and may damage the trackpad, cabling, and chassis. A service inspection can then determine whether the battery is actually causing the pressure, whether the trackpad itself has been damaged, and whether the cover or chassis has become permanently bent.

Beware of the opposite mistake as well: a “Service Recommended” battery message does not by itself mean that anything is swelling, while a swollen battery may display no warning at all. One is software information; the other concerns the physical geometry of the machine.

What to prepare for service

Make a note of whether cursor movement, tapping, and mechanical clicking work separately, whether the behavior changes after charging or restarting, and whether the MacBook has been dropped or exposed to liquid. Photograph the device from the side on a level table — deformation is easier to see in such a photo than to describe. Provide the exact model and year, or the A-number from the bottom cover, and state whether you have a current backup.

Servis PC Brno offers out-of-warranty MacBook diagnostics in a pilot scheme and is not an Apple Authorized Service Provider. We confirm the scope of repair, part variant, and price only after diagnostics, never in advance based solely on the model. You do not need to provide your password or Apple Account details for a basic hardware test. If the device is under warranty or covered by a manufacturer programme, contact the retailer or Apple first.

If your trackpad is lifting or the cover no longer sits flush, do not leave it “until later” — bring the MacBook in for an assessment while the problem may still involve only one component. You can arrange an appointment through Apple service in Brno, the booking form, or by calling 774 777 774. In the description, include the model, how long the deformation has been visible, and whether you have charged the device since noticing it.

Sources

• Apple: Check the condition of your Mac laptop’s battery
• Apple: Mac laptop service and repair