MacBook Pro M3 Pro (2023) – Keyboard Completely Stopped Working After Automatic macOS Update, Unexpected Restarts and Overheating

Hi everyone,

My MacBook Pro M3 Pro (2023) was working perfectly until macOS automatically updated overnight. The next morning, the entire keyboard stopped responding, and I couldn’t even enter my password.

Symptoms:

● No keys work, including Shift and Caps Lock.

● Keyboard backlight works normally.

● Trackpad and Touch ID/power button work.

● Keyboard doesn’t respond even in Startup Options, so I can’t enter Safe Mode.

● MacBook gets unusually warm.

● When I shut it down, it automatically restarts, showing the Apple logo and progress bar.

I’ve tried multiple shutdowns, disconnecting the charger, and checking Accessibility options. Nothing works. I currently don’t have an external keyboard to test.

Has anyone experienced this after a recent macOS update, especially on an M3 Pro?

Could this be a software/firmware issue rather than hardware? Is there a way to fix it without erasing my data?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Posted on Oct 8, 2026 5:15 AM

1 reply

HWTech

Level 9 (78,350 points)

Oct 8, 2026 5:11 PM in response to Gincu

Try using an external keyboard.

With an external keyboard you can also try running the Apple Diagnostics to see if any hardware issues are detected.

You can also try clearing the PRAM/NVRAM by using the following Terminal command while booted into Recovery Mode. The Terminal app can be accessed from the Utilities menu on the menubar. If the macOS installer runs first, then quit it so it will go back to the Recovery Mode screen. After using this command....select Shutdown from the Apple menu. Start back up into the Startup Options screen to see if the keyboard now works, perhaps even booting into Recovery Mode itself.

nvram  -c

I doubt the PRAM/NVRAM reset will help, but it is easy to do.

The only other option would be to perform a DFU Firmware Revive to reset the security enclave chip & system firmware. This option should not affect the data on the internal SSD, but I have no idea what happens if the procedure does not complete successfully so make sure you first have a good backup (if possible). Unfortunately this procedure requires access to another Mac currently running macOS 15.7+ Sequoia, macOS 26.x Tahoe, or macOS 27.x Golden Gate (if the host Mac is running Sequoia, then you will need to use the Apple Configurator app v2.19).

If none of this works, then you will need to have the laptop repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. And before agreeing to a Top Case/Keyboard replacement, have them temporarily disconnect the Lid Angle Sensor from the Logic Board if your laptop utilizes that sensor (some Macs use it, others do not) to see if the Keyboard now works.