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Tap-to-click works fine, and so does right-click - most of the time. Left click does not work at all, unless you press it very hard at the very corner and hold it there for a while until it registers, although it worked a little sporadically yesterday, worked completely normal the day before.

The computer was manufactured mid-2013, but the battery was in 2016 and replaced mid-2017 - that's all the modifications done to it.

I'm guessing it's a hardware problem, but the clicking sound and feel is completely normal.

Any ideas about what is at fault and how to fix it?

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2 Answers 2

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The 2013 MBP has still the mechanical trackpad. Check if the trackpad is stressed physically in some way. When the battery swells it happens that the trackpad stops registering clicks, because it can not be pressed.

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  • I've had no time to check, but if there's a possibility the battery is swelling, is this something urgent that should be assessed immediately? Or would it be safe to use it as normal for now?
    – hpm
    Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 10:22
  • Battery was just an example, although we had that problem and it’s effect on the trackpad multiple times on pre unibody MacBook Pros. As soon as trackpad failed to click it was always the battery, which while swollen pressed the trackpad upwards and rendered it ‘unclickable’. Batteries should always be repaired as early as possible, but we sometimes we had the computers sitting several weeks before being able to get to them.
    – SEJU
    Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 11:46
  • You could use software to check the batterie’s state or, if you are comfortable with a screwdriver, open the case and check the battery visually. Although, in your case, it has been replaced recently, it could still need inspection Incase non Apple batteries were used in the repair. We at least had very poor performances from non Apple replacement batteries!
    – SEJU
    Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 11:52
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I'd try an external mouse to confirm that the left-click issue you face is within the trackpad.

I suppose it may be physically possible to repair a trackpad, but I've never read of anyone who's done so, nor seen instructions. Thus, if the trackpad is partially failing, you can either live with the intermittency, take the computer to an Apple store or service provider to replace the trackpad, or following the iFixit instructions (these are for a 13" MBA), replace it yourself.

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