Why does my Magic Trackpad 2 randomly disconnect and stop clicking?

Question

Hey there fellow users,

I purchased an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-Inch, 2017, macOS 10.13.4, 4.2 GHz, 32GB, 3TB Fusion Drive) less than three weeks ago, and had it delivered by Apple here in distant, little New Zealand.

The iMac itself and extended Magic Keyboard that I opted for work without issues, but the Magic Trackpad 2 that came with it is being horrendously troublesome. I've seen similar issues throughout forums, but I believe that this problem requires more attention from Apple and have additional details to put forward on my end that I cannot find matches for through Google searches.

Hopefully this can a) Help others out, and b) Get Apple's attention, which seems to be an impossible task even after spending thousands of dollars with a company that supposedly prides itself on service. I hate ranting, but it has its place. I have tried to post this on Apple Communities, but upon doing so am told the following, which didn't end up resolving itself:

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Symptoms

• Starts to disconnect after four to eight hours of use (if it has not been used for an extended period prior to switching on).
• Either ceases to click (through haptic feedback) and stays that way or continues to disconnect (stopping haptic feedback) and reconnect (re-enabling haptic feedback).
• When the aforementioned ceasing-to-click occurs, the trackpad is still functional as a touch surface (mouse movement, multi-finger gestures), but is visibly laggy (as though the screen has a reduced refresh rate).
• This behaviour occurs even though the trackpad is fully charged.
• When the issue first started occurring, it could be solved by plugging the trackpad in via a lightning cable. This now has no effect for some reason, and the observed behaviour is the same whether plugged in or wireless. Plugging it in renders different output in Console.app which confirms that the iMac detects it as a USB device.
• The issue remains after wirelessly connecting to a MacBook Air (11-Inch, Early 2015, macOS 10.13.3, 1.6GHz, 4GB, 120GB), and changing the location of both the Air and the trackpad does not change anything.
• Turning the trackpad off and on immediately after this disconnection behaviour previously fixed the issue for about 15 minutes, but now only fixes it for 15 seconds, after which the previous behaviour recurs.
• I can't confirm this as being consistent behaviour across attempts, but the iMac appears to cause the trackpad to simply stop working altogether, where the MacBook Air causes it to stop and then start repetitively.
• Console logs seem to indicate that macOS tries to contact https://mesu.apple.com to update the trackpad, but fails to do so due to a 403 Forbidden response from the server. This also happens for my Magic Keyboard, but there are no observed issues when using it.
• At one point when attached to the MacBook Air wirelessly, holding my finger down on the trackpad with enough force to normally make it click once, it would start clicking at about 15 clicks/second, with additional attempts sometimes causing about 7-8 clicks/second. Removing my finger from the trackpad stops this behaviour.

iMac Console.app

Note: names have been replaced with (me)

fud Stream event happened for filter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine isActive]: state=5 nextState=-1 filter=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudIpcDispatch dispatchStateMachineEvent:] - filter name: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt - exclusion group - com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Creating new state machine for event: FudEvent - Client:(null) Type:112 Filter:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt Data:<dictionary: 0x7ff66680d050> { count = 4, transaction: 1, voucher = 0x7ff66680c1e0, contents =
fud StateMachine Dealloc pluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins filterName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud FW update policy: versionCheckDelay 0, inactivityDelayPreflight 0, bootstrapDelay 5, inactivityDelay 300, networkDelay 300, featureReportDelay 0, compatibilityVersion 2, batteryCheckHost 0, batteryCheckDevice 1, minBatteryHost 0, minBatteryDevice 5, STFWFirst 0, resetEveryFWPayload 0, deviceNeedsBTReconnect 1, sendSDPQueryNotification 1, bluetoothReconnectDelay 15 targetDevice
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  BluetoothHIDDriverPublished - appleHIDDevice (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
System Preferences  IOBluetoothDevicePair setAppleDeviceName: (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  setHIDDeviceLinkSupervisionTimeout for device (me)'s Trackpad, timeout = 0x1F40 slots
bluetoothd  setQoSSettingsOnDevice for (me)'s Trackpad
hidd    [HID] [MT] MTActuatorManagement::getActuatorRef Calling MTActuatorOpen() outside of MTTrackpadHIDManager.
fud checking updates for <private>
fud Enabling stream events for suspended device class: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Modal Default Client - Got device attach event for com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt updateInProgress=0 queue[0]=(
mobileassetd    handleCopyMatchingAssets: HANDLER - assetQuery [com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6]: (local=0) [_CompatibilityVersion == 2]
mobileassetd    Attempting to refresh Metadata at: com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml -- https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/
mobileassetd    -[ASAssetMetadataDownloader downloadMetadataFromURL:withOptions:ifNewerThan:completionHandler:]_block_invoke: Performing GET request on https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml without If-Modified-Since field
mobileassetd    -[ASAssetMetadataDownloader URLSession:dataTask:didReceiveResponse:completionHandler:]_block_invoke: server error for https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6.xml (status 403)
fud _MobileAssetSendCopyMatchingAssetsCommand: [MobileAssetError:27] Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6
mobileassetd    handleCopyMatchingAssets: HANDLER - assetQuery [com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6]: (local=1) [_CompatibilityVersion == 2]
fud _MobileAssetSendCopyMatchingAssetsCommand: [MobileAssetError:29] Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6
fud -[FudStateMachine didFind:info:updateAvailable:needsDownload:error:]: find was not successful: Error Domain=ASError Code=20 "Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6" UserInfo={NSDescription=Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6, PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt}
fud Modal Default Client - completed step:Find device:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt successful:NO next-step:Find silentUpdate=1 error:Error Domain=ASError Code=20 "Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6" UserInfo={NSDescription=Unable to copy asset information from https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/ for asset type com.apple.MobileAsset.MobileAccessoryUpdate.TrackpadFirmware.6, PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt}
nsurlsessiond   [15 <private> stream, bundle id: fud, pid: 163, url: https://mesu.apple.com/assets/macos/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAccessoryUpdate_TrackpadFirmware_6/com_apple_MobileAsset_MobileAcc, tls, indefinite] cancelled

MacBook Air Console.app

Note: names have been replaced with (me)

AirPlayXPCHelper    (me)'s Trackpad has no service mask
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/1fd95700e769cbaeb33e1f89e032b747cd754d90.zip
bluetoothd  ***** [handleL2CAPChannelOpened] Signalling channel = 0x7fce9473f360 opened for device = (me)'s Trackpad.
bluetoothd  BluetoothHIDDriverPublished - appleHIDDevice (me)'s Trackpad
bluetoothd  examining device: (me)'s Trackpad
fud Stream event happened for filter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine isActive]: state=5 nextState=-1 filter=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudIpcDispatch dispatchStateMachineEvent:] - filter name: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt - exclusion group - com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud ExclusionGroupFilter: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt (com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt)
fud Creating new state machine for event: FudEvent - Client:(null) Type:112 Filter:com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt Data:<dictionary: 0x7faa86c18dc0> { count = 4, transaction: 1, voucher = 0x7faa86c1a3a0, contents =
fud StateMachine Dealloc pluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins filterName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud FW update policy: versionCheckDelay 0, inactivityDelayPreflight 0, bootstrapDelay 5, inactivityDelay 300, networkDelay 300, featureReportDelay 0, compatibilityVersion 2, batteryCheckHost 0, batteryCheckDevice 1, minBatteryHost 0, minBatteryDevice 5, STFWFirst 0, resetEveryFWPayload 0, deviceNeedsBTReconnect 1, sendSDPQueryNotification 1, bluetoothReconnectDelay 15 targetDevice
bluetoothd  setHIDDeviceLinkSupervisionTimeout for device (me)'s Trackpad, timeout = 0x1F40 slots
bluetoothd  setQoSSettingsOnDevice for (me)'s Trackpad
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
mobileassetd    handleCopyAssetAttributes: [System Preferences] HANDLER - copyAssetAttributes [com.apple.MobileAsset.prefpanes.TrackpadMouseVideos.17]: com_apple_MobileAsset_prefpanes_TrackpadMouseVideos_17/a33d9b52a7481ddcdadb8f909793ee4661d8c0f2.zip
fud reportID 0xB8 error 0xe00002d7
fud Enabling stream events for suspended device class: com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt
fud -[FudStateMachine performNextStepWithOptions:]: uncleared exception (Error Domain=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins.Trackpad6 Code=21 "Update params feature report ID 0xB8 failed with 0xE00002D7 kIOReturnOffline (device offline)" UserInfo={PluginName=com.apple.MobileAccessoryUpdater.StandaloneHIDFudPlugins, NSLocalizedDescription=Update params feature report ID 0xB8 failed with 0xE00002D7 kIOReturnOffline (device offline), DeviceClassName=com.apple.mau.plugin.standalonehiddevice.trackpad.6.bt})

Answer 1

Well, I had the same problems on My Macbook Pro 2018 with randomly disconnecting magic touchpad and keyboard. I found a resolution here: https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookpro/comments/9brybd/issues_with_disconnecting_mouse/

So the problem is with USB type-c concentrator: if it is connected to the left side ports - it causes random disconnects of Bluetooth devices. If it connected to the right ports - wireless mouse and keyboard work stable without disconnects for me.

Answer 2

I've got the same exact issue on two brand new 2018 MacBook Pros. error code is the same too reportID 0xB8 error 0xe00002d7. I still think this has to do with failed firmware downloads, but Apple denies that's the case. It's only when the bluetooth peripherals disconnect that I see the attempt by fud (firmware update daemon). And they seem to fail.

Here's the steps I've taken to troubleshoot this (and way too much of my time):

1. Get a replacement 2018 MacBook Pro from Apple to replace the first machine that showed this issue.
2. Restore from a superduper image to the new machine.
3. New machine showed the same symptom, disconnect and reconnect of Apple bluetooth peripherals.
4. Erase disk on old machine (still a 2018 MBP).
5. Install pristine 10.13.6.
6. Use the machine for a few hours with no external monitor, nor handoff enabled. No symptoms.
7. Enable handoff after those few hours. Still no problem.
8. Connect to external monitor, symptom resurfaces after an hour or so of utilization.

Next I'll be testing with no external monitor attached again. This time to see if the symptoms resurface or not. Hoping to eliminate the possibility of interference from USB-C external monitor connections in particular. (Note I'm using a Moshi USB-C to mini display port cable).

If it happens while disconnected from the monitor, then it's safe to say that it's not the problem.

Then I'll test handoff on and off in isolation.

But, what I can say with 100% certainty is that it's not limited to individual machines, and it's not 3rd party software. This is an Apple issue one way or another, be it hardware or software.

Answer 3

Hopefully this may help. I was having similar problems whereby my trackpad was connecting/disconnecting and being a general PITA. I searched all over and found this thread amongst others. I then also found the following article and noted about it could potentially be due to too many bluetooth connections.

https://michaelkummer.com/technology/mac-bluetooth-issues-affect-keyboard-trackpad/

I turned off bluetooth on my ipad which happened to be sat next to me and as if by magic my trackpad was fully functional again!

Answer 4

I wanted to post my experience and my solution because I was pulling my hair out but was lucky enough to have two identical setups to test. I'm posting here because this is the first post I found when googling the question so maybe it will help someone else.

TL;DR - It may be caused by interference from some other device that may not even have a radio. See the bold text below.

I'm using a 2018 MB Pro 15 (same computer at both locations), 4k external monitor set 50mm off the work surface, Pok3r keyboard, Magic Trackpad 2 and a CalDigit DS3 Plus dock at hame and at the office. At home, my trackpad would disconnect all the time (4-5 times) for up to a minute. In that time the Mac would show connecting/disconnecting and the click would go away sometimes while this was going on. At work, this never happened.

I went through removing the BT config, rebooting, and advice on Apple's Support page, etc.

Moved my thunderbolt cable from the left to the right side port, tried different laptop orientations (flat on the desk, upright in a stand, rotated in different directions).

I considered maybe my cellphone was an issue, the signal can be sketchy at home but I put it in airplane mode for an afternoon and still had issues.

I swapped my trackpads between locations and the issue still happened at home but work was fine. So it was not the trackpad and the computer is the same...

The only other difference is the location of the CalDigit dock. At work, it was placed on the work surface but slightly behind my monitor, so it had no line of sight to the trackpad. At home it was to the left and it had line of sight to my trackpad. I placed a small metal box between the trackpad and the CalDigit dock and have been issue free for a week.

Maybe you don't have this particular device but my advice is look around in your environment and see if there is anything that can be causing electrical interference.

Answer 5

So I had this problem and it was driving me crazy. My modem has a 2.4GHz and 5GHz WIFI network.

The random disconnects only happened when I was connected to the 2.4GHz WIFI network. The problem did not happen on the 5GHz network.

Hope this helps whoever runs into this problem.

Answer 6

First of all, I'd like to thank all that contributed answers to this question.

At the end of the day, much to my surprise, it seems like it was a hardware fault of the trackpad from factory. As a result, they fixed it free of charge within a week or so.

As awesome as it would be to be able to fix problems like this with testing procedures as seen in the other answers, Apple (intentionally) runs a black-box business model, making this hard to do.

Answer 7

Had the same problem. Switched to ethernet cable instead of 2.4 ghz wifi, problem - gone.

Oddly enough, that problem didn't affect my magic mouse 2 and magic keyboard 2.

Also, make sure that you don't connect more than 3 bluetooth devices to your mac. I had magic mouse 2, magic keyboard 2, magic trackpad 2 and a bluetooth headset connected all at once, so, 4 devices. That caused my headset's sound to cut out. As soon as I would disconnect either the trackpad or the mouse, the sound would be alright.

Bluetooth sucks sometimes. You just gotta feel it out and remove all possible causes of interference.

Good luck to you!

Answer 8

My 2018 Mac mini had the same problem. It also has an external monitor connected to the USB-c port closest to the HDMI port. The monitor took at least 60 seconds to wake up after sleep, sometimes I had to push the power button.

Moving to another USB-c port fixed both problems.

Answer 9

Turning off bluetooth on an iPad and an iPhone in the same room as my Mac Book Pro/trackPad 2 fixed the issue for me. Probably to do with iOS update changes to bluetooth.