Difficulty

Very easy

Steps

6

Time Required

                          30 minutes - 1 hour

Sections

1

  • Basic cleaning for the A1048 Keyboard
  • 6 steps

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Introduction

Step 1

              Starting info
  • Start with your dirty keyboard, most likely found from a 2003-2007 white iMac.
  • This may void any warranty the keyboard may have. Proceed with caution.

Start with your dirty keyboard, most likely found from a 2003-2007 white iMac.

This may void any warranty the keyboard may have. Proceed with caution.

1024

Step 2

              Keycap removal
  • Pull off keycaps
  • Repeat until there is none left
  • Be sure to keep metal braces where they are in the keys, as otherwise the keys will be unstable after restoration.

Pull off keycaps

Repeat until there is none left

Be sure to keep metal braces where they are in the keys, as otherwise the keys will be unstable after restoration.

Step 3

              Base keyboard cleaning
  • Use a vacuum cleaner and q-tip to remove dust/debris hidden underneath the keyboard.

Use a vacuum cleaner and q-tip to remove dust/debris hidden underneath the keyboard.

Step 4

              Keycap cleaning
  • Individually clean each key until they reach their former white glory.
  • If your keys are yellowed, you can ‘retrobright’ them removing any yellow caused by the sun. There are many tutorials online showing you how to do this.
  • It may be easier to fill a bowl with soapy hot water and dump all of the keys in to clean unreachable areas.
  • Dry each keycap ready for installation.

Individually clean each key until they reach their former white glory.

If your keys are yellowed, you can ‘retrobright’ them removing any yellow caused by the sun. There are many tutorials online showing you how to do this.

It may be easier to fill a bowl with soapy hot water and dump all of the keys in to clean unreachable areas.

Dry each keycap ready for installation.

Step 5

              Replacing the keys
  • Insert each key by pressing down onto its hole on the keyboard.
  • Refer to Step 1’s image if you cannot remember where some of the keys go.
  • Start with shortcut keys (Command, control, function, esc, space, arrow keys etc) and work your way into the letters.
  • Line up the metal braces back with their slots they came out from as shown in image #2.

Insert each key by pressing down onto its hole on the keyboard.

Refer to Step 1’s image if you cannot remember where some of the keys go.

Start with shortcut keys (Command, control, function, esc, space, arrow keys etc) and work your way into the letters.

Line up the metal braces back with their slots they came out from as shown in image #2.

Step 6

              Completion!
  • If you followed the steps correctly, you will have a clean keyboard ready for its Mac!
  • This keyboard will work with new Macs if you do not have an official keyboard.

If you followed the steps correctly, you will have a clean keyboard ready for its Mac!

This keyboard will work with new Macs if you do not have an official keyboard.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                                                                      4 other people completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor 


                    Joshua Lockett

Member since: 07/23/2018

243 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



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flyriviera - Nov 20, 2020

Reply

If you read some advice recommending to use silicon oil to soft keys, NEVER DO IT!!! Ok, it softs the key, but it is extremely dangerous, because oil can generate malfunctioning if reaches conductive board. If you do it anyway, try to apply it with a brush instead of directly and NEVER inside de hole where the membrane is. Always OUTSIDE sides.

Instead of that, I recommend a small brush and in the bottom part of keys, apply dry wax (yes, the same than surfers use for their boards!) If you apply properly, keys will be quiet and smooth like first day.

Aaditya Mali - Aug 5, 2022

Reply

does the official keyboard work with new macs?

imjeremysome - yesterdayJan 22, 2023

Yes, it works on my MacBook Air M2, but I haven’t test the USB port on keyboard yet.