Why Does Your Mac’s Caps Lock Key Lag? (And How to Fix It)

Is Your Mac’s Caps Lock Key Slow? Here’s the Fix You Need

I bought a new iMac. Big day, right? But the Caps Lock key? It felt like it was playing hard to get. I’d hit it, wait, and… nothing. Hit it again, and maybe—just maybe—it would respond. Out of five tries, I’d get lucky once or twice. Frustrating.

I thought, “Did I get a dud?” But before blaming Amazon (yes, I bought it there for the cashback), I dug around online. Turns out, this wasn’t a glitch—it’s by design. Apple made it this way. Why? To stop accidental presses. They added a slight delay so you don’t accidentally shout at people in all caps. Nice idea, but not for me. Coming from Windows, this was like trying to learn how to write with my non-dominant hand.

If you’re in the same boat, don’t worry. There are fixes. Let’s break it down.

Why Is There a Delay?

Apple designed the Caps Lock key with a built-in delay. It’s intentional. They wanted to prevent accidental presses when you’re typing fast or fumbling around the keyboard. Here’s what Apple officially says:

• Press and hold the Caps Lock key until the indicator light turns on.
• The same applies to the Media Eject key—hold it down until you see the eject icon pop up on your screen.

It’s not a bug; it’s a feature. But if you don’t like it (and I didn’t), there’s good news: You can tweak it.

Two Quick Fixes for the Caps Lock Delay

Try these methods one by one to see which works best for you:

Solution 1: Adjust via Terminal

This is simple and effective:

1. Open Launchpad and go to Others > Terminal.
2. Type this command exactly as shown: hidutil property –set ‘{“CapsLockDelayOverride”:0}’
3. Hit Enter and test your Caps Lock key.

It overrides Apple’s delay setting and removes it entirely.

Solution 2: Another Terminal Tweak

If the first method doesn’t work or you want another option:

1. Open Launchpad, head to Others > Terminal again.
2. Enter this command: sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/FeatureFlags/Domain/UIKit.plist redesigned_text_cursor -dict-add Enabled -bool NO
3. Press Enter and restart your Mac for good measure.

This command dives deeper into system preferences, disabling certain features that might interfere with responsiveness.

Why These Fixes Work

The first command directly targets how macOS handles keyboard input delays, specifically for Caps Lock. The second one tweaks broader system settings that might indirectly affect keyboard behavior.

Both are safe as long as you follow the steps carefully.

Should You Be Concerned About Using Terminal?

Not at all! Terminal might look intimidating, but these commands are straightforward and reversible. If something feels off after trying them, you can always reset your Mac’s settings or undo changes with similar commands.

Apple’s design choices don’t always align with everyone’s preferences—especially if you’re switching from Windows or another platform where things just work differently. But the beauty of macOS is its flexibility; with a little effort, you can make it work exactly how you want.

If these fixes helped, great! If not, drop your questions below or reach out to Apple Support for deeper troubleshooting. Stop letting your keyboard dictate how you type—take control of your Mac today!