Welcome to techmarkzone Basics, your go-to guide for understanding the tech features that shape your devices.
Among the many design choices Apple has made over the years, few have sparked as much frustration as the infamous butterfly keyboard. Once praised for its sleek laptops and minimalist design, Apple left many users struggling with one of the most fundamental functions of a computer — typing.
So, what exactly is the butterfly keyboard? Why did Apple use it? And more importantly, why did it fail so spectacularly? Let’s break it down.
How Do Traditional Laptop Keyboards Work?
Before diving into what makes the butterfly mechanism unique (and problematic), it’s important to understand the standard laptop keyboard design: the scissor-switch mechanism.
This type of keyboard uses two interlocking pieces in an “X” configuration (hence the “scissor” name). It allows for decent key travel while keeping the keyboard fairly slim — making it ideal for laptops. While not as deep as desktop keyboards, scissor-switch keys offer a reliable and consistent typing experience.
What Is Apple’s Butterfly Keyboard?
Introduced in 2015, Apple’s butterfly keyboard was designed to be even thinner than the scissor-switch counterpart. Named for its shape — which resembles a butterfly’s wings — the design uses a single central hinge rather than an “X” structure. Think of it as a wide, flat “V” instead of a criss-cross.
This allowed Apple to make its MacBooks even slimmer and gave the keys a crisp, shallow feel. In theory, it was a sleek, futuristic improvement.
So, What Went Wrong?
While the butterfly keyboard was innovative, it came with a major flaw: fragility.
Because of its shallow profile and “V”-shaped design, even the smallest particles — dust, crumbs, debris — could get under the keys and interfere with functionality. And once a key became unresponsive or sticky, fixing it was incredibly difficult, often requiring a full keyboard or even entire top-case replacement.
In other words, it looked great on paper — but in real-world conditions, it was a disaster. Users were frustrated. Typing, the most basic function, became unreliable. For a premium device like a MacBook, this was unacceptable.
Apple’s Response and the Return to Scissor Switches
After years of backlash and several failed revisions, Apple finally began phasing out the butterfly keyboard in 2019. Newer MacBook models have since returned to the more dependable scissor-switch design, branded as the “Magic Keyboard.”
TL;DR — What Is the Butterfly Keyboard?
Introduced by Apple in 2015 for thinner MacBooks
Named for its wing-like mechanism (compared to scissor-switch’s “X” shape)
Provided a shallow, crisp typing feel — when it worked
Prone to failure due to dust and debris under the keys
Phased out due to widespread user complaints
Final Thoughts
Apple’s butterfly keyboard was a bold attempt to revolutionize laptop design. While it achieved its goal of ultra-thin devices, it sacrificed one of the most important features: reliable typing. Thankfully, Apple listened — eventually — and brought back a more durable, user-friendly keyboard.
Now, if someone asks “what the hell is a butterfly keyboard?” — you’ve got the answer.
