Keyboard Repeat Not Working on Mac in macOS Ventura? (Fix?)

Key repeat not working macOS Ventura

Key Repeat Not Working macOS Ventura?

This issue has been reported by Seb (macOS 13.0.1):

“I can’t make key repeat working not matter how I tweak the ‘repeat rate’ and ‘delay until repeat’ variables in System Settings. I just get the letter a single time when i press & hold.”

We’re able to replicate this behavior and have also found similar complaints on Reddit (1 and 2):

“Keyboard Repeat stopped working after upgrading to Ventura.”

How To Fix Keyboard Repeat Not Working On Mac?

You can play with the Key repeat rate and Delay until repeat parameters in System Settings -> Keyboard but it won’t help.

Fact: Actually we’ve noticed that setting Key Repeat Rate to Off prevent the special symbols menu from appearing!

Apple seems to have really made macOS Ventura as iOS-like as possible. Instead of repeating a key when you press and hold it, it brings up special symbols and accents, by default.

To revert to the old-style proceed as follows:

• 1. Open Terminal app with the help of Spotlight Search (command + spacebar)
• 2. Copy & paste the following command:
  defaults write -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false
• 3. Press Return key to execute.
• 4. Restart Mac.



Fact: Key repeat should work now. If you want to return to the symbols and accents setting use the same code and replace ‘false’ with ‘true’. (Thanks invictation for the workaround.)

Have you managed to fix key repeat not working on Mac after macOS Ventura update? Do you have a better solution or other problems to report? Share your feedback in the comments.

Related: For more macOS 13.0.1 problems and their available workarounds check our detailed review.