# How to Lock the Keyboard for Cleaning on Mac

Updated: November 12, 2026

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URL: https://sindresorhus.com/guides/lock-keyboard-cleaning-mac

Click [Supercharge](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge) in the menu bar, and choose “Cleaning Mode”. The keyboard, the trackpad, and the mouse are disabled, and the screen is black. To stop, press Command six times. Without an app, shut down the Mac.

## With Supercharge

1. Open [Supercharge](https://sindresorhus.com/supercharge), and give it the access that it asks for in [“Device Control and Data Access”](https://sindresorhus.com/apps/faq#device-control-access).
1. Click its icon in the menu bar, and choose “Cleaning Mode”. The screen becomes black, and the keyboard, the trackpad, and the mouse stop working.
1. Clean the keyboard, the trackpad, and the screen.
1. To stop, press Command six times. Press the key quickly, with less than 2 seconds between the presses.

To start it with a keyboard shortcut, open the Supercharge settings, click “Shortcuts”, and set a shortcut for “Start cleaning mode”.

- “Cat Mode”, in the same menu, also turns off the keyboard and the mouse, but does not make the screen black. It is for a cat that walks on the keyboard.
- Cleaning Mode cannot block the power button, so do not press it while you clean. On some Macs, the Caps Lock light can still turn on.
- When a password field uses Secure Keyboard Entry, Supercharge cannot see your key presses, so it does not start, and tells you which app has it on.

## Without an app

Apple says to shut down a MacBook, and to disconnect the power adapter, before you clean it. Use a soft, lint-free cloth that is a little wet, and do not spray liquid on the Mac. [Apple’s instructions.](https://support.apple.com/103258)

A MacBook with Apple silicon turns on when you open its lid or connect the power, and you can also turn it on with its keyboard or trackpad. So cleaning the keys can start it again. Cleaning Mode is easier when you only want to wipe off dust and fingerprints.