Recently, I found that the Esc key on my macOS Monterey stopped working, no matter how much I pressed it. It's more likely to be a software problem.
This article will provide you with a guide on how to solve the problem that the Escape key on macOS is not working.
Diagnosing the problem
This part will diagnose whether it's the system's problem or your Mac's keyboard's problem.
Go to keyboard tester website: https://keyboardtester.io/tester/
The Esc key will not work, otherwise, you will not come to this tutorial.
Go to Settings (Or System Preferences), then go to Accessibility, and click on Keyboard Option.
Accessibility -> Keyboard
Enable Accessibility Keyboard
Then go back to keyboard tester website: https://keyboardtester.io/tester/
Click on the Esc key on the accessibility keyboard. If the ESC works on the website, there is a problem with your Mac's keyboard. Please go to Genius Bar or a repair shop to check the keyboard.
If it doesn't work, don't panic, please continue reading this tutorial.
Solution
If the ESC key on the accessibility keyboard doesn't work, there is a bug with your macOS. You can turn the accessibility keyboard off now.
Go to Settings (System preferences) then click on Siri & Spotlight. Turn OFF Ask Siri then turn it on again.
That's it. The macOS Esc should work fine now. If not, you can try restarting the computer.
Thanks for reading. If you find this article helpful, please consider subscribing. This will help me a lot!
Want to know more about macOS Sonoma? Here is the review: https://cirnosketchbook.com/blog/macos-sonoma-review-public-beta