PEBKAC

What Does PEBKAC Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

PEBKAC means "Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair."

More Observations...

PEBKAC is another way of saying "human error." It is typically used by IT professionals to declare that the software and hardware are all working fine, but the operator (i.e., the user) is a fool.

Image for PEBKAC

When I write PEBKAC, I mean this:

PEBKAC means "human error."

Summary of Key Points

"Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair" is, by far, the most common meaning for PEBKAC when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

PEBKAC
Definition:	Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of PEBKAC in Sentences

Here are examples of PEBKAC in conversations:

• Charlie: I can't get my PC to run Windows Updates.
• Jordan: PEBKAC
(In other words: "It is the user's fault. The PC is fine.")

• Charlie: The disk won't eject from the computer!
• Jordan: PEBKAC
(In other words: "It is not the disk or computer that is the problem. It is you.")

An Academic Look at PEBKAC

PEBKAC is used as a standalone declarative sentence (i.e., a statement), which translates best as "The problem exists between the keyboard and the chair." Occasionally PEBKAC is used like a noun or an adjective. For example:

• It looks like we have a PEBKAC in the newsroom. Can you go and see what they are doing wrong?
(Here, PEBKAC is a noun.)

• It's definitely a PEBKAC situation.
(Here, PEBKAC is an adjective.)

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "human error" or instead of PEBKAC.

Example of PEBKAC Used in a Text

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