Apple Ends Butterfly Keyboard Repair Program for MacBooks

[MacRumors]

Apple's free butterfly keyboard service program for select MacBooks models ended late last week, nearly six and a half years after it launched.

With the program now over, it is no longer guaranteed that customers with affected MacBook keyboards will be able to receive a free repair from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. However, exceptions could be made.

Below, we take a look back at Apple's butterfly keyboard problems that led to the program.

The Butterfly Keyboard

For much of the 2000s, MacBook keyboards had a traditional scissor switch mechanism. That changed in March 2015, when Apple released an ultra-thin 12-inch MacBook with a low-profile keyboard that used a new butterfly switch mechanism. While the keyboard fit in the 12-inch MacBook's thin enclosure, it is prone to issues, such as letters repeating unexpectedly or failing to appear when keys are pressed.

• Related: Apple's Butterfly Keyboards vs. Scissor Switch Keyboards

It was not until Apple updated the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with its second-generation butterfly keyboard in October 2016 that customers began to complain about sticky and unresponsive keys in earnest. Apple expanded the butterfly keyboard to the MacBook Air a few years later, leading to even more complaints.

The situation came to a head in May 2018, when Apple was hit with a class action lawsuit in the U.S. alleging that the company knew the butterfly keyboard was defective. An online petition about the issues that year gained nearly 43,000 signatures.

The Program

In June 2018, Apple launched a "Keyboard Service Program" worldwide after it determined that a "small percentage" of keyboards in certain MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:

• Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
• Letters or characters do not appear
• Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner

Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers had been repairing eligible MacBook keyboards, free of charge, for up to four years after the first retail sale of the affected laptop. That window is now closed, as all eligible models were discontinued more than four years ago.

The butterfly switch mechanism for a 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard (iFixit)​

The list of all models that were eligible:

• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
• MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
• MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
• MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

The Apology

In March 2019, Apple finally apologized about the keyboards.

"We are aware that a small number of users are having issues with their third-generation butterfly keyboard and for that we are sorry," an Apple spokesperson said, in a statement shared with The Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern. "The vast majority of Mac notebook customers are having a positive experience with the new keyboard."

The Fix

Starting with the 16-inch MacBook Pro in November 2019, Apple ditched the butterfly keyboard and returned to using a scissor switch mechanism. The change was extended to the MacBook Air in March 2020, and to the 13-inch MacBook Pro in May 2020, marking the end of the problematic butterfly keyboard era for the Mac. All models of MacBooks with Apple silicon chips have continued to use scissor switch keyboards.

The Settlement

In July 2022, Apple agreed to pay $50 million to settle the U.S. class action lawsuit related to the butterfly keyboard issues. Affected customers who submitted a valid claim by the March 2023 deadline received a payment of between $50 and $395.

Article Link: Apple Ends Butterfly Keyboard Repair Program for MacBooks

 

[breenmask]

butterfly keyboards were fine. only a small percentage of users experienced problems. it was simply a loud minority that cried about it.

and no, I'm not an apple apologist. butterfly keyboards felt terrible to type on. but they worked fine, functionally, for most people.

 

[chrono1081]

butterfly keyboards were fine. only a small percentage of users experienced problems. it was simply a loud minority that cried about it.

and no, I'm not an apple apologist. butterfly keyboards felt terrible to type on. but they worked fine, functionally, for most people

Exactly this. If they were as bad as the internet pretended they were we’d of surely seen issues at work but there was no reports of keyboard issues in over 100 MacBooks. These would have been first gen butterfly keyboards too.

I personally never had issues and I had the first and third gen. They were my absolute favorite keyboard.

Edit: And to be clear, I’m not saying people didn’t have issues, I’m saying they’re not as bad/widespread as the internet claims.

 

[BelgianChoklit]

While you can't deny the butterfly keyboard mechanism had lots of problems, I think it had the best typing experience I've ever had. It felt absolutely wonderful, and I never had any issue with it with my 2016 MacBook Pro, which I sold in 2020 for an M1.

 

[JPack]

Make sense. Now that the program has ended, the problem must be resolved right?

Not sure why these support programs end if the product hasn't even entered obsolete status. This is a design defect.

 

[Mactech20]

Worst product apple has ever released I would argue. I worked at a University in the IT dept at the time that the recall came out. Was taking in 2 laptops a month to Apple.

 

[CharlesShaw]

Fly away. High away. Bye bye.

 

[t0rqx]

The sole reason I never bought a Macbook for almost ten years.

 

[sw1tcher]

butterfly keyboards were fine. only a small percentage of users experienced problems. it was simply a loud minority that cried about it.

and no, I'm not an apple apologist. butterfly keyboards felt terrible to type on. but they worked fine, functionally, for most people.

Exactly this. If they were as bad as the internet pretended they were we’d of surely seen issues at work but there was no reports of keyboard issues in over 100 MacBooks. These would have been first gen butterfly keyboards too.

I personally never had issues and I had the first and third gen. They were my absolute favorite keyboard.

Edit: And to be clear, I’m not saying people didn’t have issues, I’m saying they’re not as bad/widespread as the internet claims.

They were widespread enough for Apple to launch a repair program for them and for Apple to abandon the butterfly switch design and move back to a scissor switch mechanism.

 

[sw1tcher]

The sole reason I never bought a Macbook for almost ten years.

This and Apple being stingy with how much memory they put in their machines while charging outrageous upgrade prices.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

The sole reason I never bought a Macbook for almost ten years.

What was your upgrade path? 2012 to 2021 model?

 

[azentropy]

The sole reason I never bought a Macbook for almost ten years.

Ditto. I purposely avoided the butterfly keyboard. Wasn't 10 years, but that was the primary cause for the largest gap of me not upgrading my Apple laptop(s) like ever.

 

[icanhazmac]

My 2017 was an absolute dumpster fire, the $395 didn't make up for the pain that keyboard caused me!

 

[breenmask]

They were widespread enough for Apple to launch a repair program for them

loud minority and/or perceived dissatisfaction that affected sales. it makes financial sense to spend some money on launching a repair program to ease the worry of potential customers.

and for Apple to abandon the butterfly switch design and move back to a scissor switch mechanism.

this is not proof of mechanical failure for the majority. it could simply be that people didn't like the feel.

 

[joshen]

It's a shame that it was plagued with so many problems. I actually loved the typing experience and much prefer it over any other Macbook keyboard.

 

[Stiksi]

Worst product apple has ever released I would argue. I worked at a University in the IT dept at the time that the recall came out. Was taking in 2 laptops a month to Apple.

I don’t know, the Macbook Pros had faulty gpus for five-six years, my 2011 mbp had 5 logic board switches in 2 years. The laptops always have some major flaw. Airs have been less prone to breaking than pros.

 

[breenmask]

This and Apple being stingy with how much memory they put in their machines while charging outrageous upgrade prices.

they can double the base memory and take something away or increase prices.

there is no free lunch.

 

[Timpetus]

I also loved mine, and I had (still have as backup) a 2016 15" MBP so it was the first-gen version. Only issues I had were caused by a drink being spilled (not by me) on the keyboard. It made a few of the keys sticky, but they still worked. I got a new keyboard when I had the battery replaced by Apple, and it's been flawless ever since. The screen has seen better days, as it has an area that has a slight blue tinge and some keyboard marks (I didn't realize until late that I should use a keyboard cloth). Still, it works as well as it ever did, and I do enjoy the feel of it once I adjust again from my 2021 14" MBP.

 

[gk_brown]

butterfly keyboards were fine. only a small percentage of users experienced problems.

Mine failed twice.

 

[KevinAPearson]

Great, when do we start the AirPods Max repair program please?

 

[sw1tcher]

they can double the base memory and take something away or increase prices.

there is no free lunch.

Apple didn't increase prices on the recently announced/updated Macs (e.g. base M3 MacBook Air, base M4 MacBook Pro, and base Mac mini memory doubling to 16GB), so something must've been taken away. Could you tell me what they took away?

Oh, I know. Apple took away the Apple sticker.

RIP, Apple Stickers (Kind Of)

It's the end of an era (sorta). Nearly all of Apple's devices released in 2024 do not come with Apple stickers in the box, including the...

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[karnac]

Interesting time. I wonder what else was going on during those years?

IMO this is the reason they gave Jony Ive the soft exit.

I had 3 MacBooks with those stupid keyboards. Every one of them had issues, sometimes even after repair. The repairs on my 2018 MacBook 15 inch resulted in the screen flickering on and off randomly. It was really terrible.

 

[Sirious]

The typing sound was very satisfying!

 

[eyalben]

butterfly keyboards were fine. only a small percentage of users experienced problems. it was simply a loud minority that cried about it.

and no, I'm not an apple apologist. butterfly keyboards felt terrible to type on. but they worked fine, functionally, for most people.

I had my butterfly keyboard replaced three times
And no, I didn’t eat or abused my mac, its just simply happened.

The problem was not only keyboard but the fact that Apple intentionally designed it to be unrepairable

In what world a broken key requires replacing the entire keyboard, chassis and battery?

 

[Dafaso]

Mine failed twice.

Mine actually failed thrice.