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How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple's Service Program

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macrumors bot
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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple has initiated a new worldwide service program offering free repairs of MacBook and MacBook models equipped with low-profile, butterfly mechanism keyboards, after the company determined that "a small percentage" of the keyboards may develop one or more of the following issues:
  • Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly
    Letters or characters do not appear
    Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner
Apple or Apple Authorized Service Providers will service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards free of charge. Apple says the process may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard.

macbook-keyboard-apple-support-800x520.jpg

The following MacBook and MacBook Pro models are eligible for the program:
  • MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015)
    MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)
    MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, 2017)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
    MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
    MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
All other MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models are not equipped with butterfly mechanism keyboards, and thus are ineligible.

To identify your MacBook or MacBook Pro model to see if it is eligible for this program, click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select About This Mac. A window should open, and in the Overview tab, the model should be listed, such as MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016).

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will examine the MacBook or MacBook Pro prior to any service to verify that it is eligible for this program. If the notebook has any damage which impairs the service, that issue will need to be repaired first, and in some cases, there may be repair fees.

Step-by-step instructions ahead...

Click here to read more...

Article Link: How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple's Service Program
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/get-free-repair-macbook-pro-keyboard-from-apple/
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mattopotamus

mattopotamus

macrumors G5
Jun 12, 2012
14,474
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How does this work for people who had to pay for an out of warranty keyboard repair in the covered macs?
 
tangfish

tangfish

macrumors 6502
Sep 12, 2014
286
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A7ibaba said:
There is no "updated keyboard". You will get a new whole bottom case depending on your macbook model with the same keyboard but functional one.
Click to expand...

I’ve had my entire top case replaced three times during a 9 month stretch. Not much confidence that the latest one won’t malfunction like the ones before it did.
 
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unobtainium

macrumors 68030
Mar 27, 2011
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A7ibaba said:
There is no "updated keyboard". You will get a new whole bottom case depending on your macbook model with the same keyboard but functional one.
Click to expand...
First of all I know they replace the entire top case (not bottom case, as you said). The part I’m interested in is the keyboard. No one has confirmed whether or not the mechanism in these repaired models will be slightly updated or not, to make them less error-prone. If the same error-prone part is used in the replacement, as I expect, then it’s a disappointing outcome.
 
duervo

duervo

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Feb 5, 2011
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dannyyankou said:
The mid 2012 non-retina? That’s the one I use.
Click to expand...

No, not the mid2012 15” unibody. The 15” with a known issue from 2012 is just the retina model.

Dunno why some people just lump in the unibody with that.
 
B

buckwheet

macrumors 6502
Mar 30, 2014
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duervo said:
No, not the mid2012 15” unibody. The 15” with a known issue from 2012 is just the retina model.

Dunno why some people just lump in the unibody with that.
Click to expand...

Nope. I had a non-retina mid-2012 15", hi-res, anti-glare. Brilliant machine... until the gpu failed. The really annoying part is that Apple never acknowledged the problem. They repaired 2011s and 2012 retinas with the problem, but I think the non-retinas were just too few in number to get the same treatment. I even had an Apple tech acknowledge, sort of off-record, that it was strange they weren't repairing mine. At that point a new logic board really didn't seem worth the money.
 
duervo

duervo

macrumors 68020
Feb 5, 2011
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buckwheet said:
Nope. I had a non-retina mid-2012 15", hi-res, anti-glare. Brilliant machine... until the gpu failed. The really annoying part is that Apple never acknowledged the problem. They repaired 2011s and 2012 retinas with the problem, but I think the non-retinas were just too few in number to get the same treatment. I even had an Apple tech acknowledge, sort of off-record, that it was strange they weren't repairing mine. At that point a new logic board really didn't seem worth the money.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but that’s not the same as people saying that the unibody 15” 2012 has a known issue that was part of Apple’s repair extension, which is what I was referring to.

Some people seem to believe that Apple’s repair extension, which was them admitting known issues with some dGPU models, included the 15” 2012 unibody systems, but it did not, and never did, include those systems.

As an aside, I personally don’t put much stock into comments from a company employee that are “off record.” It’s a standard psychological tactic to sympathize with the customer. It minimizes the risk of a confrontation. Example: “Wish I could help you ... I had one those [insert product name here] myself, and I had the same problem, but my hands are tied /sadface”

It’s similar tactic to when a sales person is trying to sell you something. “I bought one of these myself and it’s awesome.” Established a relationship with the customer on a personal level. They now have something in common, etc.
 
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buckwheet

macrumors 6502
Mar 30, 2014
448
493
duervo said:
Some people seem to believe that Apple’s repair extension, which was them admitting known issues with some dGPU models, included the 15” 2012 unibody systems, but it did not, and never did, include those systems.
Click to expand...

True, I suppose. And a shame. It should have.
 
Old Muley

Old Muley

macrumors 6502a
Jan 6, 2009
761
188
Titletown USA
Hopefully this program will continue for quite a while. Our ‘17 MBP that was purchased this past February has already been in for repairs once already. Based on what I’ve read I assume it’ll be needing repairs again in the future.
 
L

lec0rsaire

macrumors 68000
Feb 23, 2017
1,525
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All of this is great news. If something craps out on the 2016s/2017s and supplies are exhausted, there is a chance that they will replace these with a current refurbished MBP from 2020-2021 like they did for some with the early retina MBPs recently.
 
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