Apple launched a keyboard service program for various MacBook owners with its butterfly keyboards back in June 2018. The program expanded to newer MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models last spring.
If you have one of the following MacBook models, and you are struggling with your butterfly keyboard, it’s worth looking into the repair program, which covers the following issues:
We recently had a 2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar serviced by the program, as letters would repeat unexpectedly when typing, one of the major issues experienced by owners and listed by Apple.
We initiated the repair via online chat with Apple Support. Apple mailed us a box within days to send away our MacBook Pro (easier versus dealing with an authorized service provider and no Apple Store here).
The repair is supposed to take a couple days but ours was delayed for some reason (probably due to COVID-19) and we were without our MacBook Pro for two weeks, much longer than normal. We had to contact Apple to ask what’s the deal with the delay, and had to slum it using an older MacBook Air.
But after receiving back our MacBook Pro, we can say the replacement keyboard is a significant improvement than before, as keys don’t repeat anymore and it’s much easier to type. Also, the repair also results in a brand new battery since the latter is part of the lower case and keyboard replacement, so that’s a huge bonus.
Apple says “the program covers eligible MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models for 4 years after the first retail sale of the unit.”
This means some 2016 models are reaching the end of eligibility as we approach the end of the year. I highly recommend you contact Apple if you’re dealing with any keyboard issues on the following models:
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)
Have you jumped on Apple’s keyboard service program for your MacBook?
