by Jason Snell
Apple announces MacBook keyboard service program
It’s a longstanding tradition to slide out bad news on a Friday afternoon, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s Friday afternoon. Apple has announced a special program to support repairs on bad keyboards in MacBook and MacBook Pro models:
Apple has determined that a small percentage of the keyboards in certain MacBook 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 or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards, free of charge. The type of service will be determined after the keyboard is examined and may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard.
The program covers all laptops that use Apple’s new low-profile “butterfly” keyboard design, including all models of MacBook (2015, 2016, 2017), and all three MacBook Pro models (13-inch without Touch Bar, 13-inch with Touch Bar, 15-inch) released in 2016 and 2017. The program is in effect for four years after the first retail sale of the units, so if you bought a MacBook the day it went on sale in March 2015, you’re still covered through March 2019.