Apple will repair busted keyboards on recent MacBooks and MacBook Pros for free

Back in 2016, Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro’s keyboard. It… hasn’t gone as well as they probably hoped.

Complaints of failing keys quickly started popping up. Some keys had a tendency to get stuck in place; others move freely, but simply don’t respond.

Two years and a lawsuit later, Apple is officially acknowledging the issue with a free keyboard repair program.

And if you already paid Apple to fix your keyboard? Give them a call. According to this support page, they’re planning on refunding previous repair charges.

Apple says the following models are eligible:

• 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, 2017, 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)

To get the process started, you’ll have to take your affected laptop into an authorized service provider or an Apple retail store, or mail the whole thing in. They’ll examine it to make sure that it’s actually the keyboard’s fault (read: to make sure you didn’t spill a cup of juice on it or something), then either replace the affected key or swap out the whole board. Alas, this repair isn’t often a quick one (they have to take just about everything else out of the computer first) — so expect to be without your laptop for a few days.

And before you panic that your warranty is about to expire: Apple says these keyboard repairs will be covered from four years after your original purchase date, regardless of warranty status. With design issues like this I’d hope for something a bit longer than that, but it’s a start.

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