Apple ends its keyboard repair program: check if it affects you before it’s too late

As of last week, this program is no longer widely available, meaning users with faulty keyboards may have to bear the cost of repairs.

What happened to butterfly keyboards?

Butterfly keyboards debuted in 2015 with the 12-inch MacBook Retina. Designed to fit into the laptop’s slim profile, this mechanism promised more stable keys and a smoother typing experience. However, problems did not take long to appear. Many users complained about keys getting stuck, unresponsive, or generating repeated characters for no reason.

The problem worsened when Apple implemented this technology in the 2016 MacBook Pro and, later, in the MacBook Air. In 2018, complaints culminated in a class-action lawsuit in the United States, accusing Apple of selling laptops with defective keyboards. In addition, a group petition on the internet, demanding solutions, gathered almost 43,000 signatures.

In June 2018, Apple launched the Keyboard Service Program, which allowed users of select MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models to repair their keyboards for free. This service covered problems such as:

• Letters or characters that were repeated unexpectedly.
• Keys that were not responding or displaying characters.
• Feeling of “sticky” keys or inconsistency in your response.

The program covered repairs over a period of up to four years after the initial purchase of the device. However, since all affected models were discontinued more than four years ago, the eligibility period has expired.

Affected models and solutions

If you have any of the following laptops, your device may have been part of the program:

• MacBook Retina (12-inch): 2015, 2016 and 2017 models.
• MacBook Air Retina (13-inch): 2018 and 2019 models.
• MacBook Pro– 13- and 15-inch versions released between 2016 and 2019, with Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Now that the program has ended, users of these models can no longer access guaranteed free repairs. However, Apple could make exceptions in specific cases if the device is still under warranty or covered by AppleCare+.

If you have a MacBook with a butterfly keyboard and are experiencing problems, here are your options:

1. Contact Apple or an authorized supplier: Although the program has ended, in some cases they may offer free repairs or discounts.
2. Explore alternative solutions– Some users have found temporary remedies, such as cleaning the keys with compressed air, although this does not always solve the root problem.
3. Consider a paid repair: If you need a definitive solution and have no other options, you could repair the keyboard at an official service center, assuming the cost.

Starting in 2019, Apple gradually abandoned the butterfly keyboard mechanism in favor of the more reliable and durable scissor keyboards. This change began with the 16-inch MacBook Pro released in November 2019 and extended to the entire laptop line with the most recent models.

The butterfly keyboard repair program represented an effort to mitigate one of the biggest design fiascos in recent Apple history. Although the service is no longer available, affected users still have options to keep their devices functional.

If you think your laptop might be affected, don’t wait. Check with Apple and act before it’s too late to find a workable solution.