Apple does not offer repairs for the Butterfly keyboard.
Apple no longer offers free repairs for certain MacBook models featuring the problematic “butterfly” keyboards, as the repair program for these devices has officially come to a close.
This system was compatible with various MacBook models released between 2015 and 2020, including distinct MacBook Air and MacBook Pro configurations. After the Restore program’s conclusion, it’s no longer feasible to have these devices serviced at no cost by Apple.
It’s likely to infuriate certain clients, who’ll be forced to seek assistance from independent repair services, incurring additional expenses to get their device restored. While the butterfly keyboard design gained widespread attention upon its launch, it has since been marred by concerns over its structural integrity, with significant problems emerging within just 12 months of its debut.
In 2015, following the release of the , Apple unveiled a revolutionary keyboard featuring a groundbreaking butterfly-style switching mechanism. Unlike traditional scissor-switch mechanisms found in earlier MacBook keyboards, the butterfly design employed a solitary pivot point anchored by a stainless steel dome spring.
At the time, Apple’s government mentioned that the brand-new butterfly keyboard was a staggering 40% thinner than its predecessors with the scissor mechanism, while also acknowledging that it boasted four times greater stability. Despite initial enthusiasm, complaints about the keyboard began to accumulate rapidly nonetheless.
The history of the butterfly keyboard has been marred by allegations of durability concerns.
As customers started exploring the new-and-improved keyboard, a significant event coincided – Apple’s unveiling of its second-generation butterfly keyboard in 2016. Frequent grievances centred on keyboards with sticky and uncooperative keys, alongside the recurring issue of unwanted character appearances.
So pervasive was the problem with the butterfly keyboard that Apple eventually introduced a free restore program after facing intense criticism in 2018. The Butterfly Keyboard Repair Program enabled customers to receive free repairs on their keyboards if they had accumulated sufficient skill points. The security update remained available for download and installation on affected MacBooks for approximately four years following Apple’s discontinuation of support for these devices.
Meanwhile, a related class-action lawsuit was filed in July 2022. Customers who voluntarily replaced their butterfly keyboards at their own expense were eligible to receive a maximum reimbursement of $395, while those who replaced only one keyboard could receive up to $125. When a solitary keycap was replaced, customers were eligible to receive $50 as part of the settlement.
The funds will be allocated to this settlement by August 2024. Only customers residing in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, or Washington whose machines were repaired at their own expense are eligible for coverage under this settlement.
What’s hidden beneath the fluttering keys?
Although the 12-inch MacBook was eventually discontinued, Apple persisted in deploying the problematic butterfly keyboard throughout 2018 on both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Twelve months in a row, Apple introduced updates aimed at reducing noise around the keyboards, but despite these efforts, the manufacturer failed to significantly improve their durability.
Apple undertook certain efforts in 2019, yet appeared to make limited progress addressing the fundamental issue at hand. The Butterfly keyboard garnered significant attention for an additional couple of months following that.
In March 2019, after experiencing issues with the butterfly keyboard from a limited number of customers, the company took the step of issuing an official apology. The Butterfly keyboard was subsequently discontinued in October of the same year, coinciding with the release of a significantly updated version.
Butterfly keyboard free restore eligibility
Despite having a repair program in place, Apple still didn’t automatically replace functional keyboards. Only customers who experienced significant issues with their keyboards were eligible for a complimentary repair.
Especially, this included the next issues:
Apple was compelled to refurbish the keyboards on all 2015-era 12-inch MacBooks, as well as 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air iterations, and various 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models released between 2016 and 2019.
Fashion trends from 2019 remained relevant until November 2020, implying that their influence only came to a close in November 2024. The last MacBook to feature a keyboard with the flawed butterfly mechanism was this particular model, which marked a departure from the industry-standard scissor mechanism adopted in subsequent designs.
All affected machines were previously Intel-based, but with no indication from Apple that they intend to revive the butterfly keyboard in the near future. In October 2024, Apple unveiled its latest MacBook Pro model, featuring the cutting-edge M2 Pro chip, which significantly enhances. Not surprisingly, this mannequin employs a conventional scissor-mechanism keyboard design.
Since Apple abandoned the butterfly mechanism, there haven’t been any significant customer complaints regarding keyboard reliability. Although customers with older MacBook models may experience issues with their keyboards, Apple is under no obligation to provide free repairs.
