Apple No Longer Offering Butterfly Keyboard Repairs
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Apple is no longer offering free repairs for MacBook models with the infamous “butterfly keyboard,” as the repair program for those machines has officially ended.
The program was available for a wide range of MacBook models sold between 2015 and 2020, including various configurations of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. However, with the end of the repair program, it is no longer possible to get these machines repaired for free by Apple.
This will ultimately cause frustration for some users, as they will now have to go to a third-party repair shop and repair the machine at their own expense. The butterfly keyboard is widely known to have significant durability issues, with noticeable flaws appearing less than a year after its introduction.
In 2015, with the release of the 12-inch MacBook, Apple showed off a keyboard with a unique “butterfly”-style switch mechanism. Unlike the standard scissor mechanism used in previous MacBooks, the butterfly keyboard consisted of a single assembly supported by a stainless steel dome switch.
At the time, Apple CEO Phil Schiller said the new butterfly keyboard was 40 percent thinner than scissor-switch keyboards and claimed it was four times more stable. However, complaints about the keyboard soon began to pile up.
The history of the butterfly keyboard is filled with claims of durability issues
Users began to encounter problems with the new and improved keyboard even when Apple introduced the second-generation butterfly keyboard with the 2016 MacBook Pro. Common complaints included sticky and unresponsive keys, as well as unexpected characters appearing.
The problems with the butterfly keyboard were so common that Apple eventually introduced a free repair program after a class action lawsuit in 2018. The program allowed users who experienced problems with their butterfly keyboard to have it repaired for free. It was available for four years after Apple stopped selling the affected MacBooks.
Meanwhile, a related class action lawsuit was settled in July 2022. Users who replaced multiple butterfly keyboards at their own expense were eligible for a maximum payout of $395, while those who replaced one keyboard received $125. Even if only one key was replaced, users could still receive $50 from the settlement.
Payments under this agreement began arriving in August 2024. It's worth noting, however, that the agreement only applies to customers in California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, or Washington whose vehicles were repaired at their expense.
The End of the Butterfly Keyboard
While the 12-inch MacBook was eventually discontinued, the company continued to use the problematic butterfly keyboard throughout 2018 on the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. That year, Apple added a silicone membrane to reduce noise, though the iPhone maker made it clear that the move would not improve the keyboard's durability.
Apple also made some minor design changes in 2019, but they apparently did little to address the underlying issue. The butterfly keyboard lasted for a few more months after that.
In March 2019, the company acknowledged that “a small number of users” were experiencing issues with the butterfly keyboard and apologized. The butterfly keyboard was discontinued in October of that year with the release of the updated 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Eligibility for a Free Butterfly Keyboard Repair
While Apple had a repair program, the company did not automatically replace fully functional keyboards. Only users who had genuine problems with their keyboards were eligible for a free repair.
Apple offered to repair keyboards with butterfly mechanisms until November 2024.
Specifically, this included the following issues:
- Letters or symbols that did not appear when pressed
- Letters or symbols that repeated unexpectedly
- A key or keys felt “sticky” or did not respond consistently
Apple was required to repair the keyboards on all 2015–2017 12-inch MacBooks, the 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air models, and various 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models announced between 2016 and 2019.
Some 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro models were still available brand new until November 2020, meaning the repair program didn’t end until November 2024. This was the last MacBook with the problematic butterfly keyboard mechanism, as newer models have reverted to the tried-and-true scissor mechanism with the Magic Keyboard.
All of the affected machines were Intel-based, and Apple doesn’t appear to have any plans to bring back the butterfly keyboard anytime soon. In October 2024, Apple announced a new MacBook Pro featuring the latest M4 chip that powers Apple Intelligence. Unsurprisingly, this model uses a standard scissor keyboard.
Since Apple ditched the butterfly mechanism, there have been no major user complaints about the reliability of the keyboard. Users of older MacBook models may still experience keyboard issues, but Apple is no longer required to provide free repairs.
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