There is a chance to get free repairs even if the warranty is out. What free "official replacement plans" does Apple have?

Apple often announces some free replacement plans for devices. Unlike normal warranty repairs, the free replacement plan is mainly for devices that have some hardware problems during production, which will seriously affect the user experience. Even if your device is not under warranty, as long as it is within the time specified in Apple's free replacement plan, you can also enjoy free replacement after-sales service.

Just like the case of MacBook screen coating peeling off not long ago, Apple provided a free screen replacement plan for some MacBooks. I don’t know if you have paid attention to these "after-sales services". In this article, Xiaopi has sorted out those Apple free replacement plans that you may have missed.

iPhone 8 Logic Board Replacement Program

Because a very small number of iPhone 8 motherboards have manufacturing defects, some users' iPhones have unexpectedly restarted, frozen, or failed to boot. If your device has any of the above problems, you can enter the iPhone 8 serial number on the official website to check whether it meets the replacement criteria.

• Applicable sales areas: Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Macao SAR, New Zealand, and the United States.
• Equipment purchase time limit: September 2017 to March 2018.

Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro

A small number of MacBooks and MacBook Pros produced between 2015 and 2017 may experience unexpected duplication of input, inability to input corresponding content, and inconsistent keystrokes and feedback when using the keyboard. If your device has the above problems, you can check on the official website to see if your device is on the official replacement list.

• Repair time limit: The validity period is 4 years from the date of the first retail sale of the device (for example, if the MacBook is released in 2017, the warranty period is before 2021).
• Note: If you have had your keyboard repaired at an Apple Store for this issue, you can contact Apple for a refund for the repair you paid for.

MacBook Pro Battery Replacement Program

Some 13-inch MacBook Pros (without Touch Bar) manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 may have a product defect that may cause the MacBook's battery to swell. If your device has the above problem, you can enter the MacBook's serial number on the official website to check whether it meets the battery replacement standards.

• Repair time limit: Valid for 5 years from the date of first retail sale of the device.
• Note: If you have had your battery repaired at an Apple Store for this issue, you can contact Apple for a refund for the repairs you paid for.

iPhone 7 No Service Issue Repair Program

Because some iPhone 7 motherboard components are faulty, your device may still display No Service in the status bar even if it is in the coverage area. If your device is A1660, A1780, or A1779 and the above situation occurs, you can contact Apple for free device repair.

• Applicable sales scope: Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, and the United States.
• Repair time limit: Valid for 3 years from the date of first retail sale of the device.

iPhone 6s unexpected shutdown problem plan

Because a very small number of iPhone 6s batteries have certain defects, some users' iPhone 6s have unexpectedly shut down. If your device has the above situation, you can enter the iPhone 6s serial number on the official website to check whether it meets the replacement standards.

• Applicable sales area: Repair area may be restricted to the original country or region of purchase.
• Repair time limit: Valid for 3 years from the date of first retail sale of the device, which is before September 25, 2018.

iPhone 6 Plus iSight Camera Replacement Program

There are very few cases where the iSignt camera on the iPhone 6 Plus has a product defect that may cause the photos taken to be blurry. If your device has the above problem, you can enter the serial number of your iPhone 6 Plus on the official website to check whether it meets the iSight camera replacement standards.

• Applicable sales scope: Sold between September 2014 and January 2015
• Repair time limit: Valid for 5 years from the date of first retail sale of the device, which is before October 17, 2018.

Precautions

For Apple replacement products or related parts, you also need to pay attention to some matters:

Equipment maintenance pre-processing

Before sending your device to a Genius Bar or authorized service center for repair, be sure to check whether the device has any important data. It is recommended that you back up your device before sending it for repair. There are four ways to back up your device data:

• Back up device data via iCloud
• Make a complete backup of your device using iTunes
• Completely back up device data via Time Mechine
• Completely back up your device data with iMazing

Genius Bar Repair

If you choose to have your device serviced at a Genius Bar, you have three options for scheduling a service appointment:

• Make a reservation at the Genius Bar on the official website
• Make an appointment using the Apple Support app
• Call Apple customer service and ask customer service to help you make an appointment

During the reservation process, you need to select the time, maintenance point address, and fill in your relevant personal information. After the reservation is successful, you will receive a prompt and information about the successful reservation.

Depending on the repair situation, the inspection time will vary, but compared to inspections at authorized locations, the Genius Bar is faster and can usually be picked up on the same day.

Authorized repair point inspection

If you choose to have your device repaired at an authorized point, you can also make an appointment on the official website. But in most cases, you can directly check the authorized store information on the official website, call to ask about the free time, and then go directly.

The charging system of authorized points is different from that of Genius Bar. The fee of authorized points is "replacement spare parts fee + a small service fee", so if you choose to replace parts at an authorized repair point, there may be cases where unplanned service fees are charged.

In addition, most of the parts stocked at authorized points are allocated from the nearest Apple Store, so depending on the actual situation, users may be required to wait 1-5 days to pick up the equipment for repair.

Prepare relevant materials

Although different inspection sites and personnel have different requirements for the completeness of the user's relevant materials, it is still recommended that if you are going to inspect, you must prepare all the required materials. The specific list is as follows:

• Equipment under repair
• Purchase invoice of the equipment
• Three pack card
• Personal ID

If you can't find the invoice, you can log in to your Apple ID and go to the official website to re-download the electronic invoice; if you can't find the three-guarantee card, don't panic too much, you can go to the inspection point first. Because usually, the staff only needs to check your appointment email and ID card information.