Apple offers battery replacement for 2016, 2017 MacBook Pros

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The new MacBook Pro: Specs compared
The new MacBook Pro: Specs compared (Image credit: iMore)

What you need to know

  • Apple is offering a free battery replacement for some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models.
  • A small number of customers have issues with charging the battery past one percent.
  • Apple also released an update to macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina to fix the issue for most.

Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 today that fixes a charging issue for some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros. The support document details that, for affected models, the battery would not charge past one percent. In addition to the bug fix, Apple is also replacing the batteries of MacBook Pros that still persist with battery issues.

The company says that the issue only affects a small number of MacBook Pro models from 2016 and 2017, and those affected will be unable to get the battery charged higher than one percent. The company says that installing macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 or the macOS Catalina 10.15.7 supplemental update should fix the issue for most customers.

However, for those who continue to experience the problem, Apple is offering to replace the battery for the MacBook Pro free of charge. The company says that the models who need battery replacement will display a battery health status of "Service Recommended."

The battery health status on these devices will also indicate "Service Recommended." If the status indicates that your battery is Normal, your battery is not affected by this issue. If your 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro exhibits these behaviors, contact Apple to get your battery replaced, free of charge. Your computer will be examined prior to service to verify that it is eligible for the free battery replacement.

The full list of MacBook Pro models affected are listed below:

  • 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)

You can read more about the issue, checking your battery health, and getting your battery replaced at Apple Support.

Joe Wituschek
Joe Wituschek
Contributor

Joe Wituschek is a Contributor at iMore. With over ten years in the technology industry, one of them being at Apple, Joe now covers the company for the website. In addition to covering breaking news, Joe also writes editorials and reviews for a range of products. He fell in love with Apple products when he got an iPod nano for Christmas almost twenty years ago. Despite being considered a "heavy" user, he has always preferred the consumer-focused products like the MacBook Air, iPad mini, and iPhone 13 mini. He will fight to the death to keep a mini iPhone in the lineup. In his free time, Joe enjoys video games, movies, photography, running, and basically everything outdoors.