The recall and replacement program is free of charge

Jun 20, 2019 17:08 GMT  ·  By

Apple announced today a new battery replacement program for a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro models whose batteries may overheat and could present a safety risk for their owners.

In a press release published today, the Cupertino, California-based company announced a voluntary recall and replacement program for older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro models that may be affected by battery overheating issues and therefore pose a safety threat as they could catch fire or even explode.

The 15-inch MacBook Pro models in question were sold by Apple primarily between September 2015 and February 2017. Users can identify if their Macs are affected by the device's serial number, which is found in the About This Mac dialog via the Apple menu bar.

"Because customer safety is a top priority, Apple is asking customers to stop using affected 15-inch MacBook Pro units," said Apple. "Customers should visit apple.com/support/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall for details on product eligibility and how to have a battery replaced, free of charge."

Other 15-inch MacBook Pro units or Macs are not affected

Apple says that other 15-inch MacBook Pro models except the limited number of units sold between September 2015 and February 2017 are not affected, nor other Mac notebooks that are still supported. But if you have an older 15-inch MacBook Pro, do check to see if its eligible for the battery replacement program.

To do that, open the battery replacement program's web page linked above and enter your Mac's serial number as explained. If your Mac is eligible for the battery replacement program, you will have several options to send the faulty computer to an Apple Repair Center for service, which may take between one or two weeks.