Apple Offering Free Repairs for Mysterious 'Power' Issue in 2018 Macbook Air

If you're having problems with your MacBook Air, you might be able to get it fixed for free. A critical issue in a "very small number" of 2018 MacBook Air laptops (that's the newest model) has led Apple to offer free logic board replacements in affected notebooks. 

An internal document from the company, first reported 9to5Mac, states that a flaw in the main logic board of 2018 Retina, 13-inch MacBook Air models with certain serial numbers causes an issue with "power." The memo doesn't go into further detail, so the specific problem remains a mystery. As 9to5Mac notes, a Google search shows some owners complaining that their MacBook Airs won't power up at all, though we can't confirm if that's what Apple is addressing with the free repairs. 

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Whatever specific problem MacBook Air owners are facing, it's serious enough for Apple to send an email to affected customers warning them of the issue and offering ways to get their product repaired.  If you own the new MacBook Air, you can get it replaced at an Apple Store or by authorized repair staff without paying a penny. The offer will last for four years, so you have plenty of time to get the fixes done.

Apple has not officially announced the MacBook Air flaw or the repair program nor is it listed on the company's "Exchange and Repair Extension Programs," where these types of services are typically (but not always) posted. 

Apple has long held a strong track record for the reliability of its products, especially MacBooks. However, the company has run into several issues lately, most notably those with the Butterfly-switch keyboards it employs on every new MacBook. Customer uproar caused by defective keys forced Apple to introduce a repair program similar to this one. Most recently, Apple recalled 460,000 MacBook Pros for a battery issue that caused overheating. Let's hope Apple is only going through a rough patch, and that its future products don't ship with so many critical flaws. 

Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.