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Apple Launches 13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) Solid-State Drive Service Program

Apple on Friday announced the launch of a new SSD service program for 13-inch MacBook Pro models without a Touch Bar, as some 128GB and 256GB SSDs in a limited number of machines could have an issue that could result in data loss and/or failure of the drive.

Apple has determined that a limited number of 128GB and 256GB solid-state drives (SSD) used in 13-inch MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) units have an issue that may result in data loss and failure of the drive. 13-inch MacBook Pro units with affected drives were sold between June 2017 and June 2018.

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) will service affected drives, free of charge. Apple recommends having your drive serviced as soon as possible.

Apple will also send an email to customers, who registered their device with Apple, to let them know about this program.

To determine if your MacBook is eligible for the program, do the following:

First check to see which 13-inch MacBook Pro you have. Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu () in the upper-left corner of your screen. Confirm your model is “MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports).”

If you have that model, visit the announcement page and enter the Mac’s serial number to see if the machine is eligible for the program. Apple recommends the affected machines be services as soon as possible.

Your 13-inch MacBook Pro will be examined prior to service to verify that it is eligible for this program and in working order.

Prior to service, it’s important to do a full back up of your data because your drive will be erased as part of the service process.

  • A technician will run a utility to update your drive firmware which will take approximately one hour or less.
  • Your 13-inch MacBook Pro will be returned to you with macOS re-installed.
  • After service, you will need to restore your data from a backup.

If your 13-inch MacBook Pro has any damage which impairs Apple’s ability to service the drive, that issue will need to be resolved prior to service. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the repair.

Chris Hauk

Chris is a Senior Editor at Mactrast. He lives somewhere in the deep Southern part of America, and yes, he has to pump in both sunshine and the Internet.