Apple offers free battery replacement for eligible 2016-17 MacBook Pros
Specific MacBook Pro models from 2016 and 2017 were affected by an issue which wouldn't let their battery charge past one percent. Apple has now announced a program under which it will replace batteries for such 13-inch MacBook Pros free of charge. The announcement comes following the macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 update, which will also fix the issue. Here are more details.
Free replacement available for eligible devices in India as well
We have confirmation from Apple that the battery replacement program for eligible models is available in India as well. The program covers affected 13-inch MacBook Pros from 2016 and 2017 with two and four Thunderbolt 3 ports. Apple will also replace the battery on 15-inch MacBook Pros from 2016 and 2017. The company emphasizes it will verify eligibility before undertaking repairs.
Battery Health Status could help identify affected notebooks
Notably, the Battery Health Status will indicate "Service Recommended" on affected devices. For Battery Status on macOS Big Sur, choose the Apple menu > System Preferences, click Battery, select Battery in the sidebar, then click Battery Health. On notebooks running macOS Catalina or earlier, hold the Option key and click the battery icon in the menu bar. This will open the Battery Status menu.
macOS Big Sur and Catalina updates could fix battery issue
Apple released the macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 update for MacBook Pros. For notebooks running on the older macOS Catalina, Apple released a supplemental update. If a MacBook Pro doesn't charge past one percent, the updates could possibly fix the issue. To check for software updates, choose System Preferences from the Apple menu and then click Software Update.
Big Sur 11.2.1 also includes major security patch
Besides battery issues, Big Sur's 11.2.1 update also fixes a sudo bug that could allow an attacker to gain root access to a device. The bug fix is also included in the Mojave 10.14.6 update. Apple's support page advertising the free battery replacement program doesn't clarify if the issue is caused by a software bug or by laptop hardware.
