MacBook Pro 2018 sticking keyboard.
Apple's Keyboard Service Programme has ended. We replace the full top case (keyboard + battery + trackpad), 15-day warranty, 1-2 day turnaround - use the quote form for the exact price.
Independent eligibility guide
Apple Free Repair Programs - Are You Eligible?
5.0242+ Google reviewsSince October 2004Concord Tower, Media City
Apple sometimes fixes specific defects for free, even on out-of-warranty devices. Check eligibility before paying anywhere - including us.
Are you eligible for a free Apple repair programme?
Quick answer
Apple runs free repair programmes for specific defects on certain models, each tied to a serial range or production window. The butterfly keyboard and Flexgate programmes have ended; the table below lists those still open. Check your serial before paying for repair anywhere, including here.
- Free diagnosis
- No fix, no charge
- 30-min appointment repair
- 15-day to 2-year warranty
- Walk-in, Media City
- Free loaner MacBook
- Since 2004
- 242+ five-star reviews
What are Apple Repair Programmes?
An Apple Repair Programme (sometimes called a Service Programme, Quality Programme or Exchange Programme) is Apple's quiet acknowledgement that a known manufacturing defect affected a specific model and serial range. When a programme is open, Apple - or an Apple Authorised Service Provider - repairs the affected fault at no charge to the customer, for the period Apple states on each programme page, counted from the unit's first retail sale, regardless of the standard 1-year warranty or AppleCare+ coverage.
Programmes do not cover unrelated faults, accidental damage, water damage, or work performed by third-party shops that left the device in a non-original state. They also do not extend the standard warranty - once the programme window closes, the same defect is back on you to pay for. That is precisely the gap we fill: we repair the same physical fault after Apple's coverage window expires, at independent prices, with our own written warranty of 15 days to 2 years.
We are not Apple Authorised. We list Apple's programmes here as a public service so you don't pay us - or anyone - for a repair Apple should be doing for free. When a device we diagnose falls inside an open programme, we send the customer straight to Apple Dubai Mall or Apple Mall of the Emirates.
Currently active programmes (11 October 2026)
These programmes are accepting eligible devices at Apple service points worldwide as of 11 October 2026. Eligibility is decided by serial number, not model name alone - always verify on Apple's site before travelling.
| Programme | Models | Issue | Cover lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini Service Program for No Power Issue | Mac mini (2023) with M2, made 16 Jun - 23 Nov 2024 | May no longer power on | 3 years from first retail sale |
| 15-inch MacBook Pro Battery Recall Program | MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015), sold mainly Sep 2015 - Feb 2017 | Battery may overheat - fire safety risk | Still listed by Apple; no end date |
Source: support.apple.com/exchange_repair. Re-checked 11 October 2026.
Recently ended programmes (still useful to know)
These programmes have closed but the underlying defects still turn up on devices in Dubai. Knowing the model + symptom helps us quote you accurately for an out-of-pocket repair.
| Programme | Models | Issue | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keyboard Service Programme (butterfly) | MacBook (Retina) 2015-2017, MacBook Air 2018-2019, MacBook Pro 13/15 2016-2019 | Sticking, repeating or unresponsive keys | Apple's page says it has ended (no date published) |
| "Flexgate" - 13" MacBook Pro Display Backlight | 13" MacBook Pro 2016 | Backlight stripes / Stage Light effect | Apple's page withdrawn (no date published) |
| iMac 27" 1TB Hard Drive Recall | iMac 27" (Late 2012, October 2012 - April 2013) | Drive failure | No longer on Apple's list |
How to check if your device qualifies
1. Apple's site
Go to support.apple.com/exchange_repair. Apple lists every open programme there, each with a serial-number eligibility checker.
2. Search by model
Google "[your exact model] repair program apple". Apple's pages rank first; ignore third-party blogs that may list expired programmes as active.
3. Apple Store visit
Walk into Apple Mall of the Emirates or Apple Dubai Mall with the device and a Genius Bar booking. They run the diagnostic on Apple's bench tools.
4. Bring it to us
Fill in the quote form or walk into Concord Tower Media City. We check eligibility free of charge - and tell you honestly if Apple should fix it free.
Useful Apple link: support.apple.com/exchange_repair
Why we recommend Apple first (when applicable)
- We are independent, not Apple Authorised. If Apple covers your device under a programme, that route gives you a free repair plus Apple's own warranty on the work - better value than paying us.
- Honest referral builds trust. The customers we send to Apple come back to us when their next device - or their child's, partner's, parent's - falls outside coverage. That is how we have stayed in business since 2004.
- We are here for the rest. Out-of-warranty repairs, post-programme defects, devices Apple declined for liquid damage or third-party history, board-level work Apple does not perform - that is our specialism.
- No bait-and-switch. We will not pretend a programme has expired to win the job. The eligibility check we run is the same Apple uses: serial number against the published serial range, on Apple's own published page.
What if the programme has ended?
The defect does not disappear when Apple's coverage window closes. We still repair the Mac faults these programmes covered, with a written warranty of 15 days to 2 years and same-day turnaround for most common jobs - use the quote form for today's exact price on your model.
MacBook keyboard repair
Butterfly era top-case replacement - price on request
MacBook display / Flexgate
Flex cable or full display - price on request
Background reading: Flexgate explained · MacBook keyboard repair cost guide · How our warranty of 15 days to 2 years works.
Common scenarios
13" MacBook Pro 2016 backlight stripes (Flexgate).
Apple closed its backlight programme for this model. We offer a cable-only repair or a full display, both with a 3-month warranty - use the quote form for today's exact price.
Don't pay for repairs without checking first
Bring or send your device first. Free diagnosis. We'll tell you honestly if Apple should fix it for free - even if that means we don't get the job.
Frequently asked questions
- Three quick options. (1) Visit support.apple.com/exchange_repair and enter your device's serial number. (2) Search Google for '[your model] repair program apple'. (3) Bring your device to us or send the serial through the quote form - we'll check the serial against every active and recently ended Apple programme, free of charge, and tell you honestly if Apple should fix it for free.
- No. The Keyboard Service Programme covered MacBooks for 4 years from the original purchase date, and Apple's support page for it now says it has ended. We replace the top case (which includes keyboard, battery and trackpad), with a 15-day warranty - use the quote form for today's exact price on your model.
- Apple's Display Backlight Service Programme for the 13" MacBook Pro (2016) has closed (Apple has taken its support page down). We offer two routes: (a) replace just the flex cable if the display panel is intact, or (b) a full display assembly if the panel is also damaged. Both come with a 3-month warranty - use the quote form for today's exact price on your model.
- No. We are an independent Apple repair specialist with 22 years of experience, not an AASP. That means we cannot honour Apple's warranty or in-warranty programmes ourselves - but we will tell you if Apple should fix your device for free, and we'll handle any work that falls outside Apple's coverage.
- Honesty wins long-term customers. If Apple will fix your device for free, that's the best outcome for you. We'd rather lose one job today and earn your trust for the next 10 years of repairs across your household and office. When a device we check qualifies, we send the customer straight to Apple.
- Common reasons: serial number outside the eligible range, accidental damage flagged by Apple's diagnostic, or the programme has expired. In any of those cases bring the device back to us - we can repair the same fault out-of-pocket with transparent pricing and a warranty of 15 days to 2 years, often the same day.
- As of 11 October 2026, Apple lists two open Mac programmes: the no-power programme for the Mac mini (2023) with M2, and the battery recall for the mid-2015 15-inch MacBook Pro. Check your serial on Apple's site, or send it through the quote form and we'll check it for you.
- Yes - this is one of our most common repair categories. If Apple's bench refused service due to liquid damage, third-party part history, or a hairline frame bend, we can usually still repair it at the component level. Free diagnosis, written quote, no-fix-no-charge if we cannot complete the repair.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
We update this page quarterly as Apple announces new programmes and old ones expire. Spotted an inaccuracy or a programme we've missed? and we'll correct it.
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