Apple Launches New MacBook Keyboard, Expands Service Program

The MacBook Pro’s most controversial issue may finally have a fix.

Credit: Laptop Mag

Apple says that it is introducing a new keyboard with its new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and 15-inch MacBook Pro that should reduce issues users have had, such as entering characters twice accidentally or key presses not registering. The improved models are available today.

According to Apple, the company made a change to the material in the mechanism to make the Butterfly keyboard more reliable, but it wouldn’t provide further details.

The other big news around Apple’s keyboards is that the company is expanding its Keyboard Service Program. All MacBooks with Butterfly keyboards will be part of the program, whether the product is in or out of warranty.

Last but not least, Apple says that it is taking steps to reduce the amount of time it takes for MacBook Butterfly keyboards to be repaired, and that MacBooks and MacBook Pros being serviced will get the same improved keyboards found in the new MacBook Pros.

Some MacBook Pro owners have complained that the service times could be 3 to 4 days or longer. Apple did not give an exact time frame for the repairs going forward, saying only that it is rolling out the new keyboard to repair centers around the world.

Apple will be making more details available on its Keyboard Service Program page for MacBooks and MacBook Pros.

Overall, this seems like a big step in the right direction for MacBook owners and would-be buyers. The new keyboard won’t give users more key travel, which we have been hoping for, but the design should prove to be more reliable.

We look forward to putting the new MacBook Pros to the test and report on our findings.

Mark Spoonauer
Editor-in-Chief
Responsible for the editorial vision for Laptopmag.com, Mark Spoonauer has been Editor in Chief of LAPTOP since 2003 and has covered technology for nearly 15 years. Mark speaks at key tech industry events and makes regular media appearances on CNBC, Fox and CNN. Mark was previously reviews editor at Mobile Computing, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc.
Latest in Macbooks
The unbelievably compact form of the Mac Mini M4, seen in this animated GIF that shows how heat dissapates through its body, is made possible by the power-efficient performance of Apple silicon combined with an all-new innovative thermal architecture.
The Mac Mini desktop PC is the hipster's choice for best PC. And it's on sale.
Close up of the fingerprint sensor on the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4 with a finger hovering above it.
We gave the Apple M4 MacBook Air a rare 5 stars. And it's on sale now.
M3 MacBook Air deal against blue gradient background
Shocking Amazon Big Spring Sale alternative takes $400 off the M3 MacBook Air with 24GB of RAM
Sky blue M4 MacBook with Apple Card Plus logo, Amazon Big Spring Sale logo and epic deals sticker.
Amazon Big Spring Sale knocks up to $450 off MacBooks, here are 7 deals I like and recommend
Three Apple M3 chips floating in the air
The M3 gamble: How Apple's bet shaped its silicon future
The HP Victus 16 (S100) with lid open on a wood table
HP Victus 16 (S100) review: A stellar gaming laptop for the price with only one flaw
Latest in News
A close-up of a light-colored computer keyboard shows the keys T, Y, G, and H replaced by the logos of OpenAI, DeepSeek, Grok, and Gemini, the leading competitors in the artificial intelligence market. This serves as a visual metaphor for the intense rivalry and innovation in the AI industry. (Photo by Matteo Della Torre/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Is generative AI inadvertently reducing the voices of many to the banality of one?
WWDC 2025 could mark the beginning of the end for certain iPhone users
Error when installing Google Chrome on the Asus Vivobook 16 Flip, on a white desk against a blue background.
"This app can't run on your PC": Google's Chrome Installer broke on Windows, but there's a fix
Nintendo Switch 2 handheld gaming console
Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date: It might be a lot closer than you think, say tipsters
Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition, 2024)
Windows-on-Arm woes: Amazon warns customers about Surface laptop returns
Apple Watch Series 8
Siri is the biggest obstacle to making the Apple Watch an AI hit