Owners of MacBook Pros with stage light-type backlight issues have up to 2022 to have the problem fixed free of charge as Apple today announced the extension of its Backlight Repair Program.
Owners of 2016 MacBook Pros with backlight issues have until 2022 to have the problem fixed. This was after Apple announced the extension of its Backlight Repair Program until 2022, or even up to February of 2023. The Cupertino tech giant's announcement increased the eligibility from the previous four years into five years after the first store sale of the MacBook Pro.
Fragile Flex Cables: The Root Of The Issue
Apple launched the Backlight Repair Program in May of 2019 after several owners complained of a 'stage light' issue on their machines. The issue involved their MacBook's backlight exhibiting a stage light-like effect. Apple's Backlight Repair Program allowed owners to have their MacBook Pros fixed by Apple technicians free of charge. The program is supposed to run for four years after purchase, but today, the Cupertino tech giant announced the extension of the Backlight Repair Program until May 20, 2022.
Apple Extends 13-Inch MacBook Pro Backlight Repair Program: Apple this week extended its worldwide 13-inch MacBook Pro Display Backlight Service Program, authorizing coverage for eligible notebooks for up to five years after the… https://t.co/35ez1sGoRa #Apple #Mac #Rumors pic.twitter.com/7JwcV0KTHs — AldoMedia, LLC.  (@AldoMedia) January 17, 2021
According to Apple, the issue of bright and dark spots appearing at the bottom of the MacBook's screen is likely due to the company's use of fragile flex cables in place of wire cables. These flex cables may wear down over time, causing some sections of the 2016 MacBook Pro's backlights to stop lighting up or break down completely.
After customers lodged complaints about the issue, Apple launched its Backlight Repair Program, set to cover machines purchased within four years from an Apple Store or authorized Apple partner. The company now extended this until 2022 or even until 2023 for some units.
A Welcome Update
The backlight problem affected a small fraction of only the 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro machines sold from October 2016 to February 2018. With Apple's Backlight Repair Program, owners can bring affected units at an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider and have their 2016 MacBook Pros fixed free of charge.
Today, with the announcement of Apple about the Backlight Repair Program extension, owners have until 2022 to have them fixed free of charge, though if technicians detect other faults that need repairs, these are subject to fees.
When Apple launched its Backlight Repair Program, the company stated some preconditions that defined which owners are eligible for the program. According to the condition, those eligible are owners who bought their 2016 MacBook Pros "four years after the first retail sale of the unit."
Recently, online news outlet MacRumors spotted an update to Apple's support page announcing the extension of the period through May 2022, or even up to February of 2023.
