macbook air 13 20121Apple today released MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1 for the mid–2012 MacBook Air. The update tests the flash storage drives in these models to look for an issue that "may result in data loss" for 64 and 128GB models.

In most cases, the update merely installs new firmware, but in some cases Apple will replace the drive free of cost.

This firmware update is recommended for MacBook Air (mid 2012) models.

Apple has discovered that a small percentage of flash storage drives in these MacBook Air models have an issue that may result in data loss. This update tests your drive and, in the majority of cases, installs new firmware to resolve the issue. If your drive cannot be updated, Apple will replace it, free of charge.

The firmware update should be available on the Mac App Store for mid–2012 MacBook Airs and can also be downloaded from the Apple Support site.

Update: Apple has also initiated a Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program, which details how to get a faulty drive replaced. Users with an affected MacBook Air will be directed to the page after installing the firmware update.

Top Rated Comments

Zellio Avatar
151 months ago
People always have problems with the displays, ssd's, etc, that aren't made by samsung..
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thundersteele Avatar
151 months ago
I would expect that something as important as a SSD replacement program is worth a front page post, and not just a Mac Blog.

Anyways, it's of course bad that faulty hardware has been used, but it is good to see that Apple is taking care of it, even outside of AppleCare.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
151 months ago
Samsung must've screwed Apple with some of their flawed SSDs... :)

I should save this message to quote it if I ever see you post "Haters gonna hate"... (not that I will ever check)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnoxHarrington Avatar
151 months ago
Update installed successfully.. Scared me for a second, it restarted like 4 times and on the final restart it hung and I had to hit the power button.

Same behavior for me, but once I hit the power button it started up and told me the firmware update had been successfully applied. I wonder if it just shuts it down instead of doing a restart at the end? If so, it would be nice to get some warning in advance. That was quite a nerve-wracking minute or so.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tey112 Avatar
151 months ago
So do I get a refund for the drive I had to pay to replace now?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThE.MeSsEnGeR Avatar
151 months ago
seriously.... this comes now?! just a couple weeks ago, exactly a few days after the 1-year warranty ended on my MBA, my SSD just died on me, and since I live in Lebanon and Apple refuses to have an official Apple Store here, Apple-related prices are sky high. So I had to pay $500+ for a replacement (mind you, I went for the 512GB once and for all). but still... :mad:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Battery Capacity and Weight Allegedly Revealed

Monday May 19, 2025 2:22 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air later this year, and while there have been plenty of rumors about the camera's overall design and thinness, we haven't heard any details about the device's weight and battery capacity until now. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean-langauge Naver blog, the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air has a weight ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Report: Apple's Next-Gen Version of Siri Is 'On Par' With ChatGPT

Monday May 19, 2025 9:00 am PDT by
Apple has big plans to improve Siri over the next few years, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett report. Some Apple executives are now reportedly pushing to turn Siri into a true ChatGPT competitor. A next-generation, chatbot version of Siri has reportedly made significant progress during testing over the past six months; some executives allegedly now see it as "on par" with recent...
iOS 18 Siri Personal Context

Apple Will Reportedly Be More Cautious About Announcing New Features Well in Advance

Sunday May 18, 2025 2:50 pm PDT by
Apple plans to mostly stop announcing new features more than a few months before they are ready to launch, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Drake Bennett. The pair of reporters revealed this noteworthy tidbit towards the bottom of a lengthy report about Apple's artificial intelligence shortcomings today. This alleged change in strategy comes after Apple was forced to delay its more...
WWDC 2025 Banner

Apple Announces WWDC 2025 Schedule, Including Keynote Time

Tuesday May 20, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced a more detailed schedule for its annual developers conference WWDC, which runs from June 9 through June 13. The schedule confirms that Apple's keynote will begin on Monday, June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with a live stream to be available on Apple.com, in the Apple TV app, and on YouTube. During the keynote, Apple is expected to announce iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16,...