PSA: Remove Any Bands or Accessories Before Shipping an Apple Watch for Repair

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In a recently updated support document, Apple has advised customers not to include any bands or accessories when mailing in their Apple Watch to the company for repair, as they apparently will not be returned upon completion of servicing.

apple watch blue band
AppleInsider spotted the new wording:

Your Apple Watch band and any other accessories that you send won't be returned, so please remove them before sending your Apple Watch in for service.

Learn how to remove your band. If you have a Link Bracelet band, remember to separate the links before you remove the band.

The support document previously said that customers "don't need" to send in their Apple Watch band or other accessories.

AppleInsider reported that Apple's prior approach was to bundle together any bands or accessories sent alongside an Apple Watch and return them when possible. It is unclear what prompted this to change.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch Series 6
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
AngerDanger
14 months ago

I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.

Exactly. I thought this was clear from the instructions. You never send in accessories
I don't know; it was a pretty tight fit, but I managed to get my strap in the box after cutting it up.

Apple didn't even send back the pieces. :(



Attachment Image
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MUrhino Avatar
MUrhino
14 months ago
I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ct2k7 Avatar
ct2k7
14 months ago
Why wouldn’t they return it?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
badatusernames Avatar
badatusernames
14 months ago

I've sent in a couple watches dating back to v2 for replacement/repair. Instructions always seemed pretty clear to send just the watch, no straps. Also kind of self-critiquing when they send the box to ship it in and it's custom made for just the watch enclosure.
Exactly. I thought this was clear from the instructions. You never send in accessories
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DestinedForTheNorth Avatar
DestinedForTheNorth
14 months ago
When I worked for Apple Retail(2012-2018) we never sent any watches out with bands. It wasn’t allowed. They aren’t repaired by Apple anyway. It’s a third party repair facility they are sent to. Pegatron Technologies is where our store in Texas sent them
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chipchen Avatar
chipchen
14 months ago

Why wouldn’t they return it?
Likely, a large percentage of "repairs" are refurbished replacements that will just be fulfilled from a different warehouse. Also, reducing extra steps in packaging, package sizes and variations, risk of loss/damage, etc. And especially for today's pandemic age, less contact with items touched by another human being (sweat and stuff on/in the bands).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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