New MacBook Pros Have Battery Pull Tabs for Easier Do-it-Yourself Battery Replacements, Says iFixit

iFixit has shared a teaser of its 14-inch MacBook Pro teardown, and one noteworthy detail is the inclusion of pull tabs for the battery cells, which the repair website said will allow for easier do-it-yourself battery replacements.

macbook pro battery pull tab ifixit
The four outer battery cells have easily-noticeable iPhone-like pull tabs, and once the trackpad is removed, there are cutouts in the chassis to access the pull tabs that hold the middle two battery cells in place, according to iFixit. The pull tabs are likely in the new 16-inch MacBook Pro too given it has a similar internal layout as the 14-inch model.

Since the release of the first MacBook Pro with a Retina display in 2012, the battery cells have been glued into the "top case," a large part housing the keyboard and trackpad. When an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider needs to replace the battery in these previous MacBook Pro models, they must replace the entire top case, although the customer only pays a battery service fee of $129 to $199 out of warranty. It's unclear if the pull tabs will result in a change to this procedure, but they will certainly benefit do-it-yourself repairs by making the battery cells more easily accessible.

The new MacBook Pro models launched on Tuesday after being unveiled last week. iFixit said it will be sharing its full teardown of the new MacBook Pro soon, and in the meantime, some customers have already popped theirs open, giving us a first look inside.

2018 and newer MacBook Air models are also equipped with battery pull tabs.

Related Roundup: MacBook Pro 14 & 16"
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Top Rated Comments

donster28 Avatar
33 months ago
Whoa! Talk about Apple going back to their usual setups. This is great news for people who plan to keep these for a long time.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
33 months ago
Good! As it should. I remember back in 2013, Apple had to replace the faulty battery of my 2012 retina MBP which means replacing the whole case and keyboard. Just to replace the battery! I almost could not believe it. Environmental my A
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yossi Avatar
33 months ago
I wonder if there is a pull tab for removing the notch?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stella Avatar
33 months ago
This is great. In the past, it's taken up to 5 days for my Macbook Pro battery to be replaced, which is way too long. So having user replacable battery once again is much more convenient for the owner
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FightTheFuture Avatar
33 months ago

I wonder if there is a pull tab for removing the notch?
Yes cause we all want less screen.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DaPizzaMan Avatar
33 months ago
That's a pleasant surprise.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

f 7ba5b5b668dd68b7179a599305cff6b117ef35d1

Apple Announces New iPad Pro With M4 Chip, OLED Display, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:15 am PDT by
Apple today unveiled redesigned iPad Pro models featuring the M4 chip, Ultra Retina XDR OLED displays, a nano-texture display option, and more. The new iPad Pro offers a considerably thinner design and slightly larger 11- and 13-inch display size options. The 11-inch model is 5.3mm thick and weighs less than a pound, while the 13-inch model is just 5.1mm thick and weighs a quarter pound less ...
5

Apple Event Live Blog: New iPad Pro, iPad Air, and More

Tuesday May 7, 2024 6:33 am PDT by
Apple's "Let Loose" event kicks off today at the unusual time of 7:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and we're expecting to see an iPad-focused event with new iPad Pro and iPad Air models, updated Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard accessories, and perhaps some other announcements. Apple is providing a live video stream on its website, on YouTube, and in the company's TV app across various platforms. We...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

Apple Says iOS 17.5 Coming 'Soon' With These New Features for iPhones

Monday May 6, 2024 7:33 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iOS 17.5 will be released to the public "soon," following over a month of beta testing. While the software update is relatively minor, it does have a few new features and changes, as outlined in the list below. "The new Pride Radiance watch face and iPhone and iPad wallpapers will be available soon with watchOS 10.5, iOS 17.5, and iPadOS 17.5," said Apple, in its...
f 157980180c661f30ff9611287c90241baf30faff

Apple Announces Redesigned Magic Keyboard for New iPad Pro Starting at $299

Tuesday May 7, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple at its "Let Loose" event today announced a new Magic Keyboard for the latest iPad Pro models, with a thinner, lighter design. Apple says the Magic Keyboard has been redesigned to be thinner and lighter, while maintaing the same floating design. Two colors are available that match the new iPad Pro. New features include a function row with screen brightness controls, an aluminum...
maxresdefault

Everything Announced at Today's Apple Event

Tuesday May 7, 2024 1:06 pm PDT by
Apple today held the first event of 2024, debuting new iPad Air and iPad Pro models and accompanying accessories. While the event was faster than normal and took 40 minutes, we've condensed it down even further for those who want a quick overview of everything that was announced. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've also got a full recap of all of the coverage...
iPhone 15 Colors yellow

'iPhone 17 Slim' With Smaller Display Rumored to Launch Next Year

Monday May 6, 2024 9:14 am PDT by
While the iPhone 16 series is still months away from launching, an early rumor about an all-new iPhone 17 model has now surfaced. In a research note with investment firm Haitong this week, analyst Jeff Pu said Apple is planning a so-called "iPhone 17 Slim" model that would replace the Plus model in the lineup. Pu said this model will feature around a 6.6-inch display, a slimmer design, an...