Apple on Tuesday released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 to address a bug that prevented batteries in some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models from charging past 1%.
According to a new support article published on Apple’s website, a very small number of customers with 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro computers have experienced an issue with the battery not charging past 1%. The company announced that it will reportedly replace the batteries of such affected MacBook Pro units for free.
The battery health status on these devices will also indicate “Service Recommended” within the battery menu when users will be running the said macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 or later or even the latest macOS Catalina 10.15.7 supplemental update.
“If the status indicates that your battery is Normal, your battery is not affected by this issue,” the support article reads. “If your 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro exhibits these behaviors, contact Apple to get your battery replaced, free of charge. Your computer will be examined prior to service to verify that it is eligible for the free battery replacement.”
The following 2016/2017 MacBook Pro models affected by the issue:
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)
To determine if your battery needs service, check the battery health:
- In macOS Big Sur, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Battery, select Battery in the sidebar, then click Battery Health.
- In macOS Catalina or earlier, hold the Option key and click the battery icon in the menu bar to reveal the battery status menu.
Apple says installing macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 or later, or the macOS Catalina 10.15.7 supplemental update should resolve the charging problem. To check for updates, you need to go to the Apple menu, select System Preferences and then click Software Update.
