Apple MacBook Butterfly Keyboard Settlement: Payouts and Status

Who qualifies

• The settlement class was every person and entity in the United States that bought — not for resale — one of 16 butterfly-keyboard Apple laptops: MacBook (Retina, 12-inch) Early 2015, Early 2016 and 2017; MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch) 2018 and 2019; MacBook Pro 13-inch 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Two and Four Thunderbolt 3 Port versions); and MacBook Pro 15-inch 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
• Owning a covered MacBook was not enough on its own. Payment required a qualifying keyboard repair from Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider within four years of purchase — either a topcase replacement (the whole keyboard module) or a keycap replacement.
• Group 1 — at least two topcase replacements within four years of purchase. These class members were identified from Apple's own repair records and paid automatically without filing anything, at an estimated $300 to $395.
• Group 2 — a single topcase replacement, where the class member declared the repair did not resolve the keyboard problems. A claim form was required; estimated payment up to $125.
• Group 3 — one or more keycap replacements that did not resolve the problems. A claim form was required; estimated payment up to $50.
• Excluded: Apple's own directors, officers and employees, entities Apple controls, its legal representatives and successors, members of the court, and anyone who submitted a valid request to be excluded.

Where the money went — and what you can still do

1. 1

   Claims closed in March 2023

   The claim filing deadline was March 6, 2023, and more than 86,000 claims were submitted. There is no way to file a late claim, and no claim form remains on the official settlement website. Any site currently offering to file a MacBook keyboard claim for you is not legitimate.

2. 2

   First payments: August 2024

   Final approval came in May 2023, but distribution waited on the court's payment order of June 27, 2024. Checks and electronic payments began reaching class members in early August 2024. Group 1 members received theirs automatically; Groups 2 and 3 were paid on their approved claims.

3. 3

   Second payment: February 23, 2026

   Because funds were left after the first round, the court signed an order on January 20, 2026 approving distribution of the remaining money, and an additional payment was sent on or about February 23, 2026. Only class members who successfully negotiated — cashed or deposited — their initial payment were entitled to the second one. The deadline to request a reissue of a residual payment has passed.

4. 4

   If your keyboard is still failing

   Apple's Keyboard Service Program for Mac notebooks covered eligible models for four years from the original purchase date. Because the newest covered models were sold in 2019, that four-year window has now closed for every laptop in this settlement. A paid repair, a third-party repair, or trade-in are the remaining options; the settlement released the legal claims for anyone who took a payment.

5. 5

   Don't miss the next payout

   This settlement paid up to $395 per person, and it paid twice — but only to people who knew it existed and cashed the first check. ClaimBee tracks open and closed settlements, watches deadlines for you, scans your email for the notices you have already received, and fills the claim forms in so a payout like this one never quietly expires.

Frequently asked questions