MacBook Owners With Faulty Butterfly Keyboards Begin Receiving Payouts

Apple customers who were affected by Apple’s flawed MacBook butterfly keyboard design have begun receiving settlement funds, two years after Apple paid $50 million to settle a class action lawsuit.

Emails about the lawsuit were sent out in December 2022 to MacBook owners eligible for a payment. In June 2024, the court issued a payment order, with payments set to be issued for approved claims by August 2024.

MacBook owners who had at least two topcase replacements from Apple within four years of purchase will receive a maximum of $395, while customers who had one topcase repair will receive up to $125. Those who had keycap replacements are eligible for up to $50.

Apple used butterfly keyboards in Macs from 2015 to 2019. Although the design was updated several times during this period, the butterfly mechanism was known for its susceptibility to failure. Thousands of customers experienced issues such as repeating keys, sticking keys, and complete keyboard failures, often due to crumbs, dust, and other debris.

In response, Apple launched a repair program in June 2018, covering the MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models manufactured from 2015 onward. However, this program only covered devices for four years after purchase. Additionally, because faulty butterfly keyboards were replaced with the same butterfly mechanism, no permanent fix was provided.

Due to the widespread failure of the butterfly keyboard, Apple eventually switched back to the more reliable scissor switch mechanism. Since late 2019, all new Macs have featured scissor switch keyboards, which are more durable and better able to withstand everyday wear and tear.