Your MacBook after a repair: check this right away

You pick up your MacBook after a repair, or it comes back by post. Great, but does everything really work again? A short check tells you straight away, and you can ask questions right then instead of days later. This article gives a practical checklist for your MacBook after a repair: what to check, how to do it and what to do if something is not right.

Blue Apple repairs MacBooks in Amsterdam. We test everything ourselves after a repair, but it is good to go over it yourself too.

At pickup

• Check that the MacBook looks the same outside: no new scratches, screws in place, bottom case closed properly.
• Ask what exactly was replaced or repaired, and keep the invoice.
• Take your charger back, if you handed it in.

The basics

1. Turning on and logging in: does it start normally and can you log in?
2. Screen: show a white and a black background. Do you see marks, lines or dead pixels? Does brightness work? See testing for dead pixels.
3. Keyboard: type every key once, including the function keys and Touch ID.
4. Trackpad: click, right-click, scroll and swipe.
5. Sound: speakers and headphone jack.
6. Camera and microphone: open Photo Booth or FaceTime.

Connections

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: connect to your network and your AirPods or mouse.
• Ports: charge via each port and try a USB device or display.
• Charging: check that the battery icon shows charging and the percentage rises.

After a battery replacement

Check battery health in System Settings, Battery. A new battery has a high maximum capacity and few cycles. Just charge it fully the first time and use it normally. See checking battery health.

After a screen replacement

Check brightness, colours, True Tone and the camera. Open and close the lid a few times and see whether the picture stays stable at every angle.

After a logic board or water damage repair

Test everything thoroughly, including things you do not use daily, such as the ports on both sides, the headphone jack and sleep. Use the MacBook normally for the first days and watch for unusual things, such as heat or restarts.

Your data

• Are your files still there? Open a few recent documents and photos.
• If the Mac was erased, restore your backup with Migration Assistant or Time Machine. See restoring from Time Machine.
• Sign in to iCloud again if asked. If you did not hand over your password, that is exactly right.

Find My and Activation Lock

Check in System Settings, your name, iCloud whether Find My Mac is still on. If it was turned off for the repair, turn it back on. See Find My Mac.

Something not right?

Contact the repairer immediately and describe as precisely as possible what you see. A photo or short video helps. If you later run into a problem that may relate to the repair, report it as soon as possible too. Also read how a repair goes in having your MacBook repaired: how it works.

What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam

We test all functions of your MacBook after every repair and are happy to go over what was done with you at pickup. More on our page about MacBook repair in Amsterdam.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my MacBook ask me to sign in to iCloud again?

After some repairs, such as a new logic board, the Mac sees itself as a new device. That is normal.

My battery drains fast on the first day. Is that bad?

After a repair macOS sometimes re-indexes. Give it a few days.

Do I need to set anything up again?

Sometimes Touch ID, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth pairings. Your files normally stay.