Q&A: Replacing a Sealed MacBook Pro Battery

Q.

I have a MacBook Pro laptop with one of those batteries you can’t remove and replace. The battery is starting to conk out and I don’t live near an Apple Store, so what is the easiest way to get it replaced?

A.

If you do not live near one of Apple’s retail stores with its Genius Bar diagnostic and repair services, your Apple-approved options include finding an Apple-authorized repair shop to handle the job. You may also be able to send the laptop to Apple’s service depot for battery replacement, but the job could take several days.

For laptops still under the one-year warranty, Apple covers the cost of replacing a defective battery. If the warranty period for the MacBook Pro has passed, it costs between $129 and $199 to get the sealed battery replaced, depending on the model.

More daring options for battery replacement include trying to find a third-party service to handle it or trying the job yourself — although these methods could risk the health of the computer if not done properly. (Cracking open the laptop’s case and messing around with the innards will most likely violate any warranty you may have left as well.) Still, if you want to know what is involved with the do-it-yourself route, the repair site iFixit has online guides and videos that demonstrate the MacBook Pro battery-replacement procedure.