How to Trade on a MacBook in the Apple Store
Apple has been accepting trades for MacBooks for years, but only by mail. The company has finally lifted this restriction, and customers in the US and Canada can turn in their old MacBooks at local Apple Stores in exchange for a credit that can be used immediately for a new purchase (or applied to an Apple Store Gift Card).
And if your MacBook is too old to be worth anything, Apple will safely and responsibly recycle it for you.
MacBook in-person swap is only available at a few Apple Stores so far, but will soon be available elsewhere. However, even if all Apple Stores have already participated, many are temporarily closed or offer limited services due to COVID-19.
If you are looking to sell your MacBook, be sure to check which local stores are open using Apple’s online store finder and call to confirm they accept the trade. You’ll also want to brush up on what to expect when you head to the Apple Store for the foreseeable future .
If your store does not accept personal exchanges, you can still send your MacBook or other Apple devices through Apple’s online exchange program . An online guide walks you through the process and Apple provides you with all the prepaid shipping labels you need to ship your used products.
How to prepare your MacBook for sharing
Before selling your MacBook in a store, there are a few things you need to do. Most of these steps are optional, but highly recommended.
- Check the estimated cost of the exchange. It’s not necessary, but it’s nice to know what kind of credit you can look forward to before selling your laptop. You can check how much your MacBook model costs from the MacBook tab on Apple’s online exchange program . Apple’s listed trade-in values are usually accurate, but there is always a chance the estimates will not match the actual balance you receive.
- Back up important files. You are about to ditch your MacBook, so you will need to keep any important files you want to keep or transfer to your next device. You can do this using iCloud or other cloud services, or use an external USB drive.
- Protect your data. Once your personal information is copied to another location, you will want to disable these settings to ensure that your personal information is disabled and removed from the device. Plus, you can permanently erase your data and personal information by formatting your hard drive .