Water Damage Macbook, Should I Take To Independent Repair Shop First?

Nosotros retrieve the "Genius Bar" moniker does a disservice to everyday Apple users, scaring them away from fixing their own devices and implying only a "genius" tin troubleshoot them. But sometimes, going to the Genius Bar makes sense—particularly if your phone is still under warranty and you can get information technology fixed for free.

Furthermore, for all the flak we (and others) requite the Genius Bar, its mere existence is even so a huge step in the right direction. The vast bulk of PC and telephone manufacturers don't have easily accessible retail locations where y'all can walk in and get service—in fact, a lot of them require y'all to post your device in for warranty service. A short trip to the Apple Store is much, much easier.

And then if you're headed to the Genius Bar for some fixin', here are some tips to go along in heed.

Research the outcome earlier you become

At that place's a good chance you've already done this, but just in example: have a Google around and encounter if the problem is easily fixable at home. If your iPhone is having problem charging, for example, the charging port may simply be full of lint—catch a toothpick and try to clean it out. You'd be surprised how often people waste a trip to the Apple Shop for such a simple solution, and if you tin can save yourself an hour of hassle, yous'll feel pretty smart.

Similarly, the trouble could exist on your end—possibly your computer's "slowness" is actually a poor Wi-Fi signal degrading your cyberspace speed, or perhaps your audio is finicky because the headphones are broken. Check out our troubleshooting guides before yous go, and be sure to check for other common problems that might exist outside the Genius Bar's domain.

Plus—and this should become without proverb, but just in case—back up your data earlier you manus your phone or computer over to Apple. You lot never know when something will go wrong and you'll be left without your crucial files.

Get an date—don't attempt to walk in

One time upon a fourth dimension, you could walk up to the Genius Bar, wait a few minutes, and go quick service. Those days are long gone (if you can't tell by the throngs of people that regularly swarm Apple'southward retail stores). Longtime Apple users probably know this, simply if this is your beginning trip in a while, you should know: going to the Apple store is like going to the DMV now, and an engagement is crucial if y'all don't desire to stand effectually waiting. Caput to Apple'southward website, click the "Get Hardware Help" button at the bottom, and make an engagement for the device in question. (You can also do this from the Apple Support app.)

If you lot have multiple issues or multiple devices that crave service, brand multiple appointments back-to-back from one another. Apple tree schedules those appointments assuming they'll last 10-15 minutes each, so bringing a bunch of "merely also" problems with you is only going to slow them down—and potentially get you worse service from a rushed technician.

Familiarize yourself with AppleCare (if you lot have it)

When yous buy an Apple tree device, you get a one-year warranty with the device called AppleCare. You also have the option to purchase an extended warranty called AppleCare+, which not just adds an extra year of service just includes coverage for adventitious impairment, theft, and loss. A lot of people recall this means they'll get free repairs if they break their screen, but that'southward not how it works.

If your device has a known issue that you didn't crusade—similar the iPhone 7's No Service glitch—then AppleCare will probable give y'all the repair for free. Simply if you damage your screen, dunk the phone in h2o, or otherwise damage it accidentally, yous'll accept to pay a service fee to prepare that damage. It'll simply be a lower service fee than you would have paid without AppleCare+. So don't become enervating a free repair yous aren't entitled to.

In other cases, Apple tree may deny warranty coverage if yous've damaged the phone, fifty-fifty if that damage isn't directly related to your issue. The same goes for devices that you or a 3rd political party has repaired: Apple may decline to offer warranty coverage, even though it'due south illegal for them to exercise so. We'd encourage you lot to remind them of that fact if they try to pull a fast one.

MacBook repair resolution from the Genius Bar Photo from Unsplash

Meet if you're eligible for calm repair

If you demand service on a desktop Mac, it might be a hassle to take information technology into the store (peculiarly if nosotros're talking near i of Apple's 27" behemoths). They don't advertise it heavily on their site, but Apple really offers at-home repairs for desktop Macs if you're notwithstanding nether the AppleCare warranty. You'll need to give Apple tree a telephone call, explicate your situation, and they should be able to transfer you to a supervisor who tin set up an calm visit.

Don't be afraid to expect for help elsewhere

Back when I was in college, my mom had an consequence with her MacBook Pro: it wouldn't kicking. We troubleshooted the problem, but ultimately couldn't become the figurer to start, and so nosotros took information technology to the Genius Bar. Afterwards their own testing, they told united states the hard bulldoze was dead, it needed to be replaced, and there was nothing they could exercise to call up my mother'south data (unless she wanted to pay independent, "clean room" information recovery specialists nearly $thou). She hadn't backed upwardly—hence my advice above—so she was devastated. She almost permit them recycle her difficult bulldoze, but I told her to bring it domicile simply so I could try it with my own easily.

15 minutes and one Ubuntu live CD later, I had all of her information copied to a backup disk, with zip fuss. Just kicking, elevate, and drop—it was that like shooting fish in a barrel. If she had listened to the Genius, she would take lost everything. (Apple tree's Geniuses hate when y'all bring your tech-y friend, but in this case, information technology was clearly a boon for the customer.)

I chosen Apple Support to enquire them why the Genius didn't try something and so uncomplicated and obvious, and they basically told me that Geniuses are given specific troubleshooting steps past Apple, and many will just stick to those. Others may go above and beyond the call of duty, but that's never guaranteed.

So if the Genius Bar can't ready your trouble, don't throw your easily up in defeat—take information technology to an contained repair shop (or even a tech-savvy friend) and run into if they can do anything. You lot may be out of luck, but you never know. This is not the only time my mom'due south had an experience similar this at the Genius Bar, and she's certainly not the merely one. So like any other doctor, get a 2nd opinion first.

Be nice, but business firm

As with whatever customer service interaction, y'all'll grab more than flies with love. Despite some of Apple's shady back up practices (like the aforementioned warranty repairs they've illegally denied), at the end of the day, the Genius you're talking to is but some other person working their daily retail job. If you run in angrily demanding repairs and blaming the Genius for your problems, you're going to have a much worse experience than someone who is polite, listens carefully, and doesn't act like yous know more than them (even if you lot practise). That doesn't mean you should exist a pushover—be firm in the resolution you desire, especially if you know y'all're entitled to it—but a trivial kindness goes a long way.