Apple has announced that some specific versions of the 15-inch MacBook Pro are needing to have their battery replaced, and will be taken care of free of charge. 

The move came after it was discovered that some MacBook batteries were malfunctioning and overheating. 

What's happened? 

Apple discovered that some of the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro units from the mid-2015 upgrade have been suffering with overheating batteries. 

Most of these units were sold between the end of 2015 and beginning of 2017, but understandably, are something of a fire risk. 

The manufacturer has discovered which batch of models is affected, and is now offering free battery replacements to anyone with one of those models, to reduce the chance of serious damage/injury. 

Which MacBooks are included? 

As you would suspect, not all 15-inch MacBook Pro units in history are affected by this battery recall. It's only a specific range from a specific year/model. 

In this particular instance, only a batch of 15-inch Retina models from the mid 2015 hardware update are eligible for the free battery swap out. 

How to check if your MacBook Pro is affected

First off, if you haven't got a 15-inch MacBook Pro, you don't need to worry. If you do have one, click on the Apple logo in the top left corner and click "About This Mac". 

On that very first screen you'll see which MacBook you have, and you're looking for “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)”. If any of that information is different on yours, particularly the year/date at the end, your laptop isn't included. 

It's worth noting that it's not even all MacBooks from this range, you also need to check your machine's serial number. This serial number is also on that first "About This Mac" page, at the bottom of the window. 

Once you have that, go to the dedicated Apple battery replacement page, then enter your serial number into the field, and hit "submit". 

What next? 

After confirming your eligibility - presuming you do need a replacement battery - you'll need to choose a service option offered by Apple. 

These are the usual options, including: finding an Apple authorised service provider, making an appointment at your local Apple retail store, or contacting Apple Support to arrange for your laptop to be collected. 

Your options and specific instructions will follow as soon as you've hit "Submit" on your serial number and Apple has confirmed that your laptop is included in the program. 

Once you've done this, your replacement battery service will be underway, and can take up to 2 weeks to fully process and service.