Will third party crack apps void my warrant?

Hi Jim0225,

You can take a look at the Legal - Hardware Warranties - Apple to see what the warranty for your MacBook entails. If you are still unsure Contact Apple Support or use this Get Support link for assistance.

Take care.

Why take a chance? Cracked apps can contain all sorts of bad things that may show up on a delayed basis. Basically by using them you're turning an aspect of your Mac's security over to an unknown actor with unknown intentions.

Apple no longer asks users for the password of any macOS user account when repairing devices. If Apple wants to check the Mac for software issues to try to resolve a software issue, then the tech will have the user unlock the Mac and the tech will do any work necessary to resolve software or configuration issues with the Mac's owner watching....this is to ensure that a tech isn't accessing or transferring any personal data except to resolve the specific issue the user needs assistance. So unless Apple is trying to resolve a software or configuration issue, it is unlikely Apple will even boot the laptop to its internal SSD during a hardware repair unless the tech performs a clean install of macOS which would destroy all existing data on the internal SSD.

Keep in mind that Apple may perform a clean install of macOS without informing the user since Apple assumes the user is keeping good backups. If a Logic Board needs replaced, then the data is gone anyway since the internal SSD is now a part of the Logic Board.

I agree with the others that using cracked apps is dangerous since those apps may be unknowingly compromised putting your data including your passwords at risk and undermining macOS security features. If you cannot afford the apps, then there are usually other legitimate lower cost options out there including some free & open source software. Perhaps they may be a bit more limited or require extra work to learn how to utilize them, but many times they will do the job just as well.

Let me repeat what I already wrote since you seemed to have overlooked it (I really should have worded the first sentence differently by adding "Apple should no longer ask....":

Apple no longer asks users for the password of any macOS user account when repairing devices.

So unless Apple is trying to resolve a software or configuration issue, it is unlikely Apple will even boot the laptop to its internal SSD during a hardware repair unless the tech performs a clean install of macOS which would destroy all existing data on the internal SSD.

This policy is to prevent users from accusing Apple techs of looking at personal information or even keeping personal information for whatever nefarious reason, plus it is to protect the user's privacy. While this is Apple's policy, some techs may or may not follow it....so you are not required to provide any passwords to Apple (nor should you do so since passwords are very personal information). Without a password, how will the tech know what is on your laptop? The 2018+ Apple laptops have the data on their internal SSDs hardware encrypted all the time, so the only way to access any data on that laptop's internal SSD is by successfully authenticating with a macOS user account....that cannot be done if Apple is never given a password.

If you feel that Apple may think the issue is due to a software issue, then Apple may have you unlock the laptop so Apple can investigate possible software issues while you are there observing them, but other than that Apple won't be able to see anything on the laptop's internal SSD if the laptop is locked. If you feel this may happen and you are concerned about those apps, then delete those apps or perform a clean install of macOS.... Apple may insist upon a clean install anyway depending on the issue being investigated since that is usually one of the first things Apple likes to do unless a hardware issue is 100% certain such as cracked screen, etc.

You can always contact the local Apple service location which you will be using to find out if they will need to unlock your laptop and make a decision based on that and your concerns.

Jim0225 wrote:

because Im only a student some of the apps I use are only needed for a day or two and buying a membership on the premium apps would be a waste for me

Then don't buy/rent the "premium apps," and don't install cracked/pirated versions.

I strongly recommend that you read the warranty terms and uninstall or replace any crack apps before turning it over to Apple. You are running pirated software.

Plus many apps offer discounts for students.