Is my battery removable on MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)??

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Level 1

20 points

Is my battery removable on MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)??

Hello all, I have a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012), and there is a problem with the laptop not charging when plugged in....

I have been told that I may need to reset the SMC, but the instructions say to shut down the computer, and then to hold shift/control/option keys along with the Power button, if the battery is non-removable. I cannot do this, because it just turns the power back on, and reboots the machine. So, I am wondering if my particular model has a removable battery to do this process. 😕

My issue is this, I have the machine plugged into the adaptor that came with it, but it is slowly losing charge, despite being plugged in. This device is around 2 years old, and I am not certain if it is not an age problem with the laptop, but I wanted to try every other possibility before accepting that. I use my laptop for both work, and school, and really NEED it to work properly. 😮 I truly cannot afford to go get a new computer right now, and am hopeful that it is a simple fix, like resetting something instead!!

MacBook Pro, macOS High Sierra (10.13.1), null

Posted on Dec 9, 2017 2:07 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,153 points

Dec 9, 2017 5:05 PM in response to zlloyd1

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012) - Technical Specifications

According to the article How to reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support, "Mac notebooks that have nonremovable batteries include MacBook Pro (Early 2009 and later)". However, this usually only means that the battery is not easily removable (without opening the computer). The battery can be replaced by an Apple authorised service provider.

Especially for older notebooks, it may become necessary to buy a battery from a third party. If so, it is important to get a quality product. Do not replace a battery without knowing exactly how to do it (replacement guides can often be obtained from the battery supplier, or found at sites like ifixit.com). If in doubt, let a qualified technician carry out the work.

You may want to take a look at the article About Mac notebook batteries - Apple Support for further troubleshooting.

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Answer 2

Jan Hedlund

Level 7

22,153 points

Dec 10, 2017 1:33 PM in response to zlloyd1

>I cannot hold down the power button without turning the computer back on, so the option to press the Shift>Control>Option>Power Button, to reset this is not an option for me.

Would it be correct to assume that you begin by pressing the three keys Shift, Control and Option, and then (while still holding the first three) press and hold the Power button?

>The other option says to simply remove the the battery, and then replace it, and I was hopeful that this was an option on my model.

That option is for (older) models with an externally accessible battery.

>but 98% is not fully charged correctly

The "My battery won't charge to 100%" section in the aforementioned article About Mac notebook batteries - Apple Support could perhaps be of interest to you.

If necessary, you may also want to have a closer look at the information about Apple Diagnostics and Apple Hardware Test in the same article.

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Answer 3

zlloyd1 Author

Level 1

20 points

Dec 10, 2017 4:44 AM in response to Jan Hedlund

I am trying to reset my SMC, and the instructions to do so provided do not seem to work on my laptop.... 😢

I cannot hold down the power button without turning the computer back on, so the option to press the Shift>Control>Option>Power Button, to reset this is not an option for me. The other option says to simply remove the the battery, and then replace it, and I was hopeful that this was an option on my model.

The reason for this is that after being plugged in, for a couple of days now, the percentage of charge on the battery has dropped from 99% to 98%. That is while it is plugged in, and supposed to be charging up. 😮😮

Otherwise the battery power indicator says that the 'Battery is Charged', but 98% is not fully charged correctly, and I was informed that this could be rectified by resetting the SMC on my system!!

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Answer 4

Dec 12, 2017 2:27 PM in response to zlloyd1

Macs after the aluminum unibody (about 2008) are all considered NON-Removable battery for the purposes of SMC Reset.

There are several subtle distinctions that may not be internalized on first reading:

• ONLY the keys surrounding the fn key can be used for this SMC reset process. You can not just read the key caps, it MUST be those exact keys.

• The power button is added LAST and all are held for ten seconds, then all are released. Wait a few seconds, then you may proceed to power-ON.

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,731 points

Dec 10, 2017 4:36 AM in response to zlloyd1

I would first check OWC to see if they have a replacement battery for your model. If they do then it is removable.

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Answer 6

hmenzagh

Level 1

8 points

Dec 9, 2017 2:53 PM in response to zlloyd1

I believe your battery is not removable.

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Answer 7

Dec 12, 2017 2:26 PM in response to zlloyd1

.

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