Macbook Pro battery damaged - any way to run off of ac power adapter?

Remove the battery. If there hasn't been any other damage then you should be able to use it on AC charger, only. Note that it will run slower without the battery due to a reduction in clock speed that occurs without the battery.

jessicaegan315 wrote:

Hello,

I have a Macbook Pro purchased in 2011 (what is considered a "vintage" model now...); about six months ago something happened and the battery exploded/expanded to the point where it bent out the bottom of the laptop. There is a corner that is now open on the bottom and the battery is visible. Since then, the laptop only runs when connected to power. The light on the power adapter is always green when plugged in, the battery icon has an "x" through it, the power source says "battery" and it also says "No battery available" - I have no idea how it has continued to run, but after contacting apple and third party repair shops I have been told that there's no way to replace the battery on a machine this old. I am also worried that removing the battery or messing with it in any way will cause more damage and the laptop will no longer be functional.

Technically true that Apple won't replace the battery.

What's the screen size? If it's the 13", Apple does have the A1322 battery available, although getting them to order one when your machine is considered "vintage" is another matter. It was used up until the mid-2012 MBP that was on the market until 2016, so the whole thing about 5 years until vintage status (and discontinuation of parts) is going to take a while.

The other thing is that as a "vintage" machine, it's still possible to get a battery if the service is done in California. An Apple Store won't do it, but Apple says that an AASP might be able to perform the service.

The other thing is that while Apple doesn't consider it a DIY job, it is pretty easy to do yourself. It would require a couple of fairly simple tools - a P5 pentalobe screwdriver for the battery and a Phillips #00 screwdriver for the case. Many aftermarket batteries come in complete kits with basic versions of those screwdrivers.

MacBook Pro 15" Unibody Early 2011 Battery Replacement - iFixit