Is this refurbished MacBook safe to buy?
Enter the details from a UK listing. You'll get the risks that matter: whether it still gets macOS updates, Apple's own support status, battery wear, and what the law gives you if it goes wrong. No sign-up, no tracking, no affiliate links.
Always do these before paying
- Activation Lock. On Apple silicon Macs and Intel Macs with the T2 chip, a Mac still linked to someone's Apple Account can't be erased or set up without their password. Ask the seller to sign out of iCloud and turn off Find My in front of you, or confirm that the Mac reaches the Setup Assistant after a full erase. Apple: Activation Lock for Mac
- Device management (MDM). Ex-company Macs can stay enrolled in their old employer's management, even after a wipe. Look in System Settings → General → Device Management, or run
profiles status -type enrollmentin Terminal. If it's managed by an organisation, walk away. (Community-documented check. Apple doesn't publish buyer guidance for this.) - Battery. System Settings → Battery → Battery Health shows the condition, and System Information → Power shows the cycle count. Modern MacBooks are rated for 1000 cycles. Apple: cycle counts
- Exact model. Use About This Mac, not the listing title. Year and chip decide which updates you get.
Which MacBooks still get macOS updates?
macOS 27 runs only on Macs with Apple silicon (M-series MacBooks from 2020, plus the MacBook Neo). apple.com/uk/macos. macOS Tahoe 26 was the last release for any Intel Mac, and it supports only two Intel MacBooks: the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) and the 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, four Thunderbolt 3 ports). Apple: Tahoe compatibility. Apple announced at WWDC 2025 that Tahoe would be the last Intel release (report).
In short: Of the 24 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro model groups from 2016 onwards in the table below, 12 run macOS 27, 2 stop at macOS Tahoe 26, and 10 can run neither. 8 of those 10 are on Apple's vintage or obsolete list. The two exceptions are the 13-inch MacBook Air (2017) and the 13-inch 2020 Intel MacBook Pro with two Thunderbolt 3 ports. Neither can run current or previous macOS, yet Apple lists neither as vintage or obsolete, so their support status is easy to misjudge from the listing alone.
| Model | Latest macOS | Apple status (9 Oct 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13 or 15-inch M5 | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air M4 (2025) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air M3 (2024) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air 15-inch M2 (2023) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air M2 (2022) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air M1 (2020) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Air Retina 13-inch (2020, Intel) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Vintage | |
| MacBook Air Retina 13-inch (2019) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Vintage | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Air Retina 13-inch (2018) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Obsolete | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Air 13-inch (2017, Intel) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Not on the vintage or obsolete list | |
| MacBook Pro 14-inch M5, or 14/16-inch M5 Pro/Max | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 14/16-inch M4 family (2024) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 14/16-inch M2 Pro/Max or M3 family (2023) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 13-inch M2 (2022) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 14/16-inch M1 Pro/Max (2021) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 (2020) | macOS 27 (current) | Not vintage or obsolete | |
| MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, Intel, four Thunderbolt 3 ports) | macOS Tahoe 26 (last for Intel) | Not on the vintage or obsolete list | |
| MacBook Pro 13-inch (2020, Intel, two Thunderbolt 3 ports) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Not on the vintage or obsolete list | |
| MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019) | macOS Tahoe 26 (last for Intel) | Not on the vintage or obsolete list | |
| MacBook Pro 15-inch (2019) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Vintage | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Pro 13-inch (2019) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Vintage | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Pro 13 or 15-inch (2018) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Obsolete | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Pro 13 or 15-inch (2017) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Obsolete | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
| MacBook Pro 13 or 15-inch (2016) | Older than Tahoe 26 | Obsolete | Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended |
Your rights in the UK
| From a business | From a private seller | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Must be of satisfactory quality, allowing for the price, age and description. Faults pointed out before you bought don't count. CRA 2015 s.9 | Must only be "as described". The seller doesn't have to tell you about faults. Which? |
| Faulty in the first 30 days | Full refund (short-term right to reject). s.22 | No automatic right |
| Faulty in the first 6 months | Presumed to have been faulty when delivered, unless the seller proves otherwise (applies to repair, replacement and later refund claims). s.19 | No |
| Changed your mind (online) | Cancel up to 14 days after delivery. Consumer Contracts Regulations | No |
Second-hand goods, including refurbished ones, still carry these rights when bought from a business. Citizens Advice. A warranty is extra to these rights. It doesn't replace them.
Common UK refurbisher warranties
| Seller | Standard warranty |
|---|---|
| Apple Certified Refurbished | 1 year (AppleCare can be added). Apple. Apple's "new battery and outer shell" promise is for refurbished iOS devices, not Macs. |
| CeX | 5 years (since 1 Nov 2024; older articles still say 24 months). CeX |
| Amazon Renewed | Renewed Guarantee, 1 year. Amazon |
| Envirofone | 12 months. Envirofone |
| Back Market | 1-year commercial warranty from the seller, plus 30 days to return. Back Market |
| musicMagpie | 12 months on tech bought from the musicMagpie Store. musicMagpie |
About this page
Made by an independent research resource published on chrishayuk.com. Independent, with no payments from any seller. Every claim links to its source and was checked on the date at the top.