MacBook Air Retina 13-inch (2018): is a refurbished one safe to buy? (UK)
- macOS: Can't run macOS Tahoe 26 or macOS 27. Expect apps and security updates to drop away. Apple: Tahoe compatibility · apple.com/uk/macos
- Apple repair status (9 Oct 2026): Apple lists it as obsolete: Apple no longer services it, apart from possible battery-only repairs for up to 10 years after it was last sold, if parts allow. Otherwise third-party repair only. Apple: vintage and obsolete products
- Keyboard: Butterfly keyboard. Apple's repair programme has ended, so test every key. Apple
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.
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.