How are Apple products getting refurbished?

Refurbished Apple products are devices that are pre-owned. They might have had a faulty part—a faulty SSD, a screen issue, a battery problem, an unresponsive keyboard—and were sent back to the manufacturer or refurbisher for repair. Or, they were a display item that is now getting prepped to go on the market.


But how do Apple products get refurbished?

  1. The device gets sent back to the manufacturer or to a refurbisher.
  2. The device's hardware and software go through a battery of tests.
  3. If any issues are found, the faulty parts go through troubleshooting
  4. If a part can be fixed, the refurbisher will do so (for instance, a loose wire on a MacBook motherboard can easily be reconnected). 
  5. If a faulty piece cannot be fixed, the refurbisher will replace it (for instance, a cracked screen systematically gets replaced with a brand-new one).
  6. Once all the parts are functional, the refurbished device is thoroughly cleaned.
  7. The device goes through yet another full set of functional tests once again. Product testing is crucial to make sure the device is ready for sale. 
  8. Only when a product passes all of these tests—just like a new device would!—can the refurbisher stamp them as refurbished and ready for sale.

RefurbMe has curate an article which details out 9 facts that you should have in mind before purchasing an Apple refurbished product.