AppleCare+: Everything you need to know about Apple’s extended warranty

Macworld

Your Apple gear wasn’t cheap. And if you drop your iPhone, your iPad stops turning on, or you smack your Apple Watch into something and shatter it, getting it repaired probably won’t be cheap either.

Apple includes a one-year limited warranty with all hardware so if there’s a manufacturing defect, you’ll be covered. To also protect against accidental damage, get priority tech support, and in many cases replace your product if it is lost or stolen, you can opt to purchase AppleCare+. Here’s what it is, what it covers, and what you can expect to pay.

Is AppleCare+ worth it? Only you can decide for your own situation, but this should be everything you need to know to make a smart choice.

Updated July 16,2026: Apple has slightly increased the cost of AppleCare+ on iPads and Macs, by $0.50 per month or $5.00 per year.

What is AppleCare+?

If you’ve never even heard of AppleCare, start here! Otherwise, feel free to skip to the sections that cover your particular devices.

How AppleCare+ is different from the standard Apple warranty

AppleCare is Apple’s term for its warranty programs. Every Apple device comes with a certain stretch of AppleCare warranty service and phone/chat support for free, typically one year for the warranty and 90 days of phone support. You can pay to extend that protection for longer, get discounted repairs on accidental damage, and in some cases replace your device if it is lost or stolen. That’s called AppleCare+.

Do I have to buy AppleCare+ at the same time as the product?

No. If you already know you want it, buying AppleCare+ with the product is a good idea, just so you don’t forget. When you’re shopping at the Apple store and Apple.com, you’ll be offered AppleCare+ at checkout, and authorized Apple resellers can offer AppleCare+ too.

But you have some time to decide. Generally you get 60 days from the purchase date to buy AppleCare+ (only 30 days if you’re in Japan), and Apple has a page where you can check your exact device’s…