Apple ends AirPods Pro and iPhone 12 sound repair programs

Apple has closed two long-running repair programs tied to sound failures on select products. You now have to rely on standard warranty or paid repairs if issues surface. The change primarily affects older devices already past three-year coverage windows. Apple’s AirPods Pro program targeted first-generation units that produced crackling or static and weakened noise cancellation. Apple Support documented that affected earbuds were manufactured before October 2020 and qualified for free earbud replacements after testing. Coverage lasted three years from the original retail sale date per Apple’s program language. Apple has now removed both initiatives from its active service list. That removal formalizes what many owners already experienced as devices aged past eligibility. You should not expect complimentary replacements for failures covered under the former criteria. What the iPhone 12 change means for you Apple also ended the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro no-sound program. Apple created that program for a receiver module component that failed on some units manufactured between October 2020 and April 2021. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max never qualified for that specific repair path. Apple’s support pages describe three-year coverage from the first retail sale for eligible iPhone 12 devices. Apple’s regional status notices now state the program you are looking for has ended. You can still pursue paid service if diagnostics confirm a hardware receiver fault. If you still hold first-generation AirPods Pro with intermittent crackle, you face similar limits. Apple’s documentation restricted free service to units built before October 2020 within the program window. You can book evaluation, but any out-of-window fix will likely be chargeable. Most hardware sold during the initial waves already aged out by time of removal. That reality explains why the policy shift affects a shrinking pool of remaining owners. You should verify your original purchase date before weighing paid repair options. If you plan to service either product, start with an Apple diagnostic appointment. You will get a written estimate when coverage no longer applies under expired programs. That step helps you decide between repair and replacement with current models.