(Credit: Apple)
Apple has quietly extended the time customers have to continue a lapsed AppleCare+ extended warranty from 30 to 45 days.
Apple has long given AppleCare+ customers a one-month grace period for extending coverage once it expires. The company's AppleCare+ support page now says those in select countries can "purchase the new coverage within 45 days after your original coverage ends."
There are some caveats for full eligibility. Customers who paid up-front for their original AppleCare+ coverage for an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch may be able to renew on a yearly or monthly basis, while Mac coverage may be limited to yearly renewals. To see your eligibility, Apple advises visiting mysupport.apple.com.
The 45-day window also only applies to Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. A separate section for mainland China still says 30 days.
AppleCare+ is the more comprehensive version of Apple’s basic coverage. All devices have a one-year limited warranty and 90 days of technical support. However, AppleCare+ for the iPhone covers unlimited accidental damage incidents (with a deductible fee), Express Replacement Service, and 24/7 priority access to phone or chat support.
Apple enhanced the service in 2022, moving from two accidental incidents per year to unlimited. The current cost for AppleCare+ on an iPhone 15 Pro, for example, is $199 for two years or $9.99 per month. AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss prevention adds two incidents of replacement due to loss or theft and adds an additional $69 to the two-year cost.