How to tell if your MacBook is ‘too old’ and how to recycle it

As a rule of thumb, you only upgrade when you need to. It’s quite easy to get excited about new hardware as and when it launches, but if what you’re using is more than adequate to meet your needs, there’s no reason to upgrade.

That said, sometimes your device is indeed too old and it’s time to move on, whether you like it or not. This could be for safety reasons, or simply for the fact that it’s holding you back in ways that you haven’t realised yet. Here’s how you can tell if your MacBook is too old and if it needs to be recycled. 

Swollen battery

If your device is swelling up or looks slightly bulged, stop using it immediately and send it in for recycling. The bulging is caused by the battery expanding thanks to severe degradation. Not only is this a fire hazard that’s putting your life and the lives of those around you at risk, but the bulging will get worse with time and cause even further damage to the internal components.

The laptop can be saved in rare cases where the bulging is caught early, but once the bulge is significant, it would have caused enough internal damage to not justify the cost of repair and maintenance in the long run.

In fact, any kind of debilitating physical damage is usually reason enough for an upgrade as MacBook repairs tend to be expensive. A swollen battery, though, is a hazard.

Unsupported software

Once your Mac stops receiving security updates, not just from Apple but from app developers as well, it’s time to start planning for an upgrade. The lack of security updates is a huge risk from a privacy standpoint. Any time you spend online with such a device greatly increases the risk of infection, malware, or even a targeted attack.

ALSO READ: Why exchanging your gadgets is a responsible way of disposing them

If you’re tech-savvy enough, you could replace macOS with a Mac-compatible version of Linux and extend the device’s life, but that’s basically life support at this point and you will need to upgrade soon.

How to recycle MacBook

The safest option for recycling is to drop your device off at the nearest Apple store or Apple-authorised service centre. Apple will safely recycle the device for free. Another option is to reach out to local electronics recycling agencies and deliver the device there.

If you live in a metro, it’s likely that the local municipal corporation has some sort of electronics recycling and disposal program that’s part of the routine garbage pickup cycle. This usually happens on a fixed day of the month, so you’ll need to find out when the next pickup is happening.

Lastly, if you want to make some money off your dying MacBook, you can still sell it for parts to a local repair shop, list it on places like Facebook Marketplace or OLX as a damaged device, etc. Even if the device isn’t immediately usable, repair shops might be willing to rummage around the interior of the device and salvage parts to facilitate other repairs.

ALSO READ: How to responsibly dispose of your electronics safely

Just remember that throwing the device in the trash isn’t going to do the environment any good. In fact, don’t even think of throwing away any device with a battery into the trash. You’ll inadvertently trigger a fire at some point and risk even more lives by being that careless. Either dispose of the device safely or contact someone who can do it for you. Either way, it’s best to recycle old MacBooks instead of simply throwing them away.