MacBook Pro 15-inch Retina (A1398) Battery Replacement: Which Battery for Your Year, and What the Job Involves
The A1398 battery depends on your Mac’s year. Find the year first, then decide who does the job.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina A1398 was sold from 2012 to 2015, and three different batteries were used across those years. Order the wrong one and it will not fit. This guide shows how to find your year and match the battery. It also gives an honest overview of the job, which is expert work.
The short answer
- Mid 2012 and Early 2013 use the A1417 battery. Late 2013 and Mid 2014 use the A1494. Mid 2015 uses the A1618.
- Find your year in seconds: Apple menu, then About This Mac.
- Difficulty: expert. The Late 2013 procedure has 55 steps. The battery is glued in, and the fans, SSD, I/O board, speakers and logic board all come out first.
- Most owners should have a technician fit it. Never DIY a swollen battery.
Should you do this yourself?
| You are... | Better choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Comfortable with tiny screws and patient | Only if you have repaired laptops before | Expert job: fans, SSD, I/O board, speakers and the logic board come out first. |
| Never opened a laptop, or unsure about tiny cables | Have a technician fit it | The long chain of parts and glued cells are a lot for a first repair. |
| Seeing a swollen battery or a lifted trackpad | Stop and get help | Do not open it yourself. See the warning on this page. |
| Battery is fine but the Mac still misbehaves | Fix the cause first | Check the charger, cable and the SMC or restart steps before buying a battery. |
How we put this page together
The steps and screw sizes come from our own battery listing and published repair procedures for this model. Cycle limits and the 80% figure come from Apple. Owner experience comes from public forum threads linked below, which we paraphrase rather than copy. Prices are from our own listings.
What we have not done yet: photographed this repair in our own workshop. The drawings on this page are our illustrations, not photos. We are adding real photos and will update the page.
Step 1: find your year
Open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. It shows a name such as “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)”. The bottom case says A1398 on every year, so the year is what separates them.
Step 2: match your year to the battery
| Year | Model identifier | EMC | Apple order numbers | Newest macOS | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid 2012 | MacBookPro10,1 | 2512 | Not listed by Apple | Catalina | A1417 |
| Early 2013 | MacBookPro10,1 | 2673 | ME664xx/A, ME665xx/A | Catalina | A1417 |
| Late 2013 | MacBookPro11,2 / 11,3 | 2674 / 2745 | ME293xx/A, ME294xx/A | Big Sur | A1494 |
| Mid 2014 | MacBookPro11,2 / 11,3 | 2876 / 2881 | MGXC2xx/A, MGXA2xx/A | Big Sur | A1494 |
| Mid 2015 | MacBookPro11,4 / 11,5 | 2909 / 2910 | MJLQ2xx/A, MJLT2xx/A, MJLU2xx/A | Monterey | A1618 |
This Mac is often listed online as MacBook Pro 15 inch Retina A1398, with the year in the name. For the model identifier, hold Option, click the Apple menu and open System Information. Where a year lists two identifiers and two EMC numbers, both use the same battery, according to our listing.
Is it really the battery?
Check before you buy. In System Settings, open Battery, then Battery Health. Hold Option, click the Apple menu and open System Information, Power, to see the cycle count. Apple lists a maximum of 1,000 cycles for the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina models listed here, and designs the battery to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at that point. Apple explains the count on its cycle count page and the “Service Recommended” status on its battery service page. Apple says you can keep using the Mac with that status, and that AppleCare+ replaces a battery below 80% at no extra cost.
- Signs it is the battery: Service Recommended, a cycle count near 1,000, battery life that has dropped sharply, or shutdowns while unplugged.
- Signs it is not: the Mac fails only with one cable or charger. Try another first.
A Mac that will not lie flat or that rocks on a table can have a swollen battery. Stop using it and get it checked.
Which battery to buy
One listing covers all three batteries: A1417 for the 2012 models, A1494 for the 2013 to 2014 models and A1618 for the 2015 model. Tell us your year when you order and we will make sure the right one goes out. It shows a Standard grade from ₹3,690 and a Premium grade from ₹4,820. The listing gives Standard a 6-month and Premium a 10-month replacement warranty. Our Standard vs Premium guide explains the grades.
What it costs, and your other options
| Option | What it costs | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself with our battery | Standard from ₹3,690, Premium from ₹4,820 | Our listing gives Standard a 6-month and Premium a 10-month warranty. |
| A technician fits it | Ask for the battery brand, the warranty and the labour fee in writing | Ask whether they have done your year before. |
| Apple | Free with AppleCare+ below 80% on supported models. Otherwise a fee | These Macs are old, so Apple may limit service. Check the estimator. |
| Replace the Mac | Our pre-owned M1 Air starts at ₹49,720 | Your A1398 is Intel and cannot run macOS 27. |
A new battery costs about 7% to 10% of the price of a pre-owned M1 Air. Because the job is so big, most owners should pay for fitting.
Why this job is so big
In the Late 2013 procedure, which we read in full, you reach the battery only after removing the parts below. The other years’ procedures are close but not identical, so check the one for your year.
The job in eight parts
This overview comes from the 55-step Late 2013 procedure. It is not a replacement for it. If you go ahead, work from a full photo guide for your year beside you.
Prepare and open the case
Back up the Mac and let the battery run down, because a charged lithium battery can start a dangerous fire if it is punctured. Remove ten P5 screws (eight 3.0 mm and two 2.3 mm). Lift the lower case off from the edge nearest the hinge side clutch cover.
Unplug the battery
Peel back the warning label over the battery connector, and pry the connector straight up out of its socket on the logic board with the flat end of a spudger. Bend the cables out of the way so the connector cannot touch the board.
Disconnect the Wi-Fi and camera, then remove the fans
Pry up the three Wi-Fi antenna cables and the camera cable plug, free the cables from the right fan, and take out the Wi-Fi card. Then remove both fans, which have three screws each, after lifting their ribbon cable locks.
Remove the SSD and the I/O board
Remove the single 3.1 mm T5 screw on the SSD and slide it out. Release the I/O board cable lock, remove its two 3.1 mm T5 screws, and take the I/O board out.
Remove the logic board
Disconnect the left speaker, keyboard ribbon, trackpad ribbon, keyboard backlight, microphone and display data cables. Remove the rubber cap and six screws holding the board, then rotate it up from the side nearest the battery and lift it out.
Take out the speakers
Remove three T5 screws from each speaker and lift both out. The adhesive remover damages the plastic speaker cases, which is why they come out first.
Dissolve the battery adhesive
Remove the two 3.2 mm T5 screws on the battery board. Lay aluminium foil between the display and keyboard, prop the Mac up on a foam block, and wear eye protection and gloves. Apply a few drops of adhesive remover under the edge of the outer right cell, wait 2 to 3 minutes, and slide a plastic card under it. Work through each cell, then the centre ones, leaving the cards in place as you go. The remover is flammable and contains acetone.
Fit the new battery and rebuild
Lift the battery out and clear the old adhesive. Fit the new battery, and rebuild in reverse. Check every ribbon cable lock and the logic board connectors carefully. If the Mac behaves oddly afterwards, you may need to reset the SMC. Apple’s steps for a MacBook without the T2 chip are: shut down, hold the left Shift, left Control and left Option keys, press and hold the power button as well, keep all four held for 10 seconds, release, then press the power button.
Mistakes people make
- Ordering the wrong battery. Match the A-number of the battery to your year.
- Leaving remover near the speakers. It damages the cases, so they come out first.
- Forgetting where each cable went. Photograph connectors before you lift them.
- Forcing the logic board. Rotate it up from the battery side.
- Using metal tools near the cells. Use plastic only.
- Skipping the foil between display and keyboard.
- Not warming a stuck cell. Wait 2 to 3 minutes and try again.
What owners say
These are paraphrased from public threads. Read them for the exact words.
A buyer of a used 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro with 255 cycles feared a swollen battery because it would not lie flat and wobbled. Replies recommended a branded replacement battery rather than a cheap one, and one poster said they had replaced many Macs from 2012 to 2017 with no defects from that brand.
What to take from it: a Mac that rocks on a flat table may have a swollen battery, so stop using it and get it checked. Read the thread.
An owner of a 2015 MacBook Pro said Apple quoted £250 to £600 for a battery swap and they did it themselves for £58. They found one published guide had 46 steps and judged that many tape-removal steps were unnecessary. They said it was too early to judge the new battery’s life.
What to take from it: one owner’s shortcut is not a recommendation. Follow the full steps for your year. Read the thread.
An owner of a 2015 13-inch MacBook Pro pulled out a cable while replacing the battery, and the keyboard and trackpad stopped working. Replies said it was the trackpad cable, that it is easy to damage and not an expensive part, and that the owner should try reconnecting it very carefully, flipping up its tiny lock. One reply said soldering a ribbon cable had never worked for them.
What to take from it: go slowly near the trackpad cable. Read the thread.
So should you do it yourself?
- Probably not, unless you have repaired laptops before and have a quiet day and a clear table.
- A technician can do it, and we can supply the right battery for your year.
- Never start if the battery is swollen or the case is lifting.
What to do with the old battery
Do not put it in the household bin. In India, laptop batteries fall under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, which make producers responsible for collecting and recycling them. Ask the seller of your new battery whether they take the old one back, or hand it to an authorised collection point. See the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board battery waste page. If it was swollen, keep it away from heat and from anything that could puncture it until you hand it in.
Questions we get asked
How do I know which A1398 battery I need?
Find your year in About This Mac. Mid 2012 and Early 2013 use the A1417, Late 2013 and Mid 2014 use the A1494, and Mid 2015 uses the A1618.
Do all A1398 years use the same screws and steps?
The steps are close, but not identical. We read the Late 2013 procedure in full. Work from a full guide for your own year.
Why do the fans, SSD and logic board have to come out?
In the Late 2013 procedure they are removed before the battery, and the steps do not spell out why. All we can say is that it is the usual procedure.
Is this the same as the A1502 or A1286?
No. Those are different MacBook Pros with different batteries. Check the model number on your bottom case.
How many charge cycles does the battery last?
Apple lists a maximum of 1,000 cycles for the 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina models from Late 2013 to Mid 2015. It designs the battery to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at that point.
Will Apple replace it for free?
Apple says a battery replacement is at no additional cost with AppleCare+ when the battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity. Otherwise there is a fee, set by Apple after inspection. Check Apple’s estimator for your exact model.
Can I keep using the Mac if it says Service Recommended?
Apple says yes. The status means the battery holds less charge than when new. Service it when the shorter battery life affects you.
Not sure of your year, or want it fitted?
Send Aparna a screenshot of About This Mac and the model number from the bottom case. We will confirm whether you need the A1417, the A1494 or the A1618, and tell you honestly how fitting works for you.
The overview follows the Late 2013 procedure, which we read in full. We did not read the other years’ procedures. Our drawings are simplified, not photos, and we have not done this repair ourselves for this guide. A punctured lithium battery can be dangerous. Checked 30 October 2026.
- Identify your MacBook Pro model (Apple Support)
- Reset the SMC of your Mac (Apple Support)
- A1398 battery listing (Sparesonly.in)
- Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops (Apple Support)
- If you see battery “Service Recommended” on your Mac laptop (Apple Support)
- 2015 MacBook Pro 15” Battery Replacement (MacRumors Forums, December 2020)
- In pictures: successful 2015 MBP battery replacement (MacRumors Forums, December 2024)
- I ripped out a cable when replacing battery on my Macbook Pro (MacRumors Forums, October 2020)
- Battery waste (Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board)
