Affected users can follow a step-by-step guide to try and fix the problem
Owners of certain 2019 MacBook Pro (13in) models are reporting random and inexplicable shutdowns. The issue is specifically affecting owners of early 2019 13in MacBook Pro models, the kind with a Touch Bar rather than function keys, and has been officially acknowledged by Apple itself.
At the time of writing, Apple has not begun a product recall or replacement service. The firm has instead produced a step-by-step guide to resolving the issue, which we’ve laid out below. The document was published on 3 December with the promise of future updates once Apple technicians have presumably had a chance to work out what on earth is going on.
If you own a 13in MacBook Pro from early 2019, and you find that it occasionally switches off for no apparent reason, here’s what you can do to resolve the issue:
1. Let your MacBook Pro battery drop to below 90%, if it hasn’t already.
2. Connect your MacBook Pro to a power adapter.
3. Close all open applications.
4. Close the lid of your MacBook Pro to put it into Sleep mode.
5. Leave it to charge for at least 8 hours.
6. Open your MacBook Pro and update to the latest version of macOS Catalina.
According to tech news site 9to5Mac, allowing the MacBook Pro to charge for over 8 hours will “reset the internal sensors that are misbehaving.”
We’re not totally sure what to suggest if you have already updated to the latest version of macOS Catalina, although it makes sense to run through the steps outlined above. Apple says that customers who still experience random shutdowns after having completed the fix above (and have updated to the new version of macOS) should get in touch with the support team.
This isn’t the only ongoing issue with the 2019 13in MacBook Pro. Apple is already operating a keyboard replacement program for users who experience sticky keys, a program that also applies to any other MacBook models with the firm’s unique Butterfly key switches.