Apple offering free battery replacements for some MacBook Pros

April 22 (UPI) -- Apple is offering free battery replacement on certain MacBook Pro laptop models following an issue that caused the batteries to expand.

The replacement program extends to 13-inch MacBook Pro non-touch bar units manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017 that feature a component that may fail and cause the built-in battery to expand.

Apple said the battery issue isn't a safety concern and battery replacements will be offered free of charge at Apple service providers, retail stores or by mailing the device in to the Apple repair center.

The page announcing the replacement program includes a field for MacBook owners to enter their computer's serial number to determine if it is eligible for free replacement.

Any customer who paid to replace their battery before the program was announced can also contact Apple to request a refund.

The program is available to customers worldwide and covers the affected units for five years after the first retail sale, but doesn't extend the MacBook Pro's standard warranty coverage.