3 Things to Check Before Buying a Used MacBook Air

Check the battery cycle count On Apple Silicon models (M1 and later), the battery is glued in and costs $150–$250 to replace. Open System Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Under 500 cycles is ideal; under 1,000 is fine if the price is right. Over 1,000 means you should budget for a replacement soon.

Test every key on the keyboard Butterfly keyboards on 2018 and 2019 Intel MacBook Airs are prone to sticky or non-working keys. Press every key, especially the space bar. If it feels off, walk away. Newer M1 and later models have more reliable scissor-switch keyboards, but still test them.

Inspect the screen for coating damage Look for “staingate”—a peeling anti-reflective coating near the webcam or edges. It shows as blotchy spots when the screen is off. This is less common on newer models but still worth checking.