macbook air 13 20121Apple today released MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1 for the mid–2012 MacBook Air. The update tests the flash storage drives in these models to look for an issue that "may result in data loss" for 64 and 128GB models.

In most cases, the update merely installs new firmware, but in some cases Apple will replace the drive free of cost.

This firmware update is recommended for MacBook Air (mid 2012) models.

Apple has discovered that a small percentage of flash storage drives in these MacBook Air models have an issue that may result in data loss. This update tests your drive and, in the majority of cases, installs new firmware to resolve the issue. If your drive cannot be updated, Apple will replace it, free of charge.

The firmware update should be available on the Mac App Store for mid–2012 MacBook Airs and can also be downloaded from the Apple Support site.

Update: Apple has also initiated a Flash Storage Drive Replacement Program, which details how to get a faulty drive replaced. Users with an affected MacBook Air will be directed to the page after installing the firmware update.

Top Rated Comments

Zellio Avatar
157 months ago
People always have problems with the displays, ssd's, etc, that aren't made by samsung..
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thundersteele Avatar
157 months ago
I would expect that something as important as a SSD replacement program is worth a front page post, and not just a Mac Blog.

Anyways, it's of course bad that faulty hardware has been used, but it is good to see that Apple is taking care of it, even outside of AppleCare.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
157 months ago
Samsung must've screwed Apple with some of their flawed SSDs... :)

I should save this message to quote it if I ever see you post "Haters gonna hate"... (not that I will ever check)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KnoxHarrington Avatar
157 months ago
Update installed successfully.. Scared me for a second, it restarted like 4 times and on the final restart it hung and I had to hit the power button.

Same behavior for me, but once I hit the power button it started up and told me the firmware update had been successfully applied. I wonder if it just shuts it down instead of doing a restart at the end? If so, it would be nice to get some warning in advance. That was quite a nerve-wracking minute or so.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tey112 Avatar
157 months ago
So do I get a refund for the drive I had to pay to replace now?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThE.MeSsEnGeR Avatar
157 months ago
seriously.... this comes now?! just a couple weeks ago, exactly a few days after the 1-year warranty ended on my MBA, my SSD just died on me, and since I live in Lebanon and Apple refuses to have an official Apple Store here, Apple-related prices are sky high. So I had to pay $500+ for a replacement (mind you, I went for the 512GB once and for all). but still... :mad:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...