Although each product that Apple sells comes with the standard AppleCare warranty that typically includes one year of hardware coverage and around three months of technical support, the company also offers AppleCare+ plans as an optional upgrade. It’s essentially a paid insurance plan, which you can buy at the time of the purchase of the product or within 60 days of ownership. As of 2026, the company has moved towards monthly and annual subscriptions for AppleCare+, and also offers an AppleCare One plan to cover up to three devices at a discounted price.
Two of the most recognizable and widely known benefits of AppleCare+ are extended warranty coverage and unlimited repairs of any accidental damage, including those caused by drops and liquid. These help you avoid a hefty bill on repairs and give you peace of mind that a mishap won’t result in you having to spend on a new device. However, besides these benefits, AppleCare+ has several more useful perks that can help you decide whether getting an AppleCare+ subscription is worth the cost. Here are AppleCare+ perks that you might not know about.
Battery replacements and theft/loss coverage
One pretty handy perk of getting an AppleCare+ plan is the free battery replacement for your MacBook, Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad models, and even the external battery pack of the Apple Vision Pro. The battery replacement can be availed if the included battery’s maximum capacity has gone below 80% and you have an active AppleCare+ subscription. If you’re a heavy user, the battery replacement can help you regain the lost battery capacity without spending a dime.
Additionally, the AppleCare+ plans include theft and loss protection for the covered devices. Meaning if your iPhone gets stolen or lost for some reason, you can get a replacement. The company allows two claims per year, or if you have the AppleCare One plan, you can get up to three claims per year. This would be pretty helpful. However, keep in mind that, like accidental repair, there is a deductible for theft or loss claims. For example, you will have to pay Apple $149 to replace your lost or stolen iPhone. More importantly, no other Apple devices apart from iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watch models get this protection.
Priority support from Apple
Besides all the extended coverage and protection, AppleCare+ gets you round-the-clock access to priority support with Apple, which can be a godsend when you are struggling to troubleshoot your Apple devices. Rather than waiting in a call or chat queue, you get a direct “fast pass.” More importantly, you get answers to your queries related to the Apple operating systems, Apple-branded apps, Apple account issues, or pretty much any other issues with your Apple product. You can avail this anytime during your AppleCare+ coverage and are not restricted to the 90-day technical support window of the standard coverage.
Another key component of priority support is the express replacement service, which works when you send in your covered Apple device for repair, such as an iPhone. Rather than waiting for your broken device to arrive for repair, Apple sends a replacement first so that you are not without a working device for too long. There is a temporary credit card authorization placed for the value of the replacement, but that’s removed as soon as Apple gets the broken device.
