Trackpad cracked, dead, or bulging?
Skip the $400 repair — trade it in.
An out-of-warranty trackpad repair runs $200–$400 — and if a swollen battery is what cracked the glass (the most common cause), the bill jumps past $500. Meanwhile the logic board, screen, and keyboard in your machine usually still work perfectly. We quote from surviving parts value, so even a MacBook with a shattered Force Touch pad earns real store credit.
Repair it or trade it? The math by model
| Device | Apple Repair / Trade-In | BackMarket / SellCell | LuxuriousComputers |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro M2/M3 — cracked trackpad glass, click works | $250–$400 repair | $80–$150 | $360–$560 |
| MacBook Air M1/M2 — trackpad cracked or unresponsive | $200–$350 repair | $50–$110 | $200–$370 |
| MacBook Pro 2016–2019 — trackpad dead or cursor jumping | $300+ repair | $20–$60 | $80–$190 |
| Any MacBook — trackpad bulging from swollen battery | $400+ top-case + battery | $0–$40 | $60–$300 |
Values shown in store credit toward any purchase. Cash equivalent available where noted.
Trackpad bulging or lifting? That's usually the battery — act now.
- ✕The trackpad sits directly on top of the battery. On every modern MacBook, the lithium cells are right under the pad. When a battery swells, the first visible symptom is a trackpad that bulges, stops clicking, or cracks from the pressure underneath.
- ✕Don't press it back down, and stop charging. A swollen lithium battery is a safety hazard — pressure or heat makes it worse. Unplug the machine, leave the lid open, and get a quote sooner rather than later.
- ✓The rest of the machine still counts. Battery swelling rarely damages the logic board or screen — the two most valuable parts. Caught early, a swollen-battery MacBook keeps most of its parts value.
- ✓We handle the battery safely. Swollen cells get discharged and recycled properly on our bench. You get store credit; the hazard gets handled — don't throw a swollen battery in the trash.
How it works
Tell us what the trackpad does
Use the trade-in calculator, text Rick a photo at (740) 223-5530, or walk in. Cracked glass, dead click, jumping cursor, or a pad that's physically lifting — every failure mode still quotes.
Full bench check
A cracked trackpad rarely means a broken Mac. We test the logic board, screen, battery, and keyboard separately — and we check whether a swollen battery is what cracked the pad in the first place.
Ship free or walk in
Prepaid label if you're outside Marion, or walk in to 731 E Center St #200, Tue–Sat 10am–7pm. Free return shipping if the bench quote doesn't match.
Same-day store credit
Credit applies instantly toward any Mac in the shop. Most people trade a trackpad-broken MacBook toward a working M1 or M2 and click again the same day.
Why a cracked trackpad doesn't kill your MacBook's value
The trackpad is one part of many. Force Touch glass cracks from drops, pressure, or a swelling battery — but the logic board, the most valuable component, usually survives untouched. A trackpad-dead M1 Pro still carries most of its board value.
External-mouse test tells us a lot. If the Mac works fine with a USB or Bluetooth mouse, the failure is isolated to the pad — that's the best-case scenario and earns the highest quote.
Screens and keyboards hold value independently. A clean Retina panel runs $250–$450 as a part, and a working keyboard top case adds real money — neither cares whether your trackpad clicks.
Force Touch pads don't physically click anyway. Since 2015, the "click" is haptic feedback from a Taptic Engine — so a pad that won't click is often a sensor or cable fault, not mechanical damage. Either way, it's one bounded part, and we price around it.
Related sell options
Frequently asked questions
Do you buy MacBooks with cracked trackpads?
Yes — cracked or unresponsive trackpads are a routine trade-in. The logic board, screen, keyboard, and battery usually still work perfectly, so the machine keeps most of its parts value even when the pad is shattered or won't click.
How much is a MacBook with a cracked trackpad worth?
It depends on the model and what else works. An M2 or M3 Pro with cracked glass but a working click earns $360–$560 in store credit. An M1/M2 Air with a dead or cracked pad earns $200–$370. Intel-era machines (2016–2019) earn $80–$190 depending on screen and board condition. Use the calculator above for your exact model.
My trackpad is bulging or lifting out of the case. What does that mean?
Stop using the machine and unplug it — a bulging or freshly cracked trackpad is the classic symptom of a swollen lithium battery pushing up from underneath. The pad sits directly on top of the battery cells on every modern MacBook. We still buy these, but a swollen battery is a safety issue: don't press the pad back down, don't charge it, and bring it in or ship it sooner rather than later.
How much does Apple charge to fix a MacBook trackpad?
A straightforward trackpad replacement runs $200–$400 out of warranty depending on model. But if a swollen battery caused the damage — which is the most common cause — Apple replaces the battery and often the entire top case too, pushing the bill past $400–$500. On a machine more than a few years old, that repair frequently costs more than the Mac is worth.
The glass is cracked but the trackpad still works. Should I fix it or trade it?
Run the numbers: if the click and cursor work, you can keep using it — but cracked Force Touch glass tends to spread, and slivers of glass eventually interfere with the pressure sensors underneath. If a repair quote is more than half the machine's working value, trade it in while everything else is healthy and put the credit toward a newer Mac.
Can I just use an external mouse instead?
You can — and that's a fine stopgap. The Mac works normally with a USB or Bluetooth mouse, which also tells us the failure is isolated to the pad itself: that's the best-case scenario and earns the highest quote. But a MacBook that needs a mouse isn't really portable anymore, and if a swelling battery is the cause, waiting makes it worse.
Will Apple trade in a MacBook with a broken trackpad?
Apple's trade-in inspection slashes the quote hard for any functional defect — a cracked or dead trackpad typically drops their offer to a fraction of working value, or to zero on older models. We quote from surviving parts value instead, so the screen, board, keyboard, and battery still count.
My cursor jumps around or clicks by itself. Is that the trackpad?
Usually, yes — phantom clicks and a jumping cursor are early trackpad failure, often from hairline cracks, liquid creeping under the glass, or battery swelling starting to press on the sensors. It quotes the same as a visibly cracked pad. If there was a spill involved, mention it so the bench check looks at the board for corrosion.
Don't put $400 into a trackpad. Put it toward a better Mac.
Walk in Tue–Sat 10am–7pm at 731 E Center St #200, Marion OH — or use the calculator to get a number right now.