What Apple Certified Refurbished actually means

It is not a third-party reseller and it is not a used-device marketplace. Apple takes returned units, replaces the parts that wear, tests them, and sells them directly with the same one-year warranty as a new device.

The parts that are replaced rather than reused

The battery and the outer shell are new on refurbished Macs, iPads and Watches. Over a multi-year ownership that is the difference that matters: the two components most likely to be worn are the two you are not inheriting.

What is not included

The retail box is plain, engraving is not available, and gift wrapping is not offered. The device, the cable and the charger are.

Returns and warranty

The return window on refurbished items is shorter than on new ones and is stated at checkout. The one-year limited warranty applies, and extended coverage can be added the same way as on a new device, because coverage follows the serial number rather than the condition label.

Read the current terms on Apple's own pages before buying. This page describes the structure of the offer, not its exact wording.