The battery in my MacBook Pro 2012 needs to be replaced. Anyone have any experience replacing them yourself or should I take it to Apple or someone else to do it? If it is a fairly easy DIY, where is a good place to buy the battery.
Ifixit is a good starting point to see if you can do it yourself. You can buy from them too.
here you can choose your model and check the appropriate guide
this is the guide for a mid 2012 13" MBP
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I have the 2012 15" MBPr model and did it at the Apple store, but looks like the 2012 models are now considered āobsolete.ā So, you may have to do it yourself unless you can find an authorized dealer willing to do it. Definitely get your battery from a reputable source like ifixit or OWC. Last thing you want is a faulty battery. It is fairly delicate work (ifixit labels it as a ādifficultā level repair for the 2012 15" MBPr model) so consider if thatās worth the risk. Most authorized repair shops will at least offer some amount of warranty on the parts and labour, so that could be worth the cost, especially if itās your production or only machine.
In my case, after they installed the battery there ended up also being a problem with my logic board so they replaced that for free at the same time and only charged me for the battery. Iām sure it was an isolated incident, but just something to keep in mind.
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Well not so difficult, in the example I posted above for the mid 2012 unibody MBP the repair is labeled as easy:
Of course if the OP isnāt comfortable doing it herself the authorized repair shop is the way to go.
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I stand corrected. Though it depends on the model. The 2012 MBPr 15" is labelled as difficult. The OP didnāt specify which model. (fixed my previous post to clarify) 
Yes youāre right, it depends on the model. 
I guess retina/non retina was the turning point of reparability in appleās laptopsā¦ 50 shades of glueā¦
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+1 for iFixIt. Theyāre site is great for the information. You can read through the process and see if you want to attempt. They also have all the tools and bits you need to break into the machine. And tell you about the solvent and new tape youāll need for the battery.
Also spend the extra and buy the battery from them or another reputable source. Stay away from the cheap ones direct from China.
One last critical point. Some of Appleās laptop need to be reconnected to a low power charger for a while before hooking it up to the regular charger. My MacBook Adorable needed that and I iFixIt it will tell you if yours does.
Keep in mind, too, that ādifficultā is subjective. Use the process description along with your own experience to judge if you are comfortable with the repair.
Sadly, you must remember that having Apple or someone fix somethingās bunged up in the repair will cost a lot more than having it fixed professionally the first timeā¦
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