Apple Launches Extended Holiday Return Policy, Returns Accepted Until January 8 in U.S.

Apple today updated its Returns Policy for the holiday period, extending the time in which holiday gifts and purchases can be returned in the United States.

apple holiday iphone airpod snowflake
Items purchased from the Apple Online Store that are received between November 10 and December 25, 2020 can be returned to Apple until January 8, 2021, offering holiday shoppers more than two weeks to make returns.

These dates are applicable for the U.S. store, but Apple also extends return periods in other countries as well. The time available for a return can vary by country, so before making an Apple purchase as a gift, it's worth checking the return policy where you are located.

Items purchased at the Apple Online Store that are received between 10 November and 25 December 2020 may be returned up to 8 January 2021. Please note that all other terms and conditions provided in the Apple Online Store Sales and Refunds Policy are still applicable with respect to such items purchased. All purchases made after 25 December 2020 are subject to the Standard Returns Policy.

Some items are excluded from the return policy, such as Apple and App Store gift cards, but iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and accessory purchases can be returned. Purchased devices can be opened and used prior to being returned, but they must be in their original packaging.

Purchases received prior to November 10, 2020 or after December 25, 2020 will be subject to Apple's standard 14 day return policy.

Along with announcing the new holiday return period, Apple today also shared its annual gift guide. The gift guide features holiday-themed Apple product graphics and suggestions for gifts like iPhones, AirPods, Apple gift cards, Apple Watch, HomePod mini, and more.

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Leak Reveals All-New Design

Friday January 17, 2025 2:42 pm PST by
iOS 19 is still around six months away from being announced, but a new leak has allegedly revealed a completely redesigned Camera app. Based on footage it obtained, YouTube channel Front Page Tech shared a video showing what the new Camera app will apparently look like, with the key change being translucent menus for camera controls. Overall, the design of these menus looks similar to...
2024 App Store Awards

Apple Explains Why It Removed TikTok From the App Store in the U.S.

Sunday January 19, 2025 6:58 am PST by
Apple on late Saturday removed TikTok from the App Store in the U.S., and it has now explained why it was required to take this action. Last year, the U.S. passed a law that required Chinese company ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok due to potential national security risks, or else the platform would be banned. That law went into effect today, and companies like Apple and Google...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Changes Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday January 16, 2025 6:45 am PST by
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website. Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50. We have outlined some examples below: Device New Value Old Value iPhone 15 Pro Max Up to $630 U ...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.3 Beta 3

Thursday January 16, 2025 12:39 pm PST by
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features. Notification Summary Changes Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines. For...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Rumored to Be Compatible With These iPhones

Saturday January 18, 2025 10:28 am PST by
iOS 19 will not drop support for any iPhone models, according to French website iPhoneSoft.fr. The report cited a source who said iOS 19 will be compatible with any iPhone that can run iOS 18, which would mean the following models: iPhone 16 iPhone 16 Plus iPhone 16 Pro iPhone 16 Pro Max iPhone 15 iPhone 15 Plus iPhone 15 Pro iPhone 15 Pro Max iPhone 14 iPhon...
airtag 4 pack blue

AirTag 2 Launching This Year With These 3 New Features

Sunday January 19, 2025 8:11 am PST by
After a four-year wait, a new AirTag is finally expected to launch in 2025. Below, we recap rumored upgrades for the accessory. A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple was aiming to release the AirTag 2 around the middle of 2025. While he did not offer a more specific timeframe, that means the AirTag 2 could be announced by the end of June. The original AirTag was announced...
iPad Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

Here's How Thin the iPhone 17 Air Might Be

Friday January 17, 2025 3:38 pm PST by
For the last several months, we've been hearing rumors about a redesigned version of the iPhone 17 that Apple might call the iPhone 17 "Air," or something along those lines. It's going to replace the iPhone 17 Plus as Apple's fourth iPhone option, and it will be offered alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We know the iPhone 17 Air is going to be super slim, but...
iPhone SE Dynamic Island Majin Bu

iPhone SE 4 Leak Shows Dynamic Island, Casts Doubt on Rumored 'iPhone 16E' Name

Monday January 20, 2025 9:01 am PST by
A new iPhone SE is widely rumored to launch this year, and the device has potentially been confirmed today by known leaker Evan Blass. In a private social media post, Blass shared an image of what appears to be source code mentioning an iPhone SE (4th Gen), which casts doubt on the alternative "iPhone 16E" name rumored for the device. However, the name in the source code could be a...

Top Rated Comments

Gr81MB Avatar
55 months ago

What happens to returned phones?
Show up on refurb Section in a few months
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aggie2010 Avatar
55 months ago

I ordered my 12 mini on saturday. I looked in the terms on apples website and can't find anything relating to the definition of "received" does this mean received by me, or the order received by apple. Seems very vague to me.
I placed an order on Sunday and received it today. I went online to start a return to see the date and it shows I have until January 8 to initiate a return. So it looks like it’s from the date it’s delivered/received.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dinobear Avatar
55 months ago

Sucks for the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro folks, no?
Only if they want to return it extended beyond the time they originally thought they had to return it. It's only a benefit for some people. Not a negative towards anybody.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Europa13 Avatar
55 months ago

is there a restock fee? considering the 13" M1 MBP.
No restocking fee.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
triangletechie Avatar
55 months ago
Plenty of time to try out the new Air.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
7thson Avatar
55 months ago
It’s a huge consideration on Apples part that they do this and it’s no small gesture. Kudos Apple for this generous return period.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)