Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Apple How to Make a Genius Bar Appointment Use the Apple Support site or the app to explain the issue and reserve a time slot By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 27, 2024 Reviewed by Ryan Perian Reviewed by Ryan Perian Western Governors University Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions. lifewire's editorial guidelines In This Article View All In This Article Find Your Product Describe Your Problem Set Appointment Details Confirm and Cancel Your Appointment Frequently Asked Questions Close What to Know Visit Apple Support Site > locate product > explain hardware issue > schedule your appointment.The Genius Bar is for tech support only. If you want to learn how to use your products, Apple has other in-store options.Apple Stores are always so busy that you should make an appointment in advance if you need to get in-person help. This article explains how to make an Apple Genius bar appointment, how to describe the problem you're having, and how to reschedule or cancel an appointment. You can use the Apple Store or Apple Support apps for this process, too. If you're on a computer, follow the below steps to reserve time at the Genius Bar. Find Your Product From the Apple Support Site The first part of the process for scheduling an Apple Genius Bar appointment is selecting the product you need help with. You have several options for finding your device. Genius Bar appointments involve hardware-related issues only. Apple offers online support first before you can seek an in-person appointment option. Begin by going to the Apple Support website. Scroll down to the Get Support section and select Start now. Under View your products, select Sign in to log in to your Apple ID and view a list of your Apple devices. Alternatively, you can enter details about your issue in the Tell us what's happening bar. You could also click Choose a product under See all products to find your model. Next, click the product you want to get help with at the Genius Bar. Describe Your Problem Once you've selected the product you need help with, Apple asks you to detail the issue you're experiencing. A set of common help topics appears for your selected product. Select the category that most closely matches the help you need. A number of topics within that category will appear. Select the one that best matches your need. If there isn't a match, describe the problem in the Or, tell us in your own words field. Depending on the category and problem you've selected, a number of follow-up suggestions may appear. If a Genius Bar appointment is an option, move on to the next step. For some topics, the Apple site doesn't offer a Genius Bar appointment as an option. Instead, it suggests a phone call or online chat with Apple support. You'll be prompted with possible ways to solve your problem without going to the Genius Bar. Feel free to try them if you like; they may work and save you a trip. Select Apple Store, Date, and Time for Genius Bar Appointment If a Schedule a Repair appointment at the Genius Bar is an option, select Find a location. If you don't see this option, you may need to go back a few steps and select another support topic that offers an in-person appointment. If you're asked to and aren't already signed in to your Apple ID, do so. A map displays a list of nearby Apple Stores. You can use the filters above the location results to view the first available appointments at each location. If you need help with an iPhone, click the Carrier filter above the list of list of locations to select your service provider. Click on each store to see it on a map, how far away it is from you, and to see what days and times are available for Genius Bar appointments. When you find the store you want, select the day and time for your appointment. Appointment Confirmation and Cancellation Options Your Genius Bar appointment has been made for the store, date, and time you selected. You'll see a confirmation of your appointment. The details of the appointment are listed there. The confirmation will also be emailed to you. If you need to modify or cancel the reservation, you can click Reschedule now or Cancel on this page. If you need to make a change later, go to the confirmation email and click the options there. You'll be taken to Apple's site to make changes there. What to Do With a Cracked iPad Screen FAQ What is the Apple Genius Bar? The Apple Genius Bar is a dedicated tech support service in Apple's retail stores. Customers experiencing problems with products or applications can make an appointment for one-on-one assistance with an expert. Experts have multiple certification levels to best assist customers. How do I cancel a Genius Bar appointment? After you make your appointment, you'll receive an email with your reservation details. To cancel your appointment, access that email and select the Manage my reservations link. Then, select Cancel on the reservation page. Alternatively, if you have the Apple Store app, pull up your appointment details and select Cancel. Where is the closest Apple Store? To find a nearby Apple Store, visit Apple's Find a Store web page. You can search by location, ZIP code, or keywords, such as a mall's name. Select Complete Store List to see every Apple Store location. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit