How to make a Genius Bar appointment on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac

Posted March 7, 201410 yr

If you're experiencing problems with your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and you live close by to an Apple Store, by far the easiest and quickest way to get it taken care of is to visit your local Genius Bar. To avoid arriving only to find them booked solid all day, you should always schedule an appointment ahead of time. Not only does it guarantee you a spot, it also significantly cuts your wait time down. Not sure how to schedule one? Follow along and we'll walk you through the process!

How to schedule a Genius Bar appointment from your iPhone or iPad with the Apple Store app

The easiest way to make a Genius Bar appointment on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is with the Apple Store app. It's available for free in the App Store and lets you not only make appointments, but shop for Apple gear. If you don't have it already, grab it from the follow link.

Apple Store app - Free - Download Now

Note: The iPad version of the Apple Store app is currently U.S. only. We're as disappointed about that as you are.

Launch the Apple Store app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Tap on the Stores tab in the bottom navigation.
It should find the closest store to you automatically. If it doesn't just search for it.
Tap on Genius Bar.
Select the device you're having problems with.
Choose a time you'd like to make your appointment for and then tap Select Day & Time.
Look over your reservation and make sure everything looks right. You can tap on How can we help you? and add notes for the Genius ahead of time if you'd like. Otherwise just tap on Book Reservation.
Log in with your Apple ID on the next screen to proceed. For most people, this is the same login you use to purchase things from iTunes and in the App Store.
Choose whether or not you'd like to add your appoint to your calendar.
That's all there is to it! You should now see a My Reservations section on the store page. You can go there to view, change, or cancel your appointment any time you'd like.

How to schedule a Genius Bar appointment online from your Mac

While there's no Apple Store app for the Mac, there's still a way to get your Genius Bar appointment booked via Apple.com.

Go to the following webpage on your Mac: Apple Genius Bar.
Click the link that says Make a Genius Bar reservation.
Select your state in the drop down menu and then choose a store.
Make sure Genius Bar is selected and click Next.
On the next screen, click the link for Make a Genius bar reservation.
Log in with your Apple ID on the next screen to proceed. For most people, this is the same login you use to purchase things from iTunes and in the App Store.
Select the device you're having issues with and click Next.
Choose the date and time you'd like for your appointment and then proceed to the next page by clicking Next again.
That's it. You should now see a confirmation. You can Add a comment if you'd like or close out the browser. Just be sure to notate your appointment time and date.

If you've never booked a Genius Bar appointment on your iPhone or iPad before give it a try and let me know how it works for you. If you have, what's the experience been like? Any other Apple Store tips to share?