Apple makes 28-year-old support forum read-only ahead of closure

Apple has ended new posting on its Apple Support Community, the user-to-user tech support forum it began in 1998, and said it will close permanently Nov. 20.

The forum became read-only Tuesday, stopping a place where Apple users had shared advice, solved problems and discussed the company’s products.

“We want to thank the community members who have contributed their time and expertise to help others with their Apple products,” Apple said in its forum notice. The notice adds that users “can continue to find trusted guidance and support on the official Apple Support site.”

Apple told MacRumors it chose to sunset the forum after carefully evaluating its strategy and customers’ needs. The outlet reported that the apparent final message arrived at 5:49 p.m. Pacific Time on Tuesday.

People visiting that night encountered a notice announcing a permanent shutdown on Friday, Nov. 20, 9to5Mac reported. The newest post was 57 minutes old when the outlet published its report.

Existing discussions remain searchable and available to browse, and users can still vote or press “Me too,” though new questions and replies are blocked. The “Sign in” button leads only to an AppleConnect login labeled “AC Communities Web – Internal,” which 9to5Mac said suggests employees alone can now access it.

The outlet said the closure notice used “AppleCare Support Community” instead of the official name, Apple Support Community.

The Verge reported that Apple had not specified the fate of decades of posts. But AppleInsider said Apple confirmed the forums would go completely offline, rather than merely close.

AppleInsider, citing unnamed sources, reported that Apple had not read the forums for at least the last five years. Inquisitr could not independently verify the report.

The outlet described one recurring post as a user outlining a problem and saying Apple had not acknowledged it.

The forum’s 28-year history began with its launch as the Apple Tech Exchange in 1998, followed by a change to Apple Discussions in 2000. 9to5Mac places its relaunch as Apple Support Communities in April 2011, when it gained a redesigned interface, personalized profiles and a reputation system rewarding helpful users; MacRumors also dates the rename to 2011. AppleInsider dates the rebrand to August 2010.

Apple kept every Apple Discussions posting through that change. The forum adopted its current name in 2022.

Apple’s forums reach back further. The company launched AppleLink forums in July 1985 for dealers and support staff, then announced a Personal Edition for users in 1988. A study from the time found annual savings to Apple of at least $100 million, equivalent to $314 million today, according to Owen Linzmayer’s book “Apple Confidential 2.0.”

The forum offering later joined eWorld, which then-CEO Gil Amelio closed effective March 31, 1996. In 1996, Diana Keith, then Apple’s Director of Internet Productions, told eWorld users that “the smartest move for Apple to make is to greatly expand our presence on the Internet.”

MacRumors listed its own MacRumors Forums and Reddit as alternatives and said customers can still contact Apple Support.