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MacBook Pro or Air screen problems: every symptom and its fix
A misbehaving MacBook screen does not always need replacing. Find your symptom in the table: it gives the most likely cause, what you can test yourself, and the detailed guide.
Spot your problem at a glance
| What you see | Most likely cause | Test first |
|---|---|---|
| Black screen, but the Mac seems to be on (sound, lit keyboard) | Backlight, display cable or brightness setting | Turn up the brightness, connect an external display |
| Vertical or horizontal lines | Display cable or damaged panel | Open and close the screen slowly: do the lines move? |
| Dark bottom of the screen or “curtain” effect on a 2016-2017 MacBook Pro | Flexgate: worn display cable | Watch whether the fault changes with the opening angle |
| Stains that will not wipe off | Anti-reflective coating peeling off (staingate) or pressure on the panel | Clean with a soft, barely damp cloth |
| Flickering screen | Software, brightness setting or display cable | Turn off automatic brightness, update macOS |
| Strange colours, pink or purple image | Panel or display cable at the end of its life | Take a screenshot: if it looks normal, the fault is in the screen |
| Dots or small areas that never change colour | Dead or stuck pixels on the panel | Display plain white, black, red, green and blue backgrounds |
| Cracked glass, black ink-like stains that spread | Panel broken under the glass | Nothing to test: the panel or the complete screen needs replacing |
The most useful test: connect an external display. If the picture looks normal there, the Mac works and the problem is in the built-in screen; if it is faulty too, the logic board or the software is more likely to blame.
Before replacing the screen
- Restart the Mac and see whether the fault appears as soon as the Apple logo shows: if it is there before macOS starts, it is a hardware problem.
- Take a screenshot (⇧ + ⌘ + 3) and open it on another device: if it looks normal, the graphics card is fine.
- Connect an external display to confirm that the rest of the Mac works.
- Note the model number engraved on the underside of the Mac (A followed by 4 digits): it determines which screen is compatible.
Detailed guides, symptom by symptom
- Black screen on a MacBook that is switched on: 4 tests
- Flexgate: lines or dark bottom of the screen on a MacBook Pro
- Stains on the screen: cleaning or staingate?
- Cracked screen: repair or replace, and at what price?
- “Unknown Part” message after a screen replacement
- Find your Mac’s model number
How much does a screen cost?
The price depends on the model and the condition of the part. Our price pages give today’s price for each model, from the 11-inch MacBook Air to the MacBook Pro M5.
Frequently asked questions
My MacBook screen has lines: can it be repaired?
Yes. If the lines change when you move the screen, the display cable is often to blame; otherwise it is the panel. Either way, replacing the screen solves the problem.
Should you replace the whole screen or just the panel?
On recent MacBooks, the panel is bonded into a thin lid: replacing the complete screen is safer. On older models, the panel alone may be enough.
Can a macOS update fix a screen problem?
Only if the fault is software-related, for example flickering that appeared after an update. A line, a stain or a crack is a hardware fault.
