In what specific way is my MacBook screen failing?

March 3, 2019 8:21 AM

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014). Light "band" in upper middle of screen for a year+ now. Annoying but generally not noticeable. Cleaned the screen today and now it is -so much worse- -- band is more filled-in, there's weird extra marks around it. Clearly something is happening to the screen or just behind(?) the screen. Is this something I can potentially fix myself? I can't find similar images on Google so I'm not even sure what what my potential fixes/costs are.
posted by curious nu to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Response by poster: Oh hey, I appear to have run afoul of "Staingate". Looks like I can try and see if Apple will still cover it (can't remember when I bought it) or possibly use rubbing alcohol to get the old stuff off.
posted by curious nu at 8:26 AM on March 3, 2019

Yeah, as you've probably figured out by now, it's not that there's grime on your screen, it's that the anti-glare coating that was put on at the factory is wearing off. So scrubbing on it is only going to make it worse by causing more of the coating to be removed and the lighter area to expand. It's probably wearing against a part of the keyboard area when the lid is closed (I'm guessing the spacebar from the pattern). The weird extra marks are where random scratches over the years have also breached the anti-glare coating, causing the delamination to expand outward from the scratches.

I doubt there's anything you can do to fix it other than replace the screen.
posted by glonous keming at 9:29 AM on March 3, 2019

Similar MBP screen replacement cost us around $700 a year ago, at the local Apple-authorized repair shop.

(Fwiw I regret not getting the batteries replaced at the same time, though it might not have made a difference to the batter-replacement cost since that means disassembly of the other part of the machine)
posted by anadem at 10:03 AM on March 3, 2019

I would contact Apple directly to see if perhaps there have been further extensions to their replacement program for affected devices, though according to this article, the coverage offered is for up to 4 years after purchase, which your device would fall outside of.
posted by Gomez_in_the_South at 10:16 AM on March 3, 2019

The Facebook group dedicated to this problem says the four-year limit is still in effect, which means that any unit purchased before February 2015 is now ineligible for a free replacement. They offer some suggestions (like Listerine...) that are effective removing the rest of the anti-glare coating so you get a nice like-new look, but no glare protection. And, word of warning, if you get Listerine (or rubbing alc) under the edges of the screen you are truly screwed. So wet your microfiber very slightly with whatever you use, keep the screen flat on the table while you do this, and don't let it run down the edges.

Also, there are suggestions that this condition is exacerbated by closing your screen when the computer is hot.
posted by beagle at 10:28 AM on March 3, 2019 [1 favorite]