Q: Mid-2013 Macbook Air screen goes black?

I noticed this problem after installing chrome.  With chrome running, I use a hot corner to put the display to sleep.  When I wake the computer, the screen goes blank (after 10-15 sec) and I have to re-wake the computer.  I tried closing chrome, put the display to sleep, after wake the problem did not occur.  I can replicate the problem 100% of the time with chrome open, and solve it 100% by closing chrome. 

I am having the same problem with my Mid-2013 MacBook Air, although for me, this seems to happen straight after logging in from sleep mode. What will happen is, I'll wake up my computer and log in, then maybe 30 seconds later the screen suddenly goes black for no reason. So I'll have to press buttons on the keyboard to wake it up again, and then I have to log in a second time

I did two things last night which appear to have worked. I did a PRAM reset, and also did this:

System Preferences --> User & Groups --> Login Options --> Automatic Login --> Your primary user

Since then, I've put my mac to sleep and logged back in 3-4 times out of my own accord, and it has not happened again. Hopefully this is a permanent fix! I'll let you all know if anything else happens.

I'm having a similar issue with my Mid-2013 MacBook Air. Mine appears to occur randomly and it's only occurred 3 times (owned it for around 3 weeks). I usually have Google Chrome open at all times when I'm working. My screen will go black for around 2-3 seconds and then when I press keys it will go to the login.

Question: Does anyone have any ideas if this is a hardware or software problem? I'm thinking of asking for a replacement...it seemed like something trivial until I found this forum.

@melia29 Let us know if what you did works over prolonged use! My problem doesn't seem to be as drastic as yours was though.

Same issue here.

I exit the screen saver and 15 seconds later, the computer goes to SLEEP and I need to hit some key to wake it up.

This means no screen, but also no WIFI.

I'm a developer and I need remote connections to keep on... but the random sleep kills them all.

This has been happening since I got the laptop in June and it is strange that no update has fixed that.

Hi all,

Same here. I bought my MBA in August, it's the 1.7GHz Core i7 with 8Gb ran and 512Gb SSD.

Ever since I've had it, I get occasional blackouts where the screen goes black and I just have to press a key and re-log-in.

Recently, I've only notice it happen <30 seconds after I've woken it up. So I wake it up, log in, and then <30 secs later I get the black screen and have to log in again.

It doesn't happen every time, I'd say maybe twice a day, when I'm working all day on it and would let it go to sleep possibly a dozen or more times.

I never have to do more than just press a key to wake it up (and log in) again.

I always have Chrome running as I'm using this for development and testing.

My guess is that it's a software glitch rather than a hardware one so I'm not planning to take it back (unless I find out otherwise).

It's inconvenient, but not very. So I'm happy to bid my time and wait for a fix...

Whe have the same problem but in larger scale, today i hade 18 students with Macbook Air Middle 2013 13" in this group 7 have hade the same problem with black screen, and i didnt realy belive them, but in 50 mins 2 student could show up this error, black screen, one o the students did get the screen back after pressing keyboard and mouse but the other one did need to press poweroff to get back in. Have anyone found out the reason or a fix ?

i got my mba yesterday (1.7 proc, 8 gb ram, 256 gb ssd) and using it until i write this comment. like you guys, i am having this problem too. so i think all the mba user (mid 2013) have the same problem?

what you guys do with this problem ? ask replacement or wait for the update ?

note: beside this problem, i also got my mba with 2 scratch on the body. very dissapointed with apple this time.

regards,

dw

I figured out the permanent solution!

I returned my 2013 MBA and I no longer have this problem.

I'm waiting to get my hands on the rMBP and hopefully this will no longer be an issue. The QA is getting somewhat slippery with Apple within the last few 3 years, every product launch has at least one issue that affects most users. Here's to hoping the rMBP will be much better and either 10.8.5 or Mavericks will resolve such issues.

krsnll, nice data point.  Currently of 3 people in my office w/ 2013 MBAs, all have this issue.

I posted a response in another thread about some of the things hat Geniuses pointed out might worsen issue.

On page 23 of this thread, some users reported that the beta version of OSX 10.8.5 update fixed the issues for them.  This update should be available generally in the near future, my guess is it will be released in conjunction with other Apple stuff on 9/10.

Just had the worst blackout, while taking notes in class using Word. I'd made sure Chrome was't running, but all of a sudden, the screen went black, except the mouse pointer was still visible and movable, though no clicking or key pressing had any effect. This went on for around 30 seconds, then the mouse pointer disappeared and the computer seemed to finally have gone to sleep. At which point, a keyboard press brought me to the familiar login screen.

Fortunately, I wasn't doing a Powerpoint presentation, and I shall make sure to use a teammate's Windows' laptop for that purpose, and not the MBA, not until there's a permanent fix anyway.

It happened again just now :/ I woke up my laptop, logged in, was on chrome for about 20 seconds and the screen suddenly went black and audio cut off. had to wake it up again. PRAM reset and user preferences editing didnt work. Has seemed to reduce it though, since this is the only time it has happened since I did the "fix" 2 days ago. Might try a SMC reset, as the support page for that says this may be useful for when the computer shuts down or sleeps unexpectedly: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964

Has anyone tried an SMC reset with sucess?

So it's been about a month now, and it still happens only when I move my MBA from time to time esp on a soft surface, and it leans towards to left side. I did manage to video it, will share it when i have the chance.

I also have this problem, but I can get it to come back on just by tapping the spacebar.  This happens at seemingly random times.  If it doesn't get worse this is no big deal, but like most people nobody wants random behavior from a computer....

(Can't send it back because I'm in Mozambique now, so that's a bit of an issue.)

teaforyou Australia 

   So it's been about a month now, and it still happens only when I move my MBA from time to time esp on a soft surface

Your issue is related to a bad reed switch in your macbook Air, it is a mechanical fault UNRELATED to the thread in here which is specifically related to sleep from wake and a power thru firmware/software.

Your specific Air has a mechanical fault unlike others posting in this thread.

Contact Apple for an appt. for either replacement or repair/diagnostic of your mechanical fault.

Hi, I am going to buy new MBA, but this "black screen bug" make me sad. Is it realy so big problem or just little bit inconvenient?

I think there is very simple way to check if this bug is caused by software or hardware: if somebody have bootcamp on theirs MBA you can boot Windows and chek if "black screen back" present. If not it is software problem and there is nothing to worry about.

What do think?

Please let know about resualts.

(sorry for my English, I'm not native speaker)