My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!

Same problem for me. Bought my 13inch Macbook Pro Retina 5 months ago (May 2014) and stains started to appear around the bezel after the first month. Things progressively got worse, despite normal use. When major stains started to appear in the middle of the screen I decided to call Apple support:

In response to me referencing the complaints here and on MacRumors, Apple Support acknowledged that this seems to be a more widespread problem that is not necessarily due to inadequate usage. They sent me to an Apple store (or authorized Service Provider) to get my screen replaced; something they said should be covered by the warranty. Will post update when repair has indeed been completed.

<Link Edited By Host>

Joined the club(

Mid 2012, no warranty any more.

So sad( It's 100% around touchpad, always carried in soft sleeve. Paid smth like 2400... just incredible. Never had any problems with 3 Vaio's before that.

We should attract some attention to this issue, it is definitely a design flaw.

I am having the same issue here on my 15' Retina Macbook Pro, purchased Dezember 2013. I found that it occurs when I try to clean the display with a damp paper tissue. This clearly appears to be a quality issue which should definitely not happen on a product that costs nearly 3000 Euro.

I have this stains also on my Retina Display. But mostly at the borders and not in the middle of the display. I had a small talk with someone of the Apple Support Team in the chat. He asked me for a photo of the display and then he said I am out of warranty and so I need to pay the repair by myself. But the thing is, this issue exists since around 8 months or so (while I was in the warranty time). I always thought it was my fault before or it concerns only me, now I know its a general technical issue.

I hope Apple will release an official statement soon with a repair/replacement solution for everyone. I see this as a construction fault and not a typical warranty case.

Best regards,

Alexander

What? Not a manufacturing issue? LOL! That's a bad joke, isn't it?

This is the archetype of a manufacturing issue, if you can swipe away the anti reflex coating by a microfiber tissue plus a little bit of water. The damage must have been already applied when coating the glass at the manufactures premises. I have been working eight years as engineer for OC Oerlikon. They make production plants for thin film coatings like this and the company is also delivering the process applications, but often - specially in Asia - the application instructions are completely ignored the moment the Swiss application engineer leaves the company and flies home to Europe. Ergo: invalid done process application by ignoring application instructions are resulting exactly in problems like that. A correctly done production run of coating process like this, used e.g. for glasses, sun glasses, lenses etc. or screens like this you normally can even not scratch by a nail.

My MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) has no such problems. So I swear: The problems mentioned in this thread are clearly caused by a wasted production run. This is definitely not only a "cosmetic problem".

Shame on Apple, leaving the customers alone with this problem. The display glass is a spare part - I must guess - Apple pays probably not more than one USD for it. So they should be obliging to their customers and replace this on Apples costs. After all, most customers have spent > 2000 USD for the device and Apple is making a huge profit by selling its computers at this high prices.

Greetings

bradymott wrote:

I dont know how it happened, but somehow my retina display got some weird clear-ish stain damage that is very noticable on a black background. I have tried to clean it with water and a micro fiber cloth like usual, but i think this is not something on top of the screen as much as it is something has like eaten away a part of the screen... I need help! what do i do to solve this aside from replacing the screen... if water and microfiber arent working, what else can i use? I am worried that windex or alcohol will excacerbae the problem, as i suspect it might have been alcohol that caused the problem in the first place, but im not sure... any insight, please? this is driving me nuts

Аналогичная ситуация и у меня. Я крайне возмущен тем, что Apple не признает это дефектом. На моем MacBook Pro появились подобные следы пока только в нижнем правом углу, там где это не влияет на изображение дисплея, но я прекрасно понимаю, что это только начало, дальше — будет хуже. Моему устройству около полугода. Я готов был заплатить за смену защитного экрана с антибликовым покрытием, но выяснилось, что для устранения дефекта требуется замена матрицы полностью, что в моем городе стоит минимум 13 000 рублей. Apple, вы считаете это нормальным?! Я требую замены дисплея и защиты от дальнейшего появления подобного дефекта.

What? Not a manufacturing issue? LOL! That's a bad joke, isn't it?

This is the archetype of a manufacturing issue, if you can swipe away the anti reflex coating by a microfiber tissue plus a little bit of water. The damage must have been already applied when coating the glass at the manufactures premises. I have been working eight years as engineer for OC Oerlikon. They make production plants for thin film coatings like this and the company is also delivering the process applications, but often - specially in Asia - the application instructions are completely ignored the moment the Swiss application engineer leaves the company and flies home to Europe. Ergo: invalid done process application by ignoring application instructions are resulting exactly in problems like that. A correctly done production run of coating process like this, used e.g. for glasses, sun glasses, lenses etc. or screens like this you normally can even not scratch by a nail.

My MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) has no such problems. So I swear: The problems mentioned in this thread are clearly caused by a wasted production run. This is definitely not only a "cosmetic problem".

Shame on Apple, leaving the customers alone with this problem. The display glass is a spare part - I must guess - Apple pays probably not more than one USD for it. So they should be obliging to their customers and replace this on Apples costs. After all, most customers have spent > 2000 USD for the device and Apple is making a huge profit by selling its computers at this high prices.

Greetings

bradymott wrote:

I dont know how it happened, but somehow my retina display got some weird clear-ish stain damage that is very noticable on a black background. I have tried to clean it with water and a micro fiber cloth like usual, but i think this is not something on top of the screen as much as it is something has like eaten away a part of the screen... I need help! what do i do to solve this aside from replacing the screen... if water and microfiber arent working, what else can i use? I am worried that windex or alcohol will excacerbae the problem, as i suspect it might have been alcohol that caused the problem in the first place, but im not sure... any insight, please? this is driving me nuts

Разместив публикацию о своем случае в одном из российских сообществ, получил еще несколько отзывов о подобной проблеме. Вот, например:

серийный номер устройства C0*******FT0

<Link Edited By Host>

I want to add a photo of the screen as it looks now.

It started off with a few key marks on the screen, always around the O and P keys. From there it spread. And as I thought it was something ON the screen I kept trying to clean it off with my microfiber cloth and breath.

This is how the screen looks now. Unbelievable and entirely unacceptable for a $3000 laptop.

I typically work outside my home during the day and the screen looks terrible in that light. In a dark room with full light on the screen you can work without being distracted by the lack of coating - so I guess I have to change my work habits until Apple comes through and replaces our screens.

Joakim L., Denmark / Ethiopia

<Personal Information Edited By Host>

I have exactly the same problem on my Macbook Pro Retina Late 2013. Apart from the big smudge in the middle its around all the edges as well. Also a lot of little dots with the same issue. Using a microfiber cloth only makes things worse.

I think its insane that Apple doesn't recognise this as an obvious product default.

To add one more to the list: Macbook Pro Retine 15-inch Late 2013 with maximum specifications, received in December 2013.

Keeping/handling: From it's first day, the notebook was protected with a sleeve by Decoded (recommendation leather sleeve in the online apple store, has micro-fiber lining and protected zipper) and always with the provided micro-fiber cloth between keys and screen. Being lifetime wearer of glasses, i'm used to clean anti-glare coated glass/plastic and well aware of how-to handle those, resulting in: i only used the Apple provided micro-fiber cloth and at the utmost some drips of water - or in other words: i handle my expensive glasses as well as this even more expensive Macbook with kid gloves.

Having been product manager (for highend mastering turnkey systems) before i started university grade teaching, i'm wondering when there will be a reaction and solution for my case - and the other cases listed here. The fact that the anti-glare coating's fixation/bond to the glass is obviously too weak can't be negated - even if (in my case), the Genius Bar person told me, that this is "normal wear" of the laptop being used.

The noted product manager, being a part of my life, would say: "We made a production fault, please do a callback and fix those issues to prevent customer dissatisfaction." I would agree with other behaviour, if we would be talking about a price level of a few hundert dollars, but we are talking about a luxury level design laptop where the exterior design is as important as it's inner high-fidelity.

Dear Apple Service - change your mind and give us an acceptable service-path. Don't damage your reputation by not listening.

Kind regards

Stefan

I have to tell that I am also heavily suffering from stains on my Macbook Pro Retina Mid 2012:

I already contacted my Apple Service point here in Germany - unfortunately Apple is declining a repair of the faulty display EVEN with active Apple Care status! For me - until last week a happy longterm Apple user - this is like a smash in the face. Apple is blaming me for wrong cleaning - which I can just decline, having always(!) just used water and paper tissues for cleaning.

So what to do? Is this really the last and absolutely not customer-orientated answer from Apple?

I promised to post some result of my efforts getting rid of the coating. The first image (unfortunately it isn't very good quality) is showing the degraded coating. Every single white stain is a little worn off area.

I then started to remove the coating first using a very soft duster and just some water...

As you can see from the image, about 60-70% of the coating went off (USING A DUSTER + WATER). I can assure everyone, I just used very gently force. It was more a massaging exercise then anything else. It took about 20 minutes ONLY.

To get of more of the coating I had to use a little more "force" or better different materials. I now changed to a cotton kitchen cloth (the ones you dry your dishes with). Still pretty soft material. An I also used a windows cleaner (one I have been using for the last 10 years on my Plasma TV without any problems). With a little more pressure force and another 30 minutes or so, I got this far...

This is about 90% of the coating being removed. As to the rest of it, I have not managed to remove it. I used high percentage alcohol, other kitchen detergents, I even tried thinner (for oil paint) and a special cleaning oil of Dinitrol. No luck, the rest of the coating sticks as if it is burned right into the glass.

So somehow it seems to be possible to have the coating stick no matter what.

I will continue to experiment to get the rest off. In the meantime I ordered a anti glare screen protector as the screen became pretty much like a mirror (what was somewhat expected).

added comment:

Dear Apple,

I'm sure you have the money to waste a few screens to try any kind of chemical or method that is reasonably easy to be applied by us users to remove the coating and replace it by an anti glare protector screen. Maybe you can even test a few screens and recommend a few good ones.

Sure all participants here having this problem don't mind spending an hour + $30 to resolve the issue.

Thanks for listining

Matthias Wille

One of the main issues Apple is advertising its MacBook Pros is "the all new super duper AR coating". On your screen may be 1 to 2 % of it remained.

Please let me ensure all persons here concerned with this problem: normally on an AR coating from a non-failed production run, you must use an abrasive sandpaper to get it of the substrates like the lenses of your glasses or - in this case - the screen of the MBPR. An AR coating correctly applied to the substrate NEVER EVER get's of only by use of water and tissues.

This is for a 1'000'000% a production failure!

Best regards,

Roland

mwille64 wrote:

I promised to post some result of my efforts getting rid of the coating. The first image (unfortunately it isn't very good quality) is showing the degraded coating. Every single white stain is a little worn off area.

I then started to remove the coating first using a very soft duster and just some water...

As you can see from the image, about 60-70% of the coating went off (USING A DUSTER + WATER). I can assure everyone, I just used very gently force. It was more a massaging exercise then anything else. It took about 20 minutes ONLY.

To get of more of the coating I had to use a little more "force" or better different materials. I now changed to a cotton kitchen cloth (the ones you dry your dishes with). Still pretty soft material. An I also used a windows cleaner (one I have been using for the last 10 years on my Plasma TV without any problems). With a little more pressure force and another 30 minutes or so, I got this far...

This is about 90% of the coating being removed. As to the rest of it, I have not managed to remove it. I used high percentage alcohol, other kitchen detergents, I even tried thinner (for oil paint) and a special cleaning oil of Dinitrol. No luck, the rest of the coating sticks as if it is burned right into the glass.

So somehow it seems to be possible to have the coating stick no matter what.

I will continue to experiment to get the rest off. In the meantime I ordered a anti glare screen protector as the screen became pretty much like a mirror (what was somewhat expected).

added comment:

Dear Apple,

I'm sure you have the money to waste a few screens to try any kind of chemical or method that is reasonably easy to be applied by us users to remove the coating and replace it by an anti glare protector screen. Maybe you can even test a few screens and recommend a few good ones.

Sure all participants here having this problem don't mind spending an hour + $30 to resolve the issue.

Thanks for listining

Matthias Wille

just want to add some photos to the family album 😟

and the shocking part is just realised couple days ago that my screen also has burnt trace, you can take a look at the corner of the screen there's a small apple logo and chrome menu bar also the square address bar, even though i didn't do much browsing on this laptop (i do that a lot on my big screen desktop gaming PC) and always set the screen saver (i love flurry) on my rMBP for 5 minutes when i was off.

model : 13" rmbp late 2012

location: japan

ps excuse my englsh