You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!

User uploaded file

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

MacBook Pro with Retina display

Posted on Apr 7, 2014 10:44 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 25, 2017 12:53 AM

UPDATE

January 24, 2017


To all staingate victims--


Apple has you covered. They know they f'd up big time so they are offering to fix the screens under their "quality program." No warranty needed. It was a manufacturer's defect that took them a while to figure out. Just visit an Apple Store, drop off your MacBook, and you'll have a new, stain-free screen in under a week.


I brought my MacBook Pro into the Manhattan Beach store on Saturday, no hassles. They estimated five business days but probably sooner than that. I have my work laptop in the meantime so it's not too inconvenient.


Hope this puts some of you at ease. Again, just bring your computer in to an Apple Store and they will take care of it free of charge.


Mark

1,596 replies

Jan 25, 2016 1:48 PM in response to bradymott

Hey guys


Today I have received my macbook from service after almost 5 weeks of waiting (they didn't have spare parts here in Ukraine plus my macbook had been bought in USA so they had to send something somewhere) with brand new screen.

As I see some people still have issues even after repair, so does it mean that all retina screens can be affected, not only those which had been manufactured before 2015?

I was thinking about selling my laptop and buying the one they will release this year...


Thanks.

Feb 1, 2016 1:59 PM in response to PlotinusVeritas

May i ask you if you know, which manufacturer had the stagnate issue LG or Samsung? I was a victim of staingate screen too. My screen peeled off on the eleventh month while i never used any spray or third part cleaner apart from the apple cloth with 1 or 2 drops of water on it.

An official reseller vendor in Greece changed the screen for me, but i am afraid that it will return and that on time all the retina screens will have that issue (at least the older ones, i own a macbook pro retina 13 mid 2014 model) and thinking of selling it....

Finally i try at the Terminal to find who manufactured my new screen but i cannot find it with the way the users recommend here at the chat by entering and hitting ioreg -lw0 | grep "EDID" | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6


Kind regards

Vasileios

Feb 3, 2016 11:48 AM in response to bradymott

Today I have back my affected MCBP late 2013. Replacement was done for free even I'm already without warranty.

Apple already opened program for replacement, why you guys just won't use search for that?

http://www.macrumors.com/2015/10/17/apple-mbp-ar-coating-quality-program-stainga te/


You are asking what to do, even tho this program exist from October 2015!!!! So ask your local Apple Service center to replace it!


I've got completely new display and casing, great service, thanks Apple!!

Feb 3, 2016 8:08 PM in response to BoatGeek

UPDATE 2/316: Screen was replaced at no cost by Apple!


I took my late 2013 Retina MacBook Pro to the Apple Store in Santa Monica, CA. Of course, this laptop was over a year past the warranty period. A helpful assistant at the Genius Bar inspected my laptop's screen, noting the failed anti-reflective coating near the edges, and immediately stated "this screen will be replaced at no cost to you". They were used to frequently handling this issue, and did not hesitate to offer a free replacement. I asked if Apple now has an internal policy for replacing the failed Retina screens, and was told "yes there was a large batch of screens that had coating failures".


I also stated that I had read (in this forum on this thread) that some screens had to be replaced more than once; the Genius Bar assistant stated that the issues with the anti-reflective coating have been resolved, and the new screens do not have this problem. I inquired separately with 2 other Genius Bar assistants if they have seen any laptops coming back more than once; they answered "no".


It appears that Apple recognized the widespread issue, if not resolved at no cost to the owners, as a serious reputation killer to the company's branding.


I'm very pleased to say that Apple has resolved this issue quickly and with integrity. Their excellent response to this issue has convinced me to make another Apple product selection later when needed.

Feb 4, 2016 3:54 AM in response to mschipperheyn

I have just had the screen replaced free of charge on my 2012 rMBP


I had found out about their quality program. booked a genius bar app, and they took it and replaced it same day. Fantastic support and now my MBP looks brand new!


It has actually stopped me from buying a new one just yet, (even tho it is the 2012 model)

Feb 8, 2016 9:55 PM in response to bradymott

The previous entries from PlotinusVeritas are not the issue. In exceptionally rare case this 'human oil acidity' exists but if the screen is shiny, clean, and unmarred on the surface...that's not the problem. At all. The various layers of coating, adhesives and materials in the display can can fail if not manufactured correctly. Whether it's initiated by heat, pressure, chemicals, or moisture, it's still a failure of manufacturing and nothing you've done...perhaps contributed to...but a defect that none of things should cause that damage. They are not 'smudges' but they may appear to spread when you try to clean them off. It is the film layer on the display becoming detached. Essentially, air bubbles under a failed adhesive.


This is a manufacturing defect and it should be replaced beyond the initial warranty. It the "geniuses" (hahah) say no, speak to their manager. This is a known issue and for such high end hardware, given that Apple can afford the repair, demand that they do it.

My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.