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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

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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

Apr 29, 2016 7:49 PM in response to bradymott

Not sure if this was discussed in the thread yet... but I was at the apple store last week to check my macbook pro (late 2013) for other issues. I was also googling to see if there are solutions to this. The person at the genuis bar told me that certain models of the retina display with this issue can be fixed for free. He told me to that these screens are being recalled? by Apple and cost to replace would be completely covered. But they will change the entire screen. I haven't made an appointment yet to go back in but he said they should do it... and I hope that the offer still stands.

May 9, 2016 8:38 AM in response to kasitu

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I got my screen replaced under the Quality Program back at the end of October 2015.


The problem is now occurring again, along the same areas as the last time -- the corners of keyboard keys when the lid is close. The little dots are slowly starting to appear again on the screen. So this is not a permanent fix. Going to contact Apple regarding this. Just don't understand how they can make a recall like this and simply supply the same susceptible screens without any type of rubber/stand-off to protect the screen when the lid is closed.


This is disappointing on so many levels.

May 16, 2016 11:40 AM in response to friedemann102

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Here is a .jpg of the top of my MacBook Pro. It is a Retina 13" mid 2014 model. I only have this weird "scuffing" at the top of my screen. I have only ever used a microfiber cloth with RayBan sunglass cleaning solution (no alcohol or harmful ingredients). I have this MBP for going on 2 years now (I believe) and just starting noticing this about 1 maybe 2 months ago (very busy at work). The problem is though, it seems to be getting WORSE. I read quite a few of the replies but in a general sense have people noticed the problem stopping or getting worse and worse as time went on after seeing it?


I work in politics and insurance so I do travel with my MBP but I have a nice Incase neoprene housing and I also have a nice brief case which it goes in.


Well now I just bought another, newer Incase. Damnit.


So does it get worse????? Please say no. Please say it was just pressure from being in my briefcase / travel-bag ...


thanks

May 16, 2016 11:58 AM in response to GreenMamba

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Above you can see the photo of just one side of my MacBook Pro Retina 13" (the right side). The model is the late 2013. I am from Minsk, Belarus. As I know Apple admit the problem and has started the quality program to fix this issue. Let me know who can I contact to in Belarus (or Lithuania, Ukraine) to replace my screen.


thx in advance.

May 16, 2016 2:16 PM in response to GreenMamba

Well, it doesn't get any better, that's for sure. What I noticed was it got worse before my eyes as I cleaned the screen - I was actually rubbing the anti reflective coating off the screen when I cleaned it (even with just plain water and a soft cloth).


The damage to my screen was similar to what you show, and the Apple store replaced my screen without question. So I wouldn't worry about it if you can get to an Apple store. (It was a two hour drive for me, so not to say it's always convenient).


I'm being extremely careful with my new screen. I haven't cleaned it once yet and am being careful not to touch it. I have no assurance that the new screen is improved over the original, so I wouldn't be surprised if it happens again. My guess/theory is that there's some oxidation happening so the coating degrades over time no matter what.

May 16, 2016 11:41 PM in response to bradymott

my new mac 12" purchased on jan 2016, and in the center of the screen there was keyboard tuts mark printed on it. try to wipe it out, yet it didn't go away.


how long do i suppose to wait until its too late to replace the screen? 1 year right?


and when it replaced with the new one, does it will show up again on the screen later? how to detect between the possibly defect one and with the one which will not defect.


regards.

May 19, 2016 3:26 PM in response to vhornik

WOW. That's all I can say. Yours looks EXACTLY like mine, except mine is just on the top part (so far). This weekend I am going to go to the Apple Store and see what they say. eankobert's post above says we are in the clear and they will repair the screens for us free of charge. I sure hope so. By the way I bought this Incase online almost as soon as I was done posting my original reply. I got it yesterday. Its very nice. It is grey with a lime green "bumper" around it. It has no zipper like my old one. You just slide your MBP in it and it closes by itself. I think their are some kind of magnets (doubt actual magnets) at the top or something "TensaerLite Technology" whatever that is. Great case though, I would definitely recommend it. Not that I really needed it, I had one which was about 3 years old, zipper kind, still in decent shape. I am very happy I upgraded though, and got it for almost half price. ( BestBuy deal of the day, I couldn't help myself..) Check it out. vhornik once i get to the Apple Store this weekend I will reply and let you know if they fixed it or not.

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Jun 1, 2016 6:54 AM in response to Fazant6

You know Fazant6 I thought the same thing. Their products are still head and shoulders better above the competition, but there was a time 5-6+ ago when their products were just unimaginably better in almost every aspect. Their overall builds were better quality, the technology was better, OS was better, everything was BETTER. Now it seems as though the OS is still the best out there **cough Qubes-os seems cool and so does Librem-13-laptop.. OS X still is my choice though** but other than that .... I mean I definitely still prefer the feel and build of today's MacBook Pro's to any other laptop's out there. But this screen issue is a real serious bummer. I very much hope when I get to the Apple store this weekend they can fix it for me. If not Apple is really going to hurt my feelings. 😝

My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!

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