My Retina Display has stain damage, HELP!!!

Nordski, you did nothing wrong. The problem would have occurred even had you used no liquid at all. It happened in my case that way.

Apple had a program in place that lasted until mid-October 2017 which allowed replacing of screens on older models like yours for free (in most cases), but that program has ended. I have read first-hand reports from other MBP owners who have had success in getting their older MBP's screen replaced for free, but it really depends on the Apple store you visit and in what country. All said, the only way to know is to try, and it make take persistence and a visit to more than one Apple store for you to obtain a favorable response. Sadly though, even a new screen won't prevent the problem from recurring. Apple has not created a new screen that has a stronger antiglare coating, so any replacement screen would eventually develop the same problem down the line, no matter how well you baby it. I wish I had better news for you, but that is currently the state of things.

Best wishes.

I had the same issue and the only way to help I found is to remove the coating. I cleaned mine with a tiny bit of ceramic hob cleaner on dry kitchen paper - I had to do this about 3 times until it came off the entire screen. I then wiped it over with a damp microfibre cloth and it's perfect! It only took about 10 mins for the whole thing and now it's like new (except without the anti-glare coating). Hope this helps!

Have you taken it to an Apple Store to get it checked?

According to, Shankar9:-

'The Quality Program was initially on till 15/16 Oct '16. It apparently has been extended till Oct 16. 2017. Your 2014 Mac should be covered for a free replacement provided it is diagnosed as the above problem.'

I took mine in because my screen glass got broken and I wasn’t aware of the 'staingate' problem which showed up when the Apple Store Genius Bar had a look at it. I got a free replacement screen under the 'program'

So you have until 16 October to get it sorted. Please take it to your nearest Apple Store.

I'm from Argentina, we don't even have official Apple Stores here and my macbook is no longer under warranty, but I contacted the apple support (chat) and they said I could reach a reseller here in Argentina and they will take care as an Apple store would do. The apple support gave me the numbers, I called, they saw the stains and replace my display free of charge. The program has ended on Oct 16 but if your mac is 3 years old or less they will replace it.

My MBP Retina 13" (Late 2013) was not under warranty or Applecare. The replacements were done under Apple's Quality Program for this particular problem commonly being referred to

as "staingate" or marks/stains/discolouration of the glossy black coating on the display which appear suddenly and on their own.

The Quality Program was initially on till 15/16 Oct '16. It apparently has been extended till Oct 16. 2017. Your 2014 Mac should be covered for a free replacement provided it is diagnosed as the above problem.

Hi!

I will get mine replaced. The program is up to 3 years old MBP. Everyone should call local certified service! Will drop mine off tomorrow. Will take some days to get the display for replacement, because comes directly from Apple.

Thanks a lot for the tip here!!!

I am absolutely certain that even the 2017 models have the problem of the antiglare coating coming off, as per first-hand user reports that I have read. I would love to provide a link to those comments for you, but every single time I try to do that in this forum, my posts wind up deleted or edited. With that said, I am certainly not trying to discourage anyone to forsake the Mac over this. I've read some people say, "Apple swapped my screen 4 times and I'm still having the problem again. As such, I will never buy another MacBook Pro again." That implies they would consider Windows notebooks an option. I myself would not. But that makes it all the more painful a problem because we Mac users who need a notebook and want something fast and modern are powerless to do anything to prevent the problem.

I personally wish Apple would just put the same anti-fingerprint coating on MBP screens that they use on iPads. I've never seen this problem happen on any of my iOS devices, nor have I read any reports of it either. And yes, modern iOS devices have antiglare coatings. Those antiglare coatings on iOS devices are probably the same as what are used on MBP screens -- the key difference being that iOS screens also have that anti-fingerprint coating atop the antiglare coating. It's my opinion that anti-fingerprint coating makes all the difference. If I was an executive at Apple in charge of the MBP line, I would immediately put that extra coating on the screens, regardless of the fact MBP screens are not touchscreens. Recognizing a problem exists and then trying something to solve the problem is better than the current status quo of doing nothing at all, merely hoping MBP users will continue buying the MBP and not complain.

The official word is this:

Until October 16, 2017 or until three years after purchase, whichever is longer.

Apple will replace your screen an almost unlimited number of times during that approved period. However, Apple is unfortunately replacing the screens with the same kind of screen that has a weak antiglare coating that will definitely come off. This really is unacceptable in light of the fact that iOS devices do not have the same problem. My personal theory is that iOS devices don't have a problem because they have an anti-fingerprint coating on them, whereas MacBook Pro displays do not. So if my theory is correct, all Apple would need to do to solve the problem once and forever more would be to just offer replacement screens that have an anti-fingerprint coating on them!

Yes, the antiglare coating coming off problem afflicts even the late 2016 MBPs too. I've read reports on our FB group about it. One can only guess that no reports have come out on the 2017 models because they are still new and not enough time has passed for users of them to notice if they have the problem.

UPDATE #1: My local AASP said Apple denied me the 3rd free repair asked after October 16. (My MacBook is 3,5 years old)

UPDATE #2: I was talking with Apple Support in Chat after receiving reject from AASP. I described my story in details, they switched me to Apple Senior Adviser (2nd time, first was at previous repair) and she said "in fact replacement program expire a on the 16th. I can make a one time exception to have it covered for you again. That repair will carry a 90 day warranty and no other exceptions will be made for this device in the future."

So I will do it at Monday/Tuesday and keeping my fingers crossed.

Ipanema, it's not that simple. I have read first-hand reports that even the late 2016 even the 2017 MBPs have the same problem of the antiglare coating coming off over time. It's a rather serious issue that is not simply resolved by selling an old model and getting the newest one, unless you happen to have a MBP that is not a Retina display model, in which case it should be fine. And all older MBP's that have the old anti-glare screen (not coated in glass) don't have the problem either.

This has happened on every MBP Retina I've had since the first Retina model was released. It starts about four to six months in, and no amount of cleaning will stop the progression. The only fix is to replace the screen, which can be done at an independent service place for ~700 USD. (Forget about Apple service--way too expensive and slow!!)

I'm a photojournalist who regularly shoots for The Associated Press, Getty, and other media outlets, and we have to edit and submit our deadline work in whatever lighting exists at the assignment. Often this means using the MBP in direct sun, with harsh reflections (I'm writing this under the Nicaraguan sun late morning, before heading back to the US this evening) and it makes editing **** near impossible unless I can find a shady place with no light spilling across the screen.

The general sense I get from my colleagues at AP and Getty is that everyone is moving away from Macs for this, and other, reasons. (Poor support and very slow turn around time for maintenance is another--I have two machines for this latter reason.) It's too bad, as when the machines are new the image quality of a MBP Retina is great--makes on-location photo editing a breeze--but once the degradation moves beyond the periphery of the screen, where it always starts, it becomes much harder.

I used Madarzone, effectively a parazone, with cotton. Cleans off without pressure. Had tried ethanol, paraffin etc before and all didn't work.

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

How can there be? Anything that affixes to the screen would use some kind of adhesive, right? Now consider that the weak antiglare coating comes off even if you hardly every wipe it down and even if you gently wipe it with a soft cloth. So do you honestly think that removing something affixed to the screen with an adhesive would NOT cause the coating to come off?

I've read buyer comments on Amazon regarding screen protectors that took of some of the antiglare coating. So I am not merely guessing here.

The only thing you can and should do is write to Apple about your experience, such that Apple will finally use iOS display tech in a replacement screen that would ensure this kind of crazy problem never happening ever again. (The problem does not happen on iOS devices -- not even on the 12.9" iPad Pro.)