Popping Sound, MBP 2016

Macbook Pro 2016 15'. I'm experiencing this random popping sound too (the videos in this thread "show" the issue pretty well). I don't think it has anything to do with warm up. I already chatted with Apple Support and they only recommended software solutions. Didn't want to try those and checked if anything could make the popping noise on my Macbook.

I might have found the source:

The screen / screen hinge. If I press on the in the middle of the screens backplate near the screen hinge (close to or on the edge) I hear a very similar popping sound. Works in opened and closed position.

Please check if this could be the source on your Macbook too and reply to this comment.

Since two weeks, after top case (for the rattle noise near trackpad) and complete display change (for popping noise at opening and heating, and cracking noise when pushing back to MacBook Pro logo), Everything is OK.

they tried to fix the hinges but had to give up because the pop/crack were still here

Changing full display case is the key

Haven't taken a look at this thread in about a month. What's the latest relevant update? Any acknowledgement from Apple? I have the 2017 15" MBP and while it doesn't make the same loud popping noise as my 2016 one did, there is still a noise occurring. It's akin to flicking the corner of a sheet of paper with your thumb..a very soft "click". It doesn't seem to be GPU dependant because it happens while I'm just browsing the web etc, whereas with the 2016 I'd have to fire up a game or really get the fans going for the popping noise to occur. I also can't reproduce the noise by pressing on the the back of the screen like I could with the 2016. Another thing worth noting is that this clicking didn't start occurring until a couple weeks of use.

It's still annoying as **** but I'd rather have this than a clacking-upon-opening lid and loud popping noises. This is my 4th new TB Macbook (3rd 2017 edition) so I'm pretty much done with returning/replacing it as I'm pretty sure Apple will blacklist me if I do it again lol.

With my 2016, I had the top case and display replaced as well and it did not fix the issue. The noise that I'm experiencing now was also present on the previous two 2017's that I had. Have you sat and listened to your machine in complete silence for any length of time? The noise I'm describing is quite faint and isn't really audible unless you're listening for it -- that is, you probably won't hear it if theres a TV on in the room. It also seems to disappear once the machine has been in use for about 30 minutes.

Il mio mbp 2016 basta sollevarlo e premere dietro la scritta "MacBookPro" e anche a destra e sinistra della scritta e si riproduce il suono, qui in Italia mi vogliono sostituire il display ma no il top case, mi continuano a dire al Genius Bar che Apple non ha ufficialmente comunicato come risolvere il problema !!!!!!!!!! 3.200,00 euro

I was also able to reproduce the popping noise consistently, when I first opened up the display and the laptop were cold there was a "pop". Then when the computer got warmer during heavier tasks there were several "pops" and during the cooldown there were "pops" aswell.... I could even force the pops sometimes by just touching the screen. Boy, was I slowly crawling up the walls? God yes I was....

I will check back here in a months time or so for an status update.

After the frustrating popping noise, I visited the genius bar this past August. They replaced the screen, and the repair cost was around $695 with a $100 labor charge. They covered it under the 1 year warranty.

When I received the laptop back, everything was great up until this past week. The popping sound is there again, and it usually happens on a cold start. Slightly more of a faint sound than the last time, but time will tell if it gets worse.

Back to the genius bar I go.

Now they admitted the error and replaced the Top case and Battery. I don't understand why they don't change the screen as other ppl who get a successful repair. But I think, ok I am not the genius it is ok as long as it works.

BUT, just one day after the pick up, the popping sound is STILL there, as frequent as before. Oh my god. To be honest I am furious, it wastes me a total week and the whole transportation and it comes out they CHEAT me.

No more Apple products.

Just as a heads up, they will not exchange your device for free regardless of warranty status if they determine that the issue could have been caused by accidental damage. Especially if you only have Limited Warranty. I would not wait until your warranty is almost over because you decrease your chances of a replacement.

I have the 2016 MacBook Pro 2.7 I7 16 gb 15 inch touchbar with popping sound and screen flickering only if I tilt it back! if it stays to 90 degrees it stops flickering.. the popping sounds like small fire cracker sometimes. It does get hot sometimes I had to install Mac fans control. the fans run @ 3700 rpm.. it make it 4000 if it gets too hot .. this is strange indeed it looks it has to do with the hinges one way or the other ,..I can not have a dent because it was in a speck protector since day one... I hope apple has the answer to this !!!

I've had the same exact problem. I get a popping noise, a loud one in intervals of ten to thirty seconds to once every thirty minutes.

I have the late 2016 15" fully spec'd out, but with a 512 SSD.

After surveying this thread and seeing that some people had successful responses from the Genius Bar I decided to take mine in. He said he was not aware of the issue and that it was a "cosmetic" issue. He offered to reseat the components in the bottom portion of the laptop, I said sure, couldn't really hurt.

My biggest problem though, is that my actual screen will not sit flush to the bottom half of the laptop. It seems to be warped because the hinge is such sub par quality to begin with. The popping has not stopped. And there is an increasing gap between the rubber edges of the display and the surface of the inside of the bottom half.

It legitimately looks like the monitor top half is floating above the bottom half. Pretty unacceptable. I haven't done any damage at all to this thing. No drops, no dings, nothing. you'd be hard pressed to find a scratch.

The fact I was told "nothing doing" is a joke. This isn't acceptable build quality and of the five MacBook pro's/macbooks I've owned this has never been an issue. Maybe I'll go in at some point before my one year warranty is up, since I had planned to purchase it retroactively, however they repealed that policy, and now I can't.

Thanks this is helpful. I took my 2016 macbook pro touchbar in months ago and they claimed they had never heard of issue. I've been traveling and thus didn't want to let them take it for repairs. Since then the popping is worse and now actually pops even when simply opening the screen - not to mention the sounds and tactile shock it randomly makes when running. I'm going to schedule a visit to apple store and pull up your parts list.

I'm living in Israel; I have a USA AppleCare service.

The laptop sent to USA labs for this repair.

They didn't charge me extra for any of this parts or service.

Here is the full document, if you show it that way it will be more legit.

I have the same problem with my 2017 MacBook Pro (13 inch, two thunderbolt 3 ports, 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB SSD). I only just received the computer a few days ago, and now notice the clicking/popping noise when the computer warms up. I've a hard cover case and the computer is in perfect condition.

There are so many people with this same complaint on this forum. Annoyingly, apple are yet to comment and resolve this issue.

It is important to note the computer is custom made, and only just recently received. Hopefully the cause of the noise are expansion of components by heat as adhesive seals continuing to cure, as you mentioned.

It looks like, the popping doesn't comes, when the macbook is in docked mode (closed with external keyboard and trackpad). Of course IT'S NOT the solution, but maybe could help to the service to get closer to the problem. Does anybody has experience in docked mode?