remove good lcd panel from macbook pro brands

There is a guide for the 15" MacBook Pro that illustrates replacing the matte screen. In fact, you can pretty much follow that guide all the way through for the 17" as well. There are a few differences but not enough to trip you up.

The Intel model has the screen glued in! It will take a good heat gun suction cups and plastic picks to carefully pry the display off, often times the screen will fracture in the process so be careful you control the flying glass and razor sharp edges! Wear eye protection & proper gloves.

Just like the early 2020 Intel version of the MacBook Air Core i7 Apple offered TrueTone which requires new screens to be calibrated! So while a new screen will work you will loose brightness control & FaceTime camera functions. Even a new complete display assembly faces this issue as well. This is a special calibration program not available to the public only via Apples Global Services private network.

Now while not a solution today, Apple has made it clear they will be opening up a parts program for their gear. We don’t know when as well what will be covered time wise, or if access to the calibration tool will be offered.

It used to be that if your screen cracked on your laptop, you"d just replace the LCD and be done with it. That unfortunately is no longer the case. With the introduction of the Unibody Macbook and Macbook pro models, Apple changed the design of the display assembly. Now, there is a glass panel assembly that is placed on top of the LCD panel. The good news is that it is possible to crack just the glass panel and save yourself some money. The bad news is that it is also possible to crack both the glass panel and the LCD.

If you take your Macbook to most repair companies with a cracked display, they"ll undoubtedly say you need to replace the entire display assembly and charge you some astronomical figure. It really isn"t an extremely difficult procedure to do yourself however, and so we"ve created the guide below to show you just how to do it.

To begin, use a heat gun to loosen the double sided adhesive strip that holds the glass in place. Use caution, and heat the glass in short segments as over heating can cause damage to your LCD.With the glass heated, place a strong suction cup on the glass and pull up and away from the glass.

If heated properly, you"ll be able to see a small gap between the glass and the and the rest of the display. Insert a thin piece of plastic such as a credit card or movie rental card into the opening. Work the piece of plastic in enough where it can be slid along the seem of the glass. This will break the adhesive strip holding the glass in place.Repeat this procedure along the entire edge of the glass assembly. When you meet resistance, heat the area and repeat.

Once you have used a hair dryer or heat gun to warm the adhesive strip, use a strong suction cup to begin to separate the glass from the display assembly.

Caution: When pulling up on the suction cup, you should have to exert some force. However, do not apply excessive force as this could crack your glass or LCD. When you meet resistance, heat the area and repeat. At a certain point the glass will easily come free from the rest of the display assembly. Set the glass to the side on a clean, dust free, surface.

Next, remove 4 philips head screws ( 2 on either side ) holding the LCD to the display frame. Then remove the 2 philips head screws at the bottom of the display.

To reassemble, place the LCD back in the frame, and insert the LVDS cable backwards through the opening in the bottom the display frame. Then pull the cable through the opening. You can use a plastic pry tool to assist you in routing the cable. Be very careful with this cable as it can be easily damaged.

Line the bottom of the LCD up with the bottom frame, and slide it into the groove in the bottom frame. Then make sure the 6 screw holes are properly aligned. Replace the 6 philip head screws.

Thanks GladB, I was able to get a good hold sans "crazy glue" ;-) As I mentioned....I am a professional so looking good is ALWAYS IMPORTANT! My claim to fame is....."if it looks right!!! it is right!!!" I live by this Motto! ;-) Thanks for your response though!ReplyUpvote

I was able to do replacement successfully. (I am a puter professional ;-)..) But I have had issues with the lens replacement glue sticking well...Has anyone had the same issue and do you have a correct and pro solution? Btw....I cleaned and replaced lens correctly and new lens glue typically does not stick with any "perminance". Please advise?0

Thanks for the tutorial! But if it is too difficult, you can always sell your mac for spares to companies like www.macbookcrackedscreen.co.uk and use the money towards the purchase of a brand new Macbook :)0

I do this all day long for school districts. An opening tool like a isesame (a small metal strip) works great. As your work around the screen use guitar picks to keep the LCD to readhering (sic) to the tape. If you don"t have a plastic tool for the cable, try a small wooden kitchen probe.

I have this very thin pry tool I use. It"s even thinner than a butter knife. Helps through the heating process, but do not use any major pressure. If you are not sure what you are doing, take it to a pro http://www.callnerds.com/portland/0

Thank you very much. The LVDS cable went out on my Pro, so when i purchase a replacement tomorrow and it gets here next week, I will be using your wonderful guide.0

I broke the glass cover of my MacBook, so I ordered a replacement from PowerBookMedic.com (poor service, by the way). I tried to lift the cover using a suction cup. The cover did not come loose at the bezel, but instead it shivered into a gazillion of small parts. Removing it from the bezel was a biiiig PITA. I also used a heat gun to soften the sticky tape that held the shards on the bezel. Not good for the display...

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Consumers can locate a new replacement for the screen or LCD panel on their Apple MacBook Pro. It is also possible for you to swap the screen or panel themselves with the proper accessories. Keep in mind that different screens or LCD panels used by the MacBook Pro will depend upon the model; many affordable options are available on eBay.

MacBook Pro - These are the original MacBook Pros made from 2006 to 2012. They come in three sizes: 13-inch, 15-inch, and 17-inch measured diagonally from the top-left to bottom-right corners. The model name, MacBook Pro, is written on the bezel beneath the screen, and the power button is located on the upper right corner of the chassis. Depending on the type of damage, it is possible to repair these Macs by replacing only the glass panel or LCD. In some cases, both panels need to be replaced to display properly.

MacBook Pro with Retina Display - The 13-inch and 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro Retina models were introduced in 2012 and feature much greater resolution displays and more powerful hardware than their predecessors. Retina Macs can be identified by their thinner chassis, lack of the name on the screen bezel, and the placement of the power button on the keyboard instead of on the chassis. If the screen on the Retina model is damaged, the entire display assembly must be replaced.

If your Mac"s screen is not performing as intended, there are a few symptoms that indicate that critical damage has occurred. Many Apple computers feature a glass panel atop an LCD panel, both of which may undergo damage. When damage occurs requiring screen replacement, a simple search on eBay will help you find what you need. Some common repairable issues include:

Cracks - These are some of the most easily identifiable forms of display damage. Cracks, similar to those seen in a broken windshield, are the result of blunt force damage to the glass of the MacBook. They can occur after the laptop has been dropped or banged. Cracks are easily observable whether the machine is powered on or off.

Distorted image - Visual anomalies include lines, unusual coloration, and blotches of black or distorted colors on an otherwise clear image on the screen. These distortions may occur after the device has undergone physical damage and can only be seen when the Mac is powered on. If you have a distorted image and cracks, it is possible that both panels of your MacBook are damaged.

Black display - If your Apple MacBook"s screen is totally black, it can be more difficult to determine the cause. While damage to the display is a definite possibility, this can also be caused by other hardware issues, such as a power supply failure or problems with software.

Apple doesn"t sell replacement parts to users, only to their authorized resellers and service centers. However, some used Apple screens are available in the aftermarket, as, for instance from ifixit.com.

C) Buy a used MacBook (perhaps you could find one with broken electronics, or a bad keyboard or inoperative logic board) and take your chances that its screen will be good;

Use our “Get an Estimate” tool to review potential costs if you get service directly from Apple. If you go to another service provider, they can set their own fees, so ask them for an estimate. For service covered by AppleCare+, your fee per incident will be the same regardless of which service provider you choose. We"ll inspect your product when we receive it. If additional damage is found, you could pay an additional fee.

The Apple Limited Warranty covers your Apple Display and the Apple-branded accessories that come in the box with your product against manufacturing issues for one year from the date you bought them. Apple-branded accessories purchased separately are covered by the Apple Limited Warranty for Accessories. This includes adapters and spare cables.

We guarantee our service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty or AppleCare plan, whichever is longer. This is in addition to your rights provided by consumer law.

Replacement equipment that Apple provides as part of the repair or replacement service may contain new or previously used genuine Apple parts that have been tested and pass Apple functional requirements.

This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

Thank you, it worked like a charm. It took me some 20 minutes in total, I’d say 10 minutes to remove the coating alone. There where two spots which were hydro repellent initially, but that was because of the coating. After some time they finally came off. The result is amazing, I almost forgot how bright the screen was. Thank you very much, spot on!

The last model you mention as susceptible to this issue is early 2017. Does that mean Apple has fixed the problem for computers newer than 2017; for example, a 2019 MacBook Pro?

Hi Deanne! It is not clear whether Apple has done any change to the anti-reflective coating of their Macbook lineup. While researching this topic, I noticed a couple of instances of people having this issue even on a never laptops (2018, 2019). If the problem arises in a greater measure again, Apple will likely just add the newer models to the repair program. Hope that helps, Jakub.

Thank you for this!! My screen was looking so bad. There were scratches and blotches everywhere from the coating wearing away. I think it must have taken me about 20 minutes as well. Mine was really bad so it took about 4 different wipe downs but my laptop looks brand new now!!! I am so beyond happy. Apple wouldn’t help me with it and wanted to charge me to replace the glass costing me an arm and a leg.. pfffff. Thank you so much OP!

Thank you so very much Jakub! As the title says, this is the best and easiest way to remove the anti-reflective coating from my MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013)!

Hi Erik, thank you for the tip, I’m glad you found a good alternative that works for you! If I can get my hands on the W5 Multi-purpose cleaning wipes I’ll give it a try, since my wife’s MacBook screen is getting pretty bad as well.

Hi. I’ve tried W5 cleaning wipes from LIDL as well and I was shocked how easy it is going down. Thanks for a tip. W5 works perfectly. 10min est. time. No issues, screen as new. THANK YOU ALL guys!

I have a Macbook air 2011 that accidentally got residue from a Method cleaner used to clean the rest of the machine. The screen looked terrible where the keys and trackpad smudge the AR coating. I used your baking soda method and was able to get about 90% of the coating removed, however, since then nothing I do seems to budge the remaining 10% which is very visible. I’ve tried, Lysol wipes, Isopropyl alcohol, glass cleaner, method cleanser (originally caused the problem), cook top cleaner, auto polish, glasses cleaner, screen cleaner, and Mr Clean Magic Eraser. I am super frustrated because the original suggestion of baking soda seemed like a good solution, but not able to do the complete job. Any ideas why some of it is so stubborn and anything else I can try??

Hi Andy! If you notice the Macbook Air 2011 is not on the list of reported devices with possible AR issues, which indicates Apple used different type of screen, and thus I would not recommand to use the method described in this article. As far as I know, older models such as Macbook Air didn’t have a glasss screen protecting the LCD panel which sits behind it, like the newer Macbook Pro’s have. Unfortunately in your case I’cant give you any further advice, since I’ve tested my method on device with a glass screen. The good news is that the older displays for devices such yours are much cheaper to purchase.

I just finished removing my anti reflective coating. I used hand wet wipes to remove the coating and after I used some floor anti bacterial solution and let it soften the residue that remained after removing the coating. Polished with micro fiber cloth and it is shinny. Looks good.

The bad stuff. Viewing angle is poor from side to side. The display has a green-ish tint for darker colours and the colours seem a bit faded (i was kind of expecting this). However, I recommend changing the colour profile from the default Colour LCD to Generic RGB Profile. Why? Because it darkens the image a bit and adds a touch of colour, feels more like it used to be.

Hi Roajah, thanks for the comment. I’m glad you find your way to deal with this issue. Personally, I haven’t noticed any change to the colors of the display after removing the AR coating using the baking soda method. The only downside is the higher reflectivity. Anyways thanks for the tip about changing the color profile of the display, maybe someone will have a similar issue as you had.

*EDIT: This is a great technique for removing the AR coating, BUT it has altered the colour profile of my screen. the dark tones now have a green hue to them, which isn’t ideal if you’re in any form of visual arts job. Luckily, this laptop is only my secondary back-up computer which I use for emergencies and data mining, so it doesn’t really bother me. But be warned that this can happen

Hi Jon, could you tell us what model of Macbook Pro you have? And what method of removing the anti-reflective coating did you use so that others know what to avoid? Thanks! Jakub

If you want to make sure that it works, use a just a little of the baking soda solution on the edge of your display, in case it works than proceed with the rest of the display. Hope this helps! Jakub.

Hi Lech, thank you for the kind words! I’m glad I could help! Well, I’m still rocking my good old MBP 13″ 2013 (the one you can see in the pictures above), which is becoming painfully slow, for my video, photo, and music production. The Macbook Air with the M1 certainly seems like a device with an excellent price-performance ratio. When I have saved up enough for it, I’ll certainly buy one! Have a great life too!

Hi, Jessica! Thanks for the feedback! Yes, that makes sense since, from what I know, baking powder does contain baking soda as well, so it should be a viable option.

Thank you very much! worked perfectly on my MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2015). Although I ignored his advice about “don’t perform the procedure if it’s just for aesthetic reasons”. My slight TOC reached very high limits looking every day at my stained screen.

I remember the first anti-glare “coatings”. They were just a fine nylon mesh stretched over the front of the CRT. They cut down on the glare but also made the screen duller and harder to read. Most of use chose the brighter/sharper image without the mesh. We had to angle the screens away from bright lights, but it was a small price to pay.

I’ve often wondered what a MacBook would look like without the anti-glare coating. I know the new coatings are a vast improvement over the original meshes, but do they still make things duller and fuzzier? I’m still not sure, but I can say that the screen looks stunning without its coating. Might or might not be better than new, but a vast improvement over the damaged coating.

Thank you for posting these instructions. They worked exactly as described and in just a few minutes my screen went from spotty to spectacular. I might keep the beast a bit longer now that I like it again