CrackMacBottom of MacBook screen black, flickering or cracked: what to do
A black, flickering or cracked band along the bottom of a MacBook screen usually comes from one of two things. Either the panel took pressure near the hinge, which is the most common spot for cracks, or, on some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros, the display cable is wearing out. The quick test is to move the lid. Damage that changes with the angle is the cable. Damage that stays put is the panel.
Not ready to pay for a repair? If the damage sits along an edge, you can block off the broken part and keep using the rest.
The lid test
Open the lid slowly from closed to fully open and watch the bottom edge.
- It changes with the angle. The display cable is the likely cause. On 2016 and 2017 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pros this shows up as uneven spotlights along the bottom, sometimes called the stage light effect, and later as a screen that goes black when the lid opens past halfway. Apple's free repair program covered the 2016 13-inch model and has ended. Independent shops replace the cable for much less than a full display.
- It doesn't change. The panel itself is damaged along that edge. This is far more common on recent models.
Why the bottom edge gets hit
The bottom of the screen sits just above the hinge and closest to the keyboard. When the lid closes on a crumb, a pen or earbuds, or the Mac is squeezed in a bag, that's where the pressure lands. There's more about this in screen cracked by itself.
Working around a dead bottom strip
- Move the Dock to the left or right side in System Settings, Desktop & Dock, so it isn't drawn in the dead band.
- Don't turn on Dock auto-hide. It pops the Dock up from the bottom edge, straight into the damage.
- Use the keyboard for what's hidden at the bottom of windows. Command-Down Arrow jumps to the end of a document, and Command-Shift-/ finds any menu command.
If the damage runs along one edge, CrackMac can keep windows, menus and the pointer off it. There's a free 30-minute trial.
When to repair
A band that grows week by week, or flicker that's spreading upward, is worth a repair quote before it reaches the middle. Costs are in screen replacement cost.
Quick answers
Why is the bottom of my MacBook screen flickering?
On 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models, uneven light or flicker along the bottom is a known display cable fault that gets worse with lid movement. On other models, flicker in one band usually means damage to the panel near that edge.
Why did the bottom of my MacBook screen crack?
The bottom edge sits right above the hinge and closest to the keyboard, so pressure when the lid closes on an object, or when the Mac is carried in a tight bag, often lands there first.
A dead band along the bottom?
CrackMac keeps windows above the band, paints it black, and helps the Dock fit on the working glass. The status bars, scroll bars and resize handles that used to sit in the dead strip come back into view.
- Works on macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
- Free for 30 minutes of use, then a one-time price. No subscription.
- A refund within 7 days, no questions asked.