CrackMacCracked corner on a MacBook screen: will it spread, and what should you do?
A crack in the corner of a MacBook screen often spreads, because corners take the strain every time you open and close the lid. It may stay put for weeks and then grow after a knock or a change in temperature. Handle the lid by the middle, keep the corner from pressure, and plan the repair if you're under AppleCare+. If the corner goes dark, you can block it off and keep using the rest of the screen.
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.
Why corners crack
MacBook lids are thin, and the glass and panel are bonded right into the corners. The usual causes:
- opening the lid by one corner instead of the middle of the edge
- a drop that lands on a corner, even inside a bag
- closing the lid on something small near the edge
- pressure in a tight bag, where the corners take the force
Sometimes a crack appears with no clear cause. Here's why that happens.
How to keep it from spreading
- Open and close the lid with one hand on the middle of the top edge, gently.
- Don't press on the crack to check it, and don't carry the MacBook by the screen.
- Keep it in a padded sleeve with nothing else pressing on the lid.
- Avoid big temperature swings, such as a cold car followed by a warm room.
- If glass is chipping off, a small piece of clear tape over the cracked area only stops splinters. Keep it off the working part of the screen, because tape can pull the anti-reflective coating away.
More on how cracked screens get worse.
Bottom corner near the hinge
A crack in a bottom corner deserves extra care. The display cable runs through the hinge just below it, and a crack there often comes with flicker, lines or a picture that only works at some angles. Here's what a black or flickering bottom edge means.
White, yellow or bright corner, but no crack
If the corner looks brighter, whiter or more yellow than the rest and the glass is intact, it's usually a pressure mark or uneven backlight rather than a crack. Here's how to tell pressure marks from backlight bleed, and here's what a yellow tint means.
Repair or live with it?
A cracked corner can't be repaired on its own. The fix is a new display assembly, and the price is the same whether the crack is small or large. Here are current prices. With AppleCare+, accidental damage is covered for a fixed fee. Here's what it covers. Without it, a small corner crack on an older MacBook is often not worth the cost. Here's how to decide.
If the corner goes black or striped
Corner damage often spreads into the panel as an inky black patch or a band of lines along one edge. The rest of the screen usually keeps working. Check exactly where the damage stops with the free screen test, then block that area off so windows and menus stay clear of it:
- Pick the edge nearest the damaged corner. For a bottom corner that's usually the bottom edge, for a patch running up the side it's the left or right edge.
- Set the strip to end just past the damage. If it reaches two edges, set both.
- Windows, the menu bar and the pointer then stay on the rest of the screen, and the corner is painted black.
Here's the full step-by-step guide to blocking off part of the screen.
If the damage runs along one edge, CrackMac can keep windows, menus and the pointer off it. There's a free 30-minute trial.
Quick answers
Will a crack in the corner of my MacBook screen spread?
Often, yes. Corners take the strain every time you open and close the lid, and warmth from use makes the glass and panel expand and contract. Many corner cracks stay the same for weeks, then grow suddenly after a knock or a cold day.
Can I keep using a MacBook with a cracked corner?
Usually, yes. If the picture is fine apart from the crack, keep using it and handle the lid gently. If part of the screen goes black or shows lines, you can block off that area and use the rest.
What does a cracked bottom corner of a MacBook screen mean?
The bottom corners sit right above the hinge, where the display cable runs. A crack there is more likely to bring flicker or lines, or a picture that changes as you move the lid. Open the lid gently and plan the repair sooner.
Why is the corner of my MacBook screen white or yellow without a crack?
A bright, white or yellow corner with no crack is usually pressure on the backlight layers or an uneven backlight, not broken glass. It rarely spreads the way a crack does.
How much does it cost to fix a cracked corner on a MacBook screen?
The same as any other crack. Apple and most shops replace the whole display assembly. With AppleCare+ it's a fixed fee; without it, expect several hundred dollars, more on a MacBook Pro.
Has the corner gone dark?
Corner damage often spreads into a black or striped band along one edge. CrackMac paints that band black and keeps windows, the menu bar and the pointer on the part of the screen that still works.
- 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.