CrackMacGhost images or burn-in on a MacBook screen? What it is and how to clear it
What looks like burn-in on a MacBook is almost always image retention. A faint ghost of something left on screen for hours, like a menu bar, a dock or a window edge, stays behind for a while after it's gone. It's temporary on the LCD panels MacBooks use, and usually fades within minutes to hours. Permanent burn-in is the OLED problem phones have, and it's rare on Macs.
Clear it
- Turn the display off for an hour or two. Close the lid or let the Mac sleep.
- Or open a plain white or mid-grey image full screen for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Set a screen saver or a shorter display sleep time in System Settings, Lock Screen, so static images don't sit there for hours.
Ghosting while things move
Trails behind moving windows or the pointer are a different thing. LCD pixels take a moment to change. It's more noticeable in dark scenes and on the mini-LED displays in recent MacBook Pros, where a bright object on black can also show a soft glow around it, called blooming. Both are normal for the panel type and aren't damage.
When it isn't retention
- The mark doesn't fade after a day with the display off.
- It's a band or blotch that sits in the same place whatever is on screen.
- It came with lines, flicker or a dark area.
Those are panel damage. See black spots and pressure marks or lines on 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
Can a MacBook screen get burn-in?
Permanent burn-in is rare on MacBook screens, which are LCDs rather than OLEDs. What people usually see is temporary image retention, a faint ghost of something left on screen for a long time, which fades on its own.
How do I get rid of a ghost image on my Mac screen?
Show something different for a while. Turn the display off for an hour or two, or leave a plain white or grey image full screen. Most retention fades within hours.
Marks that never fade?
Retention fades, damage doesn't. If a band or area of your screen stays wrong whatever is on it, and it runs along an edge, CrackMac can black it out and keep your work on the rest of the screen.
- 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.