CrackMacCan you trade in or sell a MacBook with a cracked screen?
Yes, but not always through Apple. Apple Trade In often gives no credit for visible screen damage and offers free recycling instead. Repair shops, buyback sites and private buyers do pay for cracked MacBooks, usually somewhere around half of the working price. Whichever route you choose, turn off Find My first, because a Mac with Activation Lock on is worth very little to anyone.
Need your exact model for a listing? Find it from the number on the bottom of your MacBook.
Your options
| Route | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Apple Trade In | The Mac must power on. Visible display damage often means no credit, and Apple recycles it for free. |
| Buyback sites | An instant quote for damaged condition. Convenient, usually the lowest cash offer. |
| Local repair shops | Often pay more than buyback sites, because they fix and resell. |
| Selling it yourself | Usually the most money. List it as working with a damaged screen, not "for parts", if everything else works. |
Getting the best price
- Give the exact model, chip, memory and storage. Apple menu, About This Mac shows all of them.
- Include the battery cycle count from System Information, Power. Buyers care.
- Photograph the damage clearly, plus the Mac running on an external monitor to prove the rest works.
- Say whether the charger is included.
Before you hand it over
- Back up. See getting files off a Mac with a broken screen.
- Sign out of your Apple Account in System Settings. That also turns off Find My and Activation Lock.
- Erase it. On Apple silicon and recent Intel Macs, use System Settings, General, Transfer or Reset, Erase All Content and Settings.
All three need a working picture. Use an external monitor if the built-in screen is too damaged.
If the damage runs along one edge, CrackMac can keep windows, menus and the pointer off it. There's a free 30-minute trial.
Or keep it
If the repair costs most of what the Mac is worth and the damage is along one edge, keeping it is a real option. The numbers are in fix it or sell it.
Quick answers
Will Apple take a MacBook with a cracked screen as a trade-in?
Apple Trade In asks about the condition, and a Mac must power on to be considered. Visible screen damage often means no credit, and Apple then offers to recycle it for free. Answer the questions honestly, because the Mac is inspected.
How much is a MacBook with a cracked screen worth?
Often around half of what the same Mac fetches undamaged, less for older models. Repair shops and refurbishers buy them because they replace displays at trade cost.
What should I do before selling a Mac?
Back it up, sign out of your Apple Account and Find My so Activation Lock is off, then erase it. On recent Macs, use Erase All Content and Settings in System Settings, General, Transfer or Reset.
Before you sell it for half
A MacBook with a dead strip along one edge still has its processor, battery, keyboard and most of a screen. If keeping it appeals, try CrackMac for 30 minutes before you list it. It keeps everything on the working glass.
- 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.