Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can clamshell mode damage built-in display?
- Thread starter ArcticBlue00
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I have been using clamshell mode hours a day for years and never had any issue like this.
Mac portables are made to operate in clamshell mode, so it won't hurt a thing.
Mac portables are made to operate in clamshell mode, so it won't hurt a thing.
I'm really curious. My MBP gets so hot above the Touchbar, that it's uncomfortable put a finger on there for longer than some seconds. Does the display not care about heat at that location? I can't believe that something above 40ºC (104F) is an acceptable operating temperature for an LCD screen?
All I can say is I've been doing this for years with no issue. I doubt Apple would have a support article telling how to do this if they thought it would damage screens and cause them more warranty repairs.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201834
Slight off topic question: does anyone know how to use a magnet to disable internal display so post-2016 MacBook Pro uses external display only without entering clamshell mode?
I have a 2014 rMBP 15 inch, I can trick the system to use external display only by placing a magnet on the left speaker. This cools the system better compared with clamshell mode.
After 2016, the same trick doesn't work anymore.
Anyone know a similar trick to use external monitor only without clamshell mode?
I have a 2014 rMBP 15 inch, I can trick the system to use external display only by placing a magnet on the left speaker. This cools the system better compared with clamshell mode.
After 2016, the same trick doesn't work anymore.
Anyone know a similar trick to use external monitor only without clamshell mode?
I can chime in with using it a lot at home when I dock. No problems and I had a concern with heat dissipation, as well. Only had the one glitch when I booted up, that the display stayed active and I was unaware while it was closed. Didn't know until I opened and noticed it with some temporary residuals which I thought would need sending into Apple. Luckily, after a period of running some programs to eliminate the image persistence; it was resolved.
It will most definitely damage your screen. Just google there are so many macbook pros lcd damaged by heat even here on macrumors. I have damaged my built-in display on 16" 2019 MacBook Pro (white spots or "mura") by using it in clamshell mode while using handbrake on some videos. The next day I found out what mura is, that it is unrepairable and that heat causes it.
If I knew I that the display could get damaged by heat I would have bought one of those laptop stands that keeps the laptop open next to your external display. The stand I have now keeps it closed in clamshell mode. So, I damaged my display and a new lcd display assembly for an 16" 2019 MBP is $490 on eBay so I will just live with the "mura" for now.
If I knew I that the display could get damaged by heat I would have bought one of those laptop stands that keeps the laptop open next to your external display. The stand I have now keeps it closed in clamshell mode. So, I damaged my display and a new lcd display assembly for an 16" 2019 MBP is $490 on eBay so I will just live with the "mura" for now.
My MacBook Pro M1 Pro spends most of its time in clamshell mode. No issues thus far in the >1 year I've owned it.
Same here. With MBP 16 with M1 Pro as a work horse, it mostly stays in clamshell mode and plugged in with a Dell TB3 dock. After 16 months (bought in May 2022), there is no damage to the screen, and battery life is still 99.1% per Coconut Battery and 100% per macOS.
No. I used to run my i9 16 inch macbook pro in clamshell all the time and they’re notoriously bad for heat.
I'm not sure that the display is so vulnerable as other system components, such as a GPU. I do not like the extra heat I see in clamshell mode with my 2013 15" Retina. I even have a really nice stand built for it to be held vertically and I'm just not comfortable with it. Apple replaced my logic board in 2016 when the GPU failed (playing battlefield 2142 when I should have been studying for finals, no less) and now, 7 years later, I know I'm on borrowed time. I let my fans roar loud and proud and cross my fingers.
Just curious. How did the laptop charged? Is it powered from the display (usb C) or plugged with provided charger all the time?
Usually heat and always plugged aren’t good for battery.
I used to run my 2019 MPB in clamshell mode. I built a stand with a base of rubber weather stripping. This holds the laptop securely upright on its front edge, with the lid parked 1/2" open so the display panel gets air while it's powered down. It stayed cool, no matter how hot the hinge end felt.
As I mentioned, it's plugged into a Dell TB3 dock which could provide 90W charging.
As for temporature, it has been running cool almost all the time. I'm using a vertical stand to hold the MBP upright. That should help heat dissipation. But in general, the M1 Pro is super efficient and the cooling solution in 16" MBP has a lot of head room, even for heavy load.