How to clean screen when MBA M1 automatically turns on?!

[JoeyK]

Sorry for this newbie question (especially since I've had MacBooks since 2012), but with my M1, every time I turn it off to try to clean the screen with a damp cloth it automatically turns on!? As soon as I touch any of the buttons on the keyboard it turns on while being turned off.

Can I clean the screen with water/damp cloth with it being turned on? I have tried 5 times now and It's extremely irritating.

 

[matrix07]

By not touching any buttons? ?

I just clean it last week and screen didn't turn on.

 

[JoeyK]

Haha, I tried that too of course! But when I cleaned the screen, I did the key board as well.

With not touching any buttons, it still turns on automatically, which is so strange. I guess it has to do with the screen moving, although very little? I'll try again.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Turn it off, leave the lid open, and don't touch the power button while you are cleaning.

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

Sorry for this newbie question (especially since I've had MacBooks since 2012), but with my M1, every time I turn it off to try to clean the screen with a damp cloth it automatically turns on!? As soon as I touch any of the buttons on the keyboard it turns on while being turned off.

Can I clean the screen with water/damp cloth with it being turned on? I have tried 5 times now and It's extremely irritating.

Put the display to sleep (you can use a Hot Corner) and then simply clean it.

 

[snorkelman]

Turn it off, leave the lid open, and don't touch the power button while you are cleaning.

Every key is the power button on an M1 Air - you just have to be sure not to touch any of them at all (which is OK for the screen but makes cleaning the keyboard kinda awkward..)

 

[leman]

Maybe I’m missing something obvious, but what’s the problem with cleaning the screen when it’s on? What kind of difference does it make? I never turn off the screen to clean it…

 

[Fishrrman]

I've posted this before, but...

... be careful about "cleaning the display" too much.
Not sure about the MacBooks, but the retina displays have a "sprayed on" anti-glare coating that is VERY fragile.
Almost anything you do do to "clean it" may also begin to damage the thin anti-glare coating.

Just "dust away" small particles.
If they won't dust off, use as little pressure as possible (and a damp cloth).
Then, "dust dry".

The best solution is to not touch the display at all.

 

[snorkelman]

Maybe I’m missing something obvious, but what’s the problem with cleaning the screen when it’s on? What kind of difference does it make? I never turn off the screen to clean it…

much like viewing how clean a window is - at night you can see a whole lot more minor smears and raindrop marks than at lunchtime on a glorious summers day Same with a screen that's off versus one with backlight and funky desktop on full blast

 

[snorkelman]

My partial solution - fire up the built in Notes app and start a new note, make that note full screen

then reduce screen brightness to lowest setting, at which point screen will turn off

you can then clean the screen (and most of the keyboard if you avoid the top row of keys) without your key presses turning the screen back on

the full screen open Note window will take all your keyboard input, so when you're finally done and raise the brightness back up, all you have is an apple note full of random keyboard nonsense to get rid of

No bings, no bongs of the machine turning itself back on (nor log in password of random nonsense half a mile long) as can be the case if you try to do it by turning the M1 off

 

[matrix07]

I've posted this before, but...

... be careful about "cleaning the display" too much.
Not sure about the MacBooks, but the retina displays have a "sprayed on" anti-glare coating that is VERY fragile.
Almost anything you do do to "clean it" may also begin to damage the thin anti-glare coating.

Just "dust away" small particles.
If they won't dust off, use as little pressure as possible (and a damp cloth).
Then, "dust dry".

The best solution is to not touch the display at all.

Not true. I cleaned it many times and it still looks like new. What you need:
1. clean water
2. soft micro fiber cloth
3. Just lightly clean, do not press.

 

[haralds]

Lower the screen brightness to 0. Clean! Turn it back up.

Lock the machine, if you want to clean the keyboard or get one of the free tools for keyboard locking from the App Store.

 

[adrianlondon]

I clean mine in the morning if I've shutting it down the night before, which I usually do.

Open lid, quickly clean screen while it's still nice and black and easy to see the smudges.

Log in.

Clean the keyboard while it boots.

 

[Sydde]

Why not make an image of a black rectangle, open it in Preview and go to full screen?

 

[JoeyK]

Thanks guys! Good to see some solutions and that I wasn't the only one with difficulties cleaning it ?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

I've posted this before, but...

... be careful about "cleaning the display" too much.
Not sure about the MacBooks, but the retina displays have a "sprayed on" anti-glare coating that is VERY fragile.
Almost anything you do do to "clean it" may also begin to damage the thin anti-glare coating.

Just "dust away" small particles.
If they won't dust off, use as little pressure as possible (and a damp cloth).
Then, "dust dry".

The best solution is to not touch the display at all.

I would go as far as saying don't even use a damp cloth.

What I do is exhale close to the screen, to create a misty patch, then gently polish it away with a microfibre cloth.

I never touch my M1 MBP's display, but if you as much as just speak in front of it then you can expel tiny spittle particles. It's for these times that I use my method.

 

[Spudlicious]

As with all things, it is possible to take an extreme view. I clean all my iMac, MacBook, iPhone, and iPad screens by brushing specks away and wiping with a dry microfibre cloth, and if there is a stubborn spot I use a squirt of optical cleaning spray. I've never seen any resultant damage.

I like my Mac screens especially to be pristine, and I wonder how people can live with touchscreen laptops. Don't do it, Apple, just don't ever go there.

 

[Seanm87]

I HATE this. It’s the stupidest thing because Apple’s support page says to ensure the laptop is powered off before cleaning. But then if you as much as breathe on the thing it turns on. The TouchID button is supposed to the power button, why cant they make it so only that button turns it on?

 

[The Cockney Rebel]

As with all things, it is possible to take an extreme view. I clean all my iMac, MacBook, iPhone, and iPad screens by brushing specks away and wiping with a dry microfibre cloth, and if there is a stubborn spot I use a squirt of optical cleaning spray. I've never seen any resultant damage.

I like my Mac screens especially to be pristine, and I wonder how people can live with touchscreen laptops. Don't do it, Apple, just don't ever go there.

I do pretty much the same as you.

Only thing I do differently is that I don't use cleaning spray. I use good old fashioned breath (breathing on the display) then gently wiping away with my Mac, and polishing (all of those fingerprints away!) with my iPhone and iPad.