Minor Scratches To Screen. . . .

[Merkava_4]

Are not covered under AppleCare. They are considered cosmetic. These scratches are so minor, that there is a need for reading glasses, a magnifying glass, and a flashlight to see. I am dumbfounded as to how they got there. I am extremely careful with the MBP. It never leaves the house. Screen display has never been in contact with the keyboard. I use the ShaggyMax barrier thing before closing. Scratches are only visible with the screen black. Only the best microfiber cloth (KlearScreen) was ever used for cleaning. The screen is glass from what I understand, so that means the scratches are in the anti-reflective coating. Cost of new screen assembly for a 2021 MacBook Pro 16-inch is a whopping $849 plus local sales tax.

 

[jav6454]

Even the best microfiber cloth will carry particles that will cause scratches. It's part of how things are.

 

[Merkava_4]

I always shake the microfiber cloth in hopes of dislodging any particles, but apparently that was not affective.

 

[Fishrrman]

The surface of the MacBook Pro display has a VERY FINE sprayed-on anti-glare coating.
Nearly anything that is "applied against it" will start to degrade the coating.
Eventually, it will flake off, resulting in the condition known as "StainGate".

The best way to maintain the MacBook Pro display is to NOT CLEAN IT AT ALL.

Ok, one can't do this. So... what are the alternatives?

Clean it AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE -- avoid getting crud on the display as best you can.

If there appears to be dust on the surface -- LIGHTLY DUST a soft cloth across the surface (NO pressure).

If something seems to be "lodged" on the surface -- use a moist cloth, and AS LITTLE PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE to DISlodge it. Then... as above... dust dry.

 

[Six0Four]

Same here on my 16". Even a microfiber cloth can drag debris and scratch the coating on the glass. Luckily I can only see them with a flashlight with a black screen.

I wouldn't stress.

 

[jav6454]

I always shake the microfiber cloth in hopes of dislodging any particles, but apparently that was not affective.

I would suggest you first blow dry the display with canned air. It will get rid of the vast majority of particles and reduce scratching to a minimum if it does happen.