Tiny dots and streaks seeming to etch themselves into the display, 16" MBP

[buckingham2015]

Hey guys, just wondering if this is widespread or not. I bought my 16" M1 Max about 2 months ago, and I've been obsessive about keeping the display clean. I'll use the polishing cloth on it once a week or so.

The last few weeks, I've been noticing all these tiny little specks, like pinpricks, that I can't wipe away with the microfiber cloth. I've tried with an alcohol wipe lens cleaner and some of them still won't go away. It almost seems like the glass is actually damaged.

I'm noticing something similar with a very subtle horizontal streak that roughly lines up with the edge between the keyboard and the trackpad.

Anyone else seeing this?

I travel a lot with my laptop, but again I've been wiping the screen at least once a week and then I'll use alcohol wipes to wipe down the keyboard and trackpad maybe once every two weeks. Is this the result of tiny specks of dust getting in between the keyboard and screen and scratching it?

Any other solvents that are safe to try in case this isn't damage and in fact just some sort of weird stain?

Before this I had a 2014 15" MBP for 8 years and I didn't notice anything like this, but maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention.

 

[chabig]

Your screen has protective and anti reflective coatings on it. Cleaning too much or too often is actually bad for it, as you will damage those coatings over time. I leave mine alone until I can’t stand it and then clean it according to Apple’s recommendations, using either water or cleaning solution meant specifically for screens, like iCloth.let the liquid do OTs job. Don’t rub hard!

How to clean your Apple products - Apple Support

Get recommendations and guidelines for cleaning your Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Vision Pro, display, or peripheral device.

support.apple.com

 

[newmacxc]

Hey guys, just wondering if this is widespread or not. I bought my 16" M1 Max about 2 months ago, and I've been obsessive about keeping the display clean. I'll use the polishing cloth on it once a week or so.

The last few weeks, I've been noticing all these tiny little specks, like pinpricks, that I can't wipe away with the microfiber cloth. I've tried with an alcohol wipe lens cleaner and some of them still won't go away. It almost seems like the glass is actually damaged.

I'm noticing something similar with a very subtle horizontal streak that roughly lines up with the edge between the keyboard and the trackpad.

Anyone else seeing this?

I travel a lot with my laptop, but again I've been wiping the screen at least once a week and then I'll use alcohol wipes to wipe down the keyboard and trackpad maybe once every two weeks. Is this the result of tiny specks of dust getting in between the keyboard and screen and scratching it?

Any other solvents that are safe to try in case this isn't damage and in fact just some sort of weird stain?

Before this I had a 2014 15" MBP for 8 years and I didn't notice anything like this, but maybe I just didn't pay close enough attention.

I have a MacBook Pro 2018 13" touchbar the same exact thing happened to my laptop. It appeared out of nowhere one day. It feels like a small depression in glass screen.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I've been obsessive about keeping the display clean. I'll use the polishing cloth on it once a week or so.
The last few weeks, I've been noticing all these tiny little specks, like pinpricks, that I can't wipe away with the microfiber cloth."

See chabig's post above.

By being "obsessive" about cleaning it, and then by "over-cleaning" it, you may actually be DAMAGING the display.

The anti-glare coating is "sprayed on", and as such, it can be easily damaged by "too much contact".

Ideally, you should not "clean" nor "polish" the display AT ALL.
Of course, this doesn't work out in practice. Stuff does get onto the surface now and then.

You should NOT use pressure on the surface of the display.
The more pressure you use, the greater the danger that the sprayed-on particles will start to flake off.
Hence, the term called "StainGate".

If there's dust on the surface, just "dust it away" with the cloth. NO PRESSURE.

If there's something that won't come off with simple dusting, use a soft cloth, moistened with water (NO alcohol-based products, etc.), and as little pressure as you can to dislodge it. Then, dust dry.

 

[steve62388]

I bought a M2 16" MacBook Pro in February. This week I cleaned the screen for the first time using a lint free cloth and Whoosh screen cleaner (supposedly the stuff they use in the Apple stores) and some of the anti-reflective coating came off. I did not spray the cleaner directly onto the screen and I did not vigorously clean it.

It's not a huge amount, just a speck at this stage and I can't notice it during normal use. But it's disappointing to spend $5k (local currency) on a device that fails if you do so much as breathe on it (metaphorically speaking).

I had a 2012 and 2017 MacBook Pro and didn't experience this issue.

I have serious concerns that over time it will get worse and likely only after the warranty has expired. Do you think it's worthwhile contacting Apple to let them know so they have it on record if I have to approach them say in two years time with a bigger problem?

 

[teh_hunterer]

Yes, this happened on mine, and I am not obsessive about cleaning the display, nor do I let it get too dirty either. It's unique to these MacBook Pros - doesn't happen on my iPhone or iPad.

 

[Fishrrman]

steve wrote in 5 above:
"This week I cleaned the screen for the first time using a lint free cloth and Whoosh screen cleaner (supposedly the stuff they use in the Apple stores) and some of the anti-reflective coating came off. I did not spray the cleaner directly onto the screen and I did not vigorously clean it."

If you have a brick-n-mortar Apple Store anywhere near, make an appt for the genius bar, then take it in and show it to them.

It MIGHT be covered by the warranty.
You won't know unless you try.
DON'T WAIT on this.
Take it to them before the problem gets any worse!

 

[steve62388]

steve wrote in 5 above:
"This week I cleaned the screen for the first time using a lint free cloth and Whoosh screen cleaner (supposedly the stuff they use in the Apple stores) and some of the anti-reflective coating came off. I did not spray the cleaner directly onto the screen and I did not vigorously clean it."

If you have a brick-n-mortar Apple Store anywhere near, make an appt for the genius bar, then take it in and show it to them.

It MIGHT be covered by the warranty.
You won't know unless you try.
DON'T WAIT on this.
Take it to them before the problem gets any worse!

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I don’t have Apple Stores in my country. I bought it direct from Apple though so I guess it would be an online chat.