Introduction
Use this guide to replace the entire display assembly on your MacBook Pro, in order to fix a cracked or faulty screen. This assembly also includes the integrated ribbon cables that are known to fail as part of the “FlexGate” defect, so replacing it will also resolve the “stage lights” effect and other issues resulting from ribbon cable damage.
For your safety, discharge your MacBook Pro's battery below 25% before you begin. A charged lithium-ion battery can create a dangerous and uncontrollable fire if accidentally punctured.
What you need
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Power on your Mac and launch Terminal.
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Copy and paste the following command (or type it exactly) into Terminal:
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sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00
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Press [return]. If prompted, enter your administrator password and press [return] again. Note: Your return key may also be labeled ⏎ or "enter."
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sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03
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Tool used on this step:Magnetic Project Mat$16.96
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Close the display and flip the entire laptop upside-down.
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Use a P5 Pentalobe driver to remove six screws securing the lower case, of the following lengths:
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Four 4.7 mm screws
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Two 6.6 mm screws
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Remove the lower case.
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Set it in place and align the sliding clips near the display hinge. Press down and slide the cover toward the hinge. It should stop sliding as the clips engage.
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When the sliding clips are fully engaged and the lower case looks correctly aligned, press down firmly on the lower case to engage the four hidden clips. You should feel and hear them click into place.
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Peel up and remove the large rectangular battery board cover, on the edge of the logic board nearest the battery.
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If the cover doesn't peel up easily, apply mild heat with an iOpener, hair dryer, or heat gun to soften the adhesive underneath, and try again.
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Use a spudger to gently pry up the locking flap on the ZIF connector for the battery board data cable.
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Use a T3 Torx driver to remove the two 3.5 mm screws securing the cover on the display board flex cable.
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Remove the display board flex cable cover.
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Compare your new replacement part to the original part—you may need to transfer remaining components or remove adhesive backings from the new part before installing.
To reassemble your device, follow the above steps in reverse order.
Take your e-waste to an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler.
Repair didn’t go as planned? Check out our Answers community for troubleshooting help.
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17 Guide Comments
Many thanks for this excellent guide, Jeff.
I completed this two months ago and it went very well - fitted a new screen to replace a smashed one and it worked perfectly… until this week. Now I need some advice please!
The new screen has developed strange ghosting and freezing and vertical lines. It started gradually and has become unusable now. I know the installation was good because it worked. I’ve checked the connections and ribbon cables - all is well, undamaged and correctly-routed. The video chip & logic board seem good because an exrternal monitor displays fine and allows me to carry on working even when the MacBook screen is frozen.
Anyone ever come across this before? I suspect it’s a faulty screen, but the sypmtoms are strange so before sending it back and finding the replacement does the same thing, I want to explore any avenues I may have missed.
Many thanks,
Mousematt
Ouch! Your troubleshooting steps sound right to me—bad display would be my guess as well. Best of luck getting it sorted out!
Great Guide! Thanks!!!
I completed the replacement by following this amazing guide about two months ago. The new display has been working great since then. However, last week I realised that my keyboard doesn’t have backlight anymore! Trying to adjust the backlight brightness gives the icon that there is no backlight.
Is there any possibility I disconnected something relating to the keyboard backlight during this display replacement?
Thanks!
A breeze until you get to the display cables and sliding them through the tiny hole that leads the cables under the heat sink and onto the logic board. We gently pry the heat sink up (be careful not to bend too far as it could cause heat sink issues) then use iFixit tweezers to pull the 3 cables through the tiny hole and onto the logic board.
