To clean your MacBook screen, dampen a soft, lint-free cloth and wipe your screen. For stubborn spots, moisten the cloth with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution and wipe it clean. Make sure all moisture is dried before using your MacBook.
Your MacBook is prone to gathering dust, fingerprints, dirt, and grime over time as it travels from place to place. It’s a good practice to clean your MacBook’s screen periodically for the best experience. We’ll show you how to clean a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro screen.
Prepare to Clean Your Screen
Before you clean your MacBook screen, you should shut it down. Then, disconnect it from its power source, remove any other connected devices, and optionally unplug its cables.
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Next, you’ll want to grab a soft, lint-free cloth. You’ll want to avoid using more abrasive materials such as your household paper towels.
The Best Way to Clean a MacBook Screen
Take your lint-free cloth and dampen it with water. Don’t soak the cloth—simply moisten it or a portion of it.
Wipe your MacBook screen with the cloth. Be careful not to get any moisture in your computer’s openings.
If you have fingerprints or spots that are difficult to remove, Apple recommends a cloth moistened with a 70% isopropyl alcohol solution. Once you dampen the cloth with the solution, wipe your screen to remove the stubborn spots.
For keeping your screen shiny and nice regularly, you can check out the Apple Polishing Cloth. If you want to stick with an Apple product, this is great for a quick wipe to get rid of dust and keep your screen free of dirt between moist cloth cleanings.
Apple Polishing Cloth
The Apple Polishing Cloth is made with soft, non-abrasive fabric. It’s safe to use on your MacBook screen as well as your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other Apple displays, including those with nano-texture glass.
Of course, there are plenty of alternatives to Apple’s polishing cloth if you want to shop around.
Before you use your MacBook after cleaning, make sure any moisture has dried completely.
Things to Avoid While Cleaning Your MacBook Screen
For the best results, there are certain things to avoid when cleaning your MacBook Air or Pro:
- Do not use a cleaner containing acetone or hydrogen peroxide.
- Do not use window or household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or ammonia.
- Do not spray any cleaner directly on the screen.
- Do not use paper towels, coarse cloths, or household towels.
Now that you have tips on how to clean a MacBook screen, check out how to safely clean your iPhone.