13-inch MacBook Pro Backlight Service Program, Explained

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro Display Backlight Service Program gave free display repairs for two 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro models. On these Macs, bright vertical bands could appear along the bottom of the screen, or the backlight could stop working completely. The program started in May 2019. It covered each Mac for four years after its first retail sale or three years from the program's start, whichever was longer. That means all coverage ended in 2022, so a Mac with this fault today needs a paid repair or a workaround.

What the display backlight service program covered

Apple said a small percentage of 13-inch MacBook Pro displays could show one or both of these problems:

• The backlight shows vertical bright areas along the whole bottom edge of the screen, all the time or now and then.
• The backlight stops working entirely, so the screen goes dark even though the Mac is still running.

Under the program, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider repaired eligible Macs for free. Apple also said it would consider refunds for people who had already paid to fix this problem.

Apple didn't publicly name a cause. Independent repairers, most notably iFixit, linked it to the thin flexible cables that run from the logic board through the hinge to the display. Opening and closing the lid wears them down over time. This is why people often call it "Flexgate".

Which 13-inch MacBook Pro models qualify

Only two models were in the program:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports), model identifier MacBookPro13,2
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports), model identifier MacBookPro13,1

The 15-inch 2016 MacBook Pro and the 2017 and later 13-inch models were not part of it. That's true even though some of them have a similar hinge design and some owners reported similar symptoms.

To check which model you have:

1. Click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. The Overview tab shows the model name, such as "MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)", and the serial number.
2. For the model identifier, click System Report and look under Hardware Overview.

If the backlight is already dead, you can still read this. Plug in an external display, or shine a torch at an angle onto the screen, where you can sometimes just make out the image.

Symptoms: the "stage light" effect and backlight failure

People call the first symptom the stage light effect. It looks like a row of spotlights shining up from the bottom of the screen: uneven bright and dim patches along the lower edge, as if the screen were lit from below by a set of lamps.

Things that point to this fault rather than a software problem:

• It depends on the lid angle. The screen often looks fine with the lid slightly open, then shows the bands or goes dark when you open it past a certain point.
• It gets worse over time. It might start as faint bands and end with no backlight at all.
• The Mac keeps working. With a dead backlight you can still hear sounds and see a picture on an external monitor. Sometimes you can see a faint image on the built-in screen under bright light.
• It shows up before macOS loads. If the bands appear on the startup screen, a macOS update or setting can't be the cause.

If your screen has lines, flicker or dead pixels that don't change when you move the lid, the fault may be different. A technician should still look at it, but it doesn't match what this program was about.

How to check your serial number and eligibility

When the program was running, Apple's support page for it had a serial number checker. Today you can still check your Mac's general coverage at Apple's Check Coverage site (checkcoverage.apple.com). Enter the serial number and it shows any warranty or AppleCare coverage still in effect. For a 2016 MacBook Pro, the original warranty and any AppleCare plan bought with it ended long ago, so expect to see that it is no longer covered.

To find the serial number:

• About This Mac on the Mac itself.
• The underside of the case, printed in small text near the regulatory markings.
• The original box or receipt, if you still have them.
• Your Apple Account, under your devices, if you signed in to iCloud on that Mac.

If you're checking a newer Mac, our Mac app Almanac has an About this Mac page with a Check coverage button. It copies the serial number and opens Apple's coverage page so you can paste it in, and the serial stays hidden until you click to show it. Almanac needs macOS 15 or later, so it won't run on a 2016 MacBook Pro, which can't go past macOS Monterey. More details are on the Almanac support page.

Booking a repair with Apple or an authorized provider

The free program has ended, but you can still book a display repair in the usual ways:

• The Apple Support app or Apple's online support site, where you can book a Genius Bar appointment or arrange a mail-in repair.
• An Apple Store Genius Bar, if there's one near you.
• An Apple Authorized Service Provider, which uses Apple parts and processes.

When you book, say exactly what you see. For example: "bright vertical bands along the bottom of the screen that change when I open the lid". Mention the stage light effect too. If you once paid for this repair while the program was running and never asked for a refund, you can raise it, but don't expect anything.

Apple repairs this fault by replacing the whole display assembly rather than the cable. Ask for a quote before you agree to anything. On a Mac this old, the repair can cost more than the Mac is worth.

Back up your Mac before you hand it over

A display repair shouldn't touch your data, but repairs can go wrong, and technicians sometimes need to erase a Mac to test it. Back up first:

1. Connect an external drive.
2. On macOS Monterey or earlier, open System Preferences › Time Machine, choose the drive as the backup disk, and let a full backup finish.
3. Check that the backup finished. Open Time Machine and make sure you can browse recent files.

If the backlight is dead, connect an external display so you can see what you're doing. Some other things to sort out before the appointment:

• Know your login password. The technician may need it to test the Mac.
• Find My Mac. Apple may ask you to turn it off before service. Doing that requires your Apple Account password, so have it ready.
• Sync anything that lives only on the Mac, such as notes, browser bookmarks and files outside iCloud Drive.

What to do if your Mac is outside the program

That's now everyone with an affected Mac, so here are the realistic options.

Pay Apple for a display replacement. This is the most reliable fix because the whole display assembly is replaced, but it's also the most expensive. It's worth it if the rest of the Mac is in good shape and you plan to keep it a few more years.

Use an independent repair shop. Some shops replace or extend just the flex cable instead of the whole display, which usually costs less. Ask what they replace, whether they use new parts, and what warranty they give on the work.

Use an external display. If the Mac works otherwise, a monitor gets around the problem completely. You can keep the lid closed and run the Mac in closed-display mode, which needs the power adapter connected plus an external keyboard and mouse or trackpad.

Keep the lid at a working angle. If the problem only appears past a certain angle, keeping the lid lower is a stopgap. It won't stop the cable from wearing further.

Retire it. A 2016 MacBook Pro tops out at macOS Monterey and won't get new macOS versions. If the repair quote is high, it may make more sense to put that money toward a newer Mac, and trade in or recycle this one, or sell it for parts with the fault clearly described.

If you do move to a newer Mac and it starts to feel slow, Almanac shows which app is behind every slow moment.

FAQ

Is the 13-inch MacBook Pro Display Backlight Service Program still active? No. It covered each Mac for four years from first retail sale or three years from the May 2019 start, whichever was longer, so all coverage ended in 2022.

Did the program cover the 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro? No. Only the two 2016 13-inch models were eligible: the Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports model and the Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports model.

What is the "stage light" effect? It's uneven bright bands along the bottom of the screen that look like stage lights shining upward. It's a sign of the backlight fault this program covered, and it often gets worse when you open the lid wider.

Can a software update fix it? No. It's a hardware fault in the display connection, so no macOS update or reset will fix it. If the bands appear on the startup screen before macOS loads, that confirms it.

Will Apple repair it for free if I ask? The program has ended, so you should expect a paid repair. Ask for a quote before you approve any work.

Do I need to back up before a display repair? Yes. The repair itself shouldn't affect your data, but Macs sometimes need to be erased during testing or service. A complete Time Machine backup means you lose nothing either way.