How it starts

At first, it just feels like your eyes are tired. Then you notice the screen flickering at a certain lid angle. And then one day the MacBook simply won't turn on—you have a working computer, but no display.

We get devices like this brought in almost every week. Most often it's a MacBook Pro 13″ or Air—and not necessarily old ones, we see 2021 models too.

Symptoms: what exactly is happening

It's important to understand exactly how the screen behaves—the cause and the cost of repair depend on this.

  • Flickering or lines appear when changing the lid angle—this is almost always the cable.
  • The backlight goes out, but if you shine a flashlight on the screen, a faint image is visible. This is no longer the matrix, but specifically the backlight.
  • The screen darkens gradually during the day, especially when heating up—a board issue is possible.
  • Vertical or horizontal lines, static or blinking—most likely the matrix.
  • When pressing on the corner of the display, the image restores for a second—definitely the cable or ribbon cable.

Where the problem comes from

Matrix cable

The most common story on 2016–2019 MacBook Pro models. The display cable passes through the lid hinge and eventually just breaks from constant bending. Apple even acknowledged this as a defect and extended warranty repairs for some series—but the deadline has long passed for most devices.

Here's a case: a 2019 MacBook Pro 16″ was brought in. The complaint was that the screen goes black after about an hour of work, and only a reboot helps. Upon opening, a frayed matrix ribbon cable was found at the hinge location. A classic for this model.

Backlight and its controller

The backlight runs on separate LEDs and is controlled by a controller on the motherboard. If specifically the backlight goes out—there is an image, but it's invisible without a flashlight—it's either the LED strips or the controller. Replacing the strips is a delicate procedure, but doable. The controller means soldering on the board.

Matrix

Lines, color artifacts, half of the screen in a different color—most likely the matrix itself. This happens after an impact or liquid ingress, but sometimes simply from wear and tear. We don't see this often on the MacBook Air M1, but the older Intel Pros get it regularly.

Sometimes flickering is not hardware at all. Conflict with an external monitor, messed up graphics settings, True Tone, or Night Shift. It's worth checking before a trip to the repair shop.

What to try yourself

  1. Reset NVRAM: turn off the Mac, turn it on and immediately hold Option + Command + P + R for 20 seconds.
  2. Disable True Tone and Night Shift in System Settings → Displays.
  3. Boot into safe mode: hold Shift while turning on. If there is no flickering, it's a software issue.
  4. Update macOS—on M-series processors, flickering is sometimes fixed with a system update.

If none of the steps helped, it's better not to dig deeper on your own. Disassembling a MacBook requires special tools: glue, thin ribbon cables, fragile screen frame.

When you definitely need a technician

  • The screen goes completely black and won't turn on at all.
  • Flickering appears when heating up—this may indicate a board issue.
  • After an impact or liquid ingress.
  • Lines are static—independent of the angle and position of the lid.

The cost depends on the cause. Matrix cable replacement starts from 3,500 rubles, a new matrix from 8,000, and backlight work from 4,000. Turnaround time is usually 1–3 days if the part is in stock.

If the situation is unclear, come to iClub at 35 Kommunisticheskaya St. Diagnostics are free: we'll take a look, tell you what exactly is broken, and how much the repair will cost.