macbook backlight and its cable
- Thread starter spschem
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2008
- Messages
- 65,248
- Reaction score
- 1,833
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Keller, Texas
- Your Mac's Specs
- 2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Welcome to the Mac Forums.
Before ordering parts or considering repairs, make certain it is the backlight which is out. One way to tell is if you can see video on the screen in a darkened room, or if you shine a bright light on the screen. The images can barely be seen - very faint. Is that what you're experiencing?
The backlight of your MacBook is located within the LCD assembly and is very difficult to remove and replace. Apple recommends replacing the entire LCD, not just the backlight. Also, the backlight is fed AC voltage by the inverter thru a cable. Either of those could be bad.
Three things: backlight CCFL tube, inverter, cable. Any of those three or all three could be defective.
Before ordering parts or considering repairs, make certain it is the backlight which is out. One way to tell is if you can see video on the screen in a darkened room, or if you shine a bright light on the screen. The images can barely be seen - very faint. Is that what you're experiencing?
The backlight of your MacBook is located within the LCD assembly and is very difficult to remove and replace. Apple recommends replacing the entire LCD, not just the backlight. Also, the backlight is fed AC voltage by the inverter thru a cable. Either of those could be bad.
Three things: backlight CCFL tube, inverter, cable. Any of those three or all three could be defective.
I had the problem displayed above.
It may be the infamous nvida issue (no image on the screen at all and nothing to an external monitor), if so google nvida issue mac and read all about it, basically your logic board may be goosed but take it to a mac shop for a free repair if it's less than 3 years old.
I had this problem and they fixed it without issue.
If you can just see the screen under a bright light then it could be the inverter (£10 on ebay) inverter cable (£10ish on ebay) or as in my case it was the left IO board (£40 on ebay) all easy enough to fix on your own if you're comfortable opening the machine and following a tutorial.
If you're really unlucky it could be the actual backlight, I havent tried replacing this but have heard it's not easy.
Taking it to a mac store out of warranty will cost you £75 for them just to say you need a whole new lid, they wont replace an inverter or cable, they won't even test the io board.
It's well worth trying at least a new inverter first.
It may be the infamous nvida issue (no image on the screen at all and nothing to an external monitor), if so google nvida issue mac and read all about it, basically your logic board may be goosed but take it to a mac shop for a free repair if it's less than 3 years old.
I had this problem and they fixed it without issue.
If you can just see the screen under a bright light then it could be the inverter (£10 on ebay) inverter cable (£10ish on ebay) or as in my case it was the left IO board (£40 on ebay) all easy enough to fix on your own if you're comfortable opening the machine and following a tutorial.
If you're really unlucky it could be the actual backlight, I havent tried replacing this but have heard it's not easy.
Taking it to a mac store out of warranty will cost you £75 for them just to say you need a whole new lid, they wont replace an inverter or cable, they won't even test the io board.
It's well worth trying at least a new inverter first.
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.