The 5 Most Common Ways Your MacBook Gets Damaged

Contrary to popular belief, MacBooks can and do get damaged. Why else would there be so many Apple technicians ready to fix your devices?

Repairs are costly, especially if you don’t have a warranty. The more you use your MacBook, the more likely it is to get damaged.

Hopefully, it’ll never happen to you, but you should be prepared for some of the most common ways your MacBook gets damaged.

Spills

One of the most common damages comes from spills. In fact, a UC Berkeley student actually had a bottle of shampoo explode in their backpack and destroyed their MacBook. Random liquid damages happen often with college students. It’s also common for anyone who happens to keep a drink nearby while they’re working or just browsing online.

Some of the most common liquids that spill onto MacBooks and other laptops include:

CoffeeWaterSodaWineHot TeaNail polish remover

People have accidents and spills are one of them. But, your MacBook shouldn’t have to suffer. Consider using a protective keyboard cover to keep spills off the keyboard while you’re using your MacBook. A splash proof sleeve is also a good idea.

Acting Out

It might not ever cross your mind, but it’s not that uncommon for a MacBook to get damaged by someone acting out. For instance, a guy might see his girlfriend on Facebook dancing with another man, slam the lid to his MacBook forcefully and damage the screen.

A kid having a tantrum might throw your MacBook to the floor. An angry friend or family member could slide it off a desk or table. The truth is, you never know what might happen when emotions run high. Be prepared with an impact resistant sleeve to prevent damages, such as the Hexpact.

Drops, Slips And Falls

Outside of liquids, drops and falls are the most common way MacBooks get damaged. Maybe you have your MacBook in a stylish purse, but it slips from your shoulder and slams against the floor. You could be facing a cracked case, shattered screen and/or a ruined hard drive. You might turn too quickly at your desk and send your MacBook crashing to the floor or against the wall.

A cushioned briefcase or shoulder bag is a great start. A slip resistant laptop case, such as Neon Party, helps to prevent your MacBook from sliding off your desk easily. This also helps prevent your MacBook from sliding out of your bag easily.

Leaving Earbuds In

Earbuds don’t seem too dangerous, but if you lay them on your keyboard and close the lid, a shattered screen is inevitable. It happens far more often than you might think. You take them out quickly, toss them on the keyboard and before you think, you close the lid. Not only are your earbuds possibly damaged, but you’re looking at $250 or more to have the screen repaired.

Killing The Hinges

Think about your own joints. Over time, they might ache or crack if you abuse them. The same happens with your MacBook case’s hinges. Opening your MacBook roughly, lifting it by just the screen or keyboard portion or folding the screen too far back all result in cracked hinges. At this point, it’s only a matter of time before the hinges break completely.

Until they’re repaired, you can’t use your MacBook. Plus, if the damage is bad enough, there could also be damage to the internal cables running to your screen. Using a case that limits how far you can open your MacBook is one line of defense. The other is to simply be more gently. MacBooks break, but if you’re careful, they last much longer.

MacBooks do get damaged, but preventing much of the damage is easy with the right protective accessories.