MacBook Not Turning On? Causes, Fixes & Repair Options
We’ve all experienced the frustration of a device not powering on—whether it’s a mobile phone, a laptop PC, or a MacBook. Power issues can stem from a wide range of causes, and correctly identifying the root of the problem is crucial to getting your device working again.
Sometimes the fix is simple; other times, you may need support from a technician—or the device could be completely dead and beyond economical repair.
At FixMyBrokenScreen.co.uk, we’ve repaired thousands of MacBooks over the years. Our experienced technicians are familiar with nearly every power-related and Macbook screen repair related fault and can diagnose the issue accurately to provide a practical solution.
We categorise these issues into two main sections:
Power-related issues
MacBook screen/display issues
Macbook not turning on: Power related issues.
Completely Drained Battery
Modern lithium-ion batteries in your MacBook always keep a tiny amount of charge—even when your device shows 0%. This small reserve helps the battery start charging when you plug it in again.
However, if your MacBook hasn't been used for several months, the battery can drain completely. This means there's no reserve charge left, making the battery unable to recharge and leaving your MacBook unresponsive.
Common Reasons:
Not using your MacBook for a long time.
Cold weather or humidity (which can accelerate battery drain).
Symptoms:
Pressing the power button does nothing.
Connecting the charger shows no charging indicator.
Solutions:
Connect your MacBook to a charger and leave it for up to 2 hours.
Press and hold the power button for up to 1 minute.
Check your charger’s wattage. If you're using a 31W or 61W charger, try a higher wattage one (87W, 90W, or 110W).
If these steps don’t resolve the issue, seek professional assistance.
Faulty or Aged Battery
If your MacBook only works when it's connected to a charger, the battery might be faulty or simply old. Batteries lose their ability to hold a charge over time.
Common Symptoms:
Your MacBook only powers on when plugged into a charger.
It shuts down quickly after unplugging the charger.
It randomly turns off and then restarts while in use.
Solution:
Have the battery replaced by a professional. Do not attempt to fix it yourself without experience—DIY repairs often create additional problems and can cause further damage.
Faulty Charger or Charging Port
Charger sockets and connectors can sometimes become faulty or damaged, preventing your MacBook from charging properly.
Common Symptoms:
No response or charging indicator when the charger is connected.
No sound or light appears when you plug in your charger.
Solutions:
Check the charger socket and connector carefully for any visible damage.
Inspect your MacBook's charging port for dirt or dust. Clean gently if necessary.
Try using a different charger. Remember, chargers have different wattages (e.g., from 29W to 140W) and not all are compatible with every MacBook model. Using a higher wattage charger often helps.
Test your current charger with another MacBook if possible, to confirm whether it’s working properly.
If none of these steps resolve your issue, it's best to seek professional help.
Faulty Motherboard (Logic Board)
Your MacBook’s motherboard (logic board) can become faulty for many reasons, but liquid spills are the most common. Other reasons include physical impact damage, dust, humidity, or short circuits from accidental spills.
Common Symptoms:
Your MacBook shows no signs of life at all.
Important Advice:
If your MacBook experiences a liquid spill:
Do NOT try turning it on.
Do NOT use rice to dry it out—this method doesn’t work and can cause further damage.
Immediately seek professional help.
Repair Considerations:
If the spill or damage is severe, consider carefully whether repair costs are worthwhile. From experience, we know liquid-damaged MacBooks might work initially after repair, but often develop ongoing issues, leading to additional expenses.
Unless you need to recover important data, replacing the device might sometimes be the more economical option.
Faulty Power Button (Rare)
Power button issues are very uncommon on MacBooks. We rarely encounter MacBooks with this problem. Many users mistakenly think their power button is faulty, but this usually isn’t the case.
Your MacBook should automatically turn on when connected to a charger, even if the power button isn't working. If it doesn't power on when plugged in, the issue is likely something else.
MacBook Keeps Restarting (Boot Looping)
If your MacBook keeps turning itself on and off, it's experiencing what's called a boot loop. This means the device is getting power but can't stay switched on due to a hardware or software issue.
Common Symptoms:
The Apple logo repeatedly appears and disappears.
The MacBook turns on briefly but then shuts off suddenly.
Solution:
Try reinstalling or updating macOS.
This problem is usually complex to diagnose and fix. It’s best to get professional help from experienced technicians.
Faulty Screen or Display Related Issues
Faulty or damaged screen
If your MacBook screen appears completely black, you might mistakenly think the device has no power. Often, the issue is actually with the screen itself rather than power-related.
Common Symptoms:
Your screen looks completely or partially black.
You might barely notice a faint backlight when pressing keys.
Your trackpad clicks as normal.
The Caps Lock key lights up when pressed.
You hear the charging sound when plugging in the charger.
An image appears if connected to an external monitor via HDMI.
Solution:
You will likely need a professional screen replacement service. It’s advisable to seek help from experienced technicians to ensure proper and safe repairs.
No Backlight Issue
A fully working MacBook screen has two main components:
LCD or Retina Display Panel: The thin, glossy glass-like panel showing the images.
Backlight Panel: Contains LED lights that illuminate the display panel, allowing you to see images clearly.
If your MacBook has a backlight issue, the screen will look completely dark. You might barely see images on the screen if you shine a torch on it.
Common Causes:
Faulty screen (internal backlight issue).
A backlight IC problem on the motherboard.
Flexgate Issue: Specifically affects MacBook Pro models from 2016-2017. These models had shorter backlight cables that could easily break. If your MacBook is not a Pro model from these years, it won't have this issue.
Common Symptoms:
Screen is extremely dark or completely unlit.
A faint image can be seen if you shine a torch directly onto the screen.
Trackpad responds normally.
Caps Lock key lights up when pressed.
You hear the charging sound when you connect your charger.
Images appear correctly on an external monitor (via HDMI).
Solution:
This issue usually requires professional MacBook screen repair. Depending on the exact fault, you may need either a MacBook screen replacement or a motherboard repair.
No Image Signal Issue
As explained earlier, your MacBook screen needs two key signals from the motherboard to function properly:
Power Signal: Powers the backlight LEDs.
Image Signal: Sends visual information to the LCD panel.
If your motherboard isn't sending the correct image signal, your MacBook screen will stay completely blank or black, even though other parts of your MacBook may still work.
Common Symptoms:
The screen stays completely black, possibly with a faint backlight.
The trackpad works (clicks).
The Caps Lock key lights up when pressed.
You hear a charging sound when plugging in your charger.
An external monitor connected via HDMI displays an image normally (because the HDMI image signal is separate).
Solution:
This issue is a complex motherboard fault and should only be repaired by experienced professionals. Unlike a simple screen replacement, fixing this issue requires advanced technical skills. Always choose a reputable and experienced MacBook repair centre.
Taking it directly to Apple typically results in a full motherboard replacement, which can be very expensive—sometimes making it more cost-effective to buy a new MacBook instead.
Display Connector Issue
In rare cases, the connector linking your screen to the motherboard might become detached. This usually happens after improper repairs if the protective brackets weren't correctly re-installed. It can also happen if you've purchased a second-hand MacBook and aren't aware of its repair history.
Common Symptoms:
Screen remains completely black with no image or backlight.
The trackpad responds normally.
Caps Lock key lights up.
Charging sound is audible when connected.
External HDMI monitor shows an image correctly.
Solution:
Have your MacBook inspected by a qualified MacBook technician who can safely check and reconnect the screen connector if necessary.
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