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Door staff@engadget.com (Deven McClure) - 04 Oct 2026
From a purely aesthetic point of view, a screen protector on your MacBook can visibly dampen the display you spent good money on. A protector can scatter more light and reduce overall clarity, and with such a large surface area, the chances you're sticking one on with zero air bubbles is slim. However, the much bigger threat is to your screen's overall health, particularly the anti-reflective coating that sits on the top layer of the screen. It's something imperceptible so long as it's not damaged, but a screen protector can ruin it. When it comes time to replace your screen protector, peeling off of the adhesive can leave the coating cracked, peeling and frankly pretty ugly to look at.
Depending on the thickness and material of the screen protector, it can also stop your laptop from closing properly or cause damage to the screen even deeper than this top layer. A MacBook is designed to close with a very small gap between the screen and keyboard, and a thick glass screen protector can bridge that gap. If that's the case, the force of closing your laptop even a bit too hard could have a ripple effect from the base into the screen.
If you absolutely must get a screen protector for your MacBook, there are a few safe alternatives. There's the UltraThin Magnetic Privacy Screen Filter from Kensington, for example, which is sold on Apple's official website. Its magnetism prevents any of the dangers associated with adhesive, and its thinness eliminates the chance of force-based damage.
Depending on the thickness and material of the screen protector, it can also stop your laptop from closing properly or cause damage to the screen even deeper than this top layer. A MacBook is designed to close with a very small gap between the screen and keyboard, and a thick glass screen protector can bridge that gap. If that's the case, the force of closing your laptop even a bit too hard could have a ripple effect from the base into the screen.
If you absolutely must get a screen protector for your MacBook, there are a few safe alternatives. There's the UltraThin Magnetic Privacy Screen Filter from Kensington, for example, which is sold on Apple's official website. Its magnetism prevents any of the dangers associated with adhesive, and its thinness eliminates the chance of force-based damage.