This is a key symptom of Dustgate. The screen’s image signal cables sit inside the screen hinge. Over time, dust can get trapped between the screen and the housing. Each time you open and close your MacBook, those particles press into the cable and slowly damage it.

Think of the cable like a multi-lane motorway. If one lane is blocked, traffic builds up. That traffic is the signal controlling the screen’s colour and image. When the cable is compressed or twisted, some of that signal is lost. At certain angles, the pressure shifts, the connection returns briefly, and the display works until it fails again.

Dustgate is a screen fault caused by dust particles damaging the screen’s internal flex cables. These cables carry the signal that controls colour, brightness, and image clarity. When dust enters the hinge area, it can press into the cable each time the MacBook lid opens or closes, eventually damaging it.

The term Dustgate was coined by repair professionals to describe the issue, but unlike Flexgate, Apple has never officially acknowledged it. At iCorrect, we diagnose and repair Dustgate directly, without needing to replace the screen.

Dustgate is caused by particles entering the narrow gap between the MacBook’s screen and housing. The internal cables that control display functions sit right in that area. Over time, movement and pressure push the dust into the cables, damaging the thin lines that carry signals.

We see this most often in 13-inch MacBook Pro models, but it can happen on other models too. It is a design flaw in the way the screen assembly is built. We solve it without replacing the screen.

Dustgate and Flexgate are often confused, even by repair shops.

Flexgate is a backlight cable issue found on 2016 to 2018 MacBook Pro models, specifically A1706, A1707, and A1708. The screen turns off entirely or shows a stage light glow when opened too far. Dustgate, on the other hand, affects the image signal cables and shows as flickering, vertical lines, or distorted colours and usually affects models made after 2018.

We repair both, but they are completely separate faults with different causes and solutions.

Yes. This is exactly what makes our service different. We isolate the faulty cable, repair (if possible) or replace it at component level and test it thoroughly before reassembly.

Most repair shops will say you need a new screen because they cannot perform the cable-level repair. We were the first to offer this service in the UK, and our work was even featured by Forbes for its sustainability. We restore your existing screen and back it with a two-year warranty.

Dustgate repairs at iCorrect start from £199. That is significantly less than a full screen replacement, and the quality is higher because we are preserving the original Apple display.

Your repair includes full disassembly, cable-level repair, testing, and reassembly. You keep the original screen, and we guarantee the result.

Yes. Like most cable-related faults, Dustgate will not fix itself. The more you open and close the lid, the more the damaged cable will fail. The result is more screen artefacts, loss of colour, or eventually complete display failure.

The sooner you repair it, the better the outcome and the lower the risk of further damage.

No. Unlike Flexgate, which was briefly covered by Apple for a limited set of models, Dustgate has never been acknowledged as a known issue.

That said, some users on forums have reported success after pushing Apple to review their case. We always recommend checking with Apple first to see if they will help. If not, we are here to repair your screen without replacing it.

Standard turnaround is two to three working days. We also offer an express service depending on availability.

Every screen is disassembled, repaired, tested, and returned fully functional. If there are additional faults present, such as Flexgate (for earlier MacBook models) or a failing camera cable, we will advise you before proceeding.

Yes. Every Dustgate repair at iCorrect is backed by a two-year warranty.

We inspect and clean the hinge area during the repair to reduce the chance of dust re-entering the housing. If the same fault reappears due to cable failure, we will resolve it at no cost within the warranty period.