Laptop or MacBook won't turn on?

The short answer

A laptop that won't turn on usually has a charger or power fault, a failed battery, a display fault (it is on but dark), or a fault on the logic board. Check the charger and try a power reset first. After a liquid spill, leave it off and bring it in.

Symptoms

• No lights, fan or sound at all
• Charger light is off, or the battery won't charge
• Fan or keyboard lights come on but the screen stays black
• Turns on for a few seconds, then off
• Stopped working after liquid was spilled on it

Safe checks to try first

1. Try a different outlet and, if you can, a known-good charger of the correct wattage.
2. Unplug all accessories and external drives.
3. Hold the power button for 10 seconds, release, then press it once.
4. Listen for a fan or startup sound, and try an external monitor. If it shows a picture, the laptop's own screen is the fault.

After a spill

1. Turn it off and unplug it straight away.
2. Do not turn it on to see if it still works.
3. Do not use a hair dryer or other heat.
4. Bring it in as soon as you can. Corrosion keeps spreading while liquid residue sits on the board.

How we diagnose it

We test the charger and charging port, measure the current the laptop draws, test the display, and inspect the logic board under a microscope for failed components and liquid damage.

Repair options

• MacBook battery and screen replacement
• Charging faults
• Liquid damage cleaning and board repair
• Logic board repair by micro soldering, usually 1 to 5 days

See MacBook & laptop repair for the full list.

When repair may not be worth it

On an older laptop, a board repair can cost more than the machine is worth, and heavy corrosion can make a lasting repair unlikely. If the files matter more than the laptop, ask about data recovery. On many recent MacBooks the storage is part of the logic board, so recovering files depends on getting the board working.