A Mac that shows no sign of life is worrying, but it’s usually repairable, and your files are usually still there. The cause can be as simple as a flat battery or as involved as a failed power circuit on the logic board. We find out which before you pay for anything.
Try these first
- Check the power. Try a different charger, cable and wall socket. For a desktop, try another power lead.
- Leave a laptop on charge for 15 minutes, then try again.
- Hold the power button for 10 seconds, release it, then press it once.
- Check it’s really off. Shine a torch at the screen, or press Caps Lock to see if the light comes on. If the Mac is running with a black screen, it’s a display or backlight fault, not a power fault.
- Disconnect everything else: hubs, drives and displays.
What usually causes it
- A flat or failed battery on laptops.
- The internal power supply on iMacs, Mac minis, Mac Studios and Mac Pros. It’s a separate part, so it’s a simpler repair.
- Liquid damage, sometimes from a spill days or weeks earlier.
- A power surge or a faulty charger damaging the power circuits.
- A logic board fault, such as a short on a power rail or a failed power chip. We repair these at component level.
- A failed macOS update on Apple silicon and T2 Macs, which can often be fixed with a revive rather than a repair.
Your data
On Macs with a T2 or Apple silicon chip, which covers most models from 2018 onwards, the storage is soldered to the logic board or paired with its security chip, and encrypted, so the only way to reach your files is to get the board working again. That’s why we repair boards rather than swap them. On Macs with a separate drive we can usually take it out and copy your files first. See Mac data recovery.
Price
Initial advice is free. If we need to open your Mac to find the fault, that’s booked in as a diagnostic at £45 + VAT (£54). Logic board repair is £450 + VAT on 2018 and later models, and for complex repairs (liquid, lightning or GPU faults) on any model. Non-complex board repairs on earlier models are from £165 + VAT. All prices are subject to inspection, and nothing is done without your approval.
Questions we’re often asked
Is it worth repairing?
Usually. A board repair costs far less than a new Mac, and on newer models it’s also the only way to get your files back. If it isn’t worth it, we’ll tell you.
Do I pay if you can’t fix it?
Not for the repair. If it can’t be fixed, you don’t pay for it.
Book a repair
Call 020 7394 2528 or email info@mac-repair.london with a short description of the fault and we’ll come back with a quote.