Do Not Use Camera Covers or Keyboard Covers on the New MacBook Air

We have nearly finished distributing all our new certified staff MacBook Air laptops. You may have noticed that the design is different from our previous MacBook Air laptop. Even though the screen size is the same (13.3 inches), the new display is brighter and crisper than the old display—while the laptop is smaller and weighs slightly less.

These design changes also bring a some new limitations for us to consider.

First, do not use a plastic camera cover on the new MacBook Air. Using a plastic camera cover may damage the laptop and cause other problems as well. According to Apple:

“If you close your Mac notebook with a camera cover installed, you might damage your display because the clearance between the display and keyboard is designed to very tight tolerances. Covering the built-in camera might also interfere with the ambient light sensor and prevent features like automatic brightness and True Tone from working.”

On the MacBook Air, the green light will always indicate when the camera is on. Further, you can use System Preferences to decide which apps may access the camera. For more information, please read this article from Apple:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211148

Similarly, do not use keyboard covers or palm rests on the new MacBook Air. Apple advises:

“Do not use palm rest covers or keycap covers, as the additional thickness may interfere with the designed closed position of the display.” Using a palm rest or keycap cover “could result in damage to the display when you close it.”

For more information, please check out:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203671

If you have questions about these or other issues with a new MacBook Air laptop, please visit your building's Library/Technology Assistant (LTA), or call one of our Techs at x.1500.