Apple won't fix staingate for free anymore.

The anti-reflective coating peeling on MacBook Airs (and some MacBook Pros from 2015–2017) was a known defect — “staingate.” Apple ran a repair program for four years from purchase, but that window has closed for most machines. If your laptop is older than that, you’re paying out of pocket.

The coating flakes off near the keyboard imprints or around the edges. It doesn’t affect functionality, just looks terrible. Apple’s official line is that it’s “cosmetic” and not covered under standard warranty.

Your options: replace the screen (expensive, not worth it on an old Air), live with it, or try a DIY coating removal with something like a Lysol wipe or Mr. Clean Magic Eraser — which can actually strip the remaining coating evenly. Some people fix it that way. Just don’t use anything abrasive unless you’re okay with a matte finish.

The whole thing is frustrating because Apple knew it was a manufacturing issue but limited the free fix to a short window. If you’re still under the program (unlikely), get it done immediately. Otherwise, accept the battle scars or gamble on a third-party screen replacement.