I have a mid-2011 MacBook Air (model A1369), whose screen has attracted some unsightly but superficial scratches. They look like smudges, but I suspect a layer of coating (or similar) has come off.
Most likely, the scratches stem from frequent transport with the screen pressed to the keyboard.
The screen is not protected by a glass layer – I hope it has a removable user-facing plastics film.
Is there a way to replace the scratched layer of the screen assembly to get rid of the scratches? I feel confident to do repairs myself and have done similar things in the past.
Here is a sketch of the scratch areas:
This picture is based on a photo. The scratch shapes are correct, but color and intensity are exaggerated for readability.
Best Answer
The protective plastic cover on the screen is bonded to the complete LCD display and not really removeable as a single element. A video on Youtube ("A1369 13.3" Macbook Air LCD Screen Repair step by step howto guide") explains the removal and disassembly of the display and is one hour long. It involves a heat gun and very careful use of special tools:
Conclusion: there is no way to remove the single element (scratched screen protector) in a simple procedure. It would be probably easier to replace the complete lid assembly, but this items costs 500 USD / 440 EUR (Summer 2015). This seems excessive for a screen which has "only" a few very unattractive scratches.
Mental note for next Mac: always place a protective cloth between keyboard and screen.