Filing the corners off my MacBooks

Thanks for this interesting post - I've been showing it to co-workers to get their reactions, which was incredibly entertaining for me!

Co-worker 1: Interesting. I wonder if that voids the warranty. It's Apple you know.

Co-worker 2: May Jobs have mercy on their soul...

Co-worker 3: Not a bad idea. But not sure if that would cause problems with structural integrity of the laptop, like if you drop it or something.

Co-worker 4: The only downside I see is that you can no longer say "Hey, that's a sharp-looking laptop!"

The takeaway from this article should be to consider modifying your tools to your needs even in unconventional and controversial ways. I love it.

The flame war on whether the original chassis design sucks or rocks is not that interesting.

I used a macbook for almost 2 years and genuinely don't understand how people can tolerate these machines. My wrists would be cut up all the time to the point where I looked like I was self harming myself and the glary screen is entirely unsuable anywhere but a darkest basement. Not to mention the terrible keyboard. To this day I'm perplexed how macbooks have such high desirability by full time developers when they're almost unusable.

I just did this to my MacBook not because of the sharp edge but because the pitting turns a sharp edge into a sawblade. Something about the grounding on on the frame when plugged in mixed with my sweaty hands leads to damage along this sharp edge on every MacBook I've ever owned.

See https://www.reddit.com/r/macbook/s/hbyVh5SJhw for another poor soul with the same caustic skin

Not all heroes wear capes. This is excellent and can't wait to get aluminium mac next to try it – don't think Space Black is a good way to go.

Author's another post on "The Seasons are Wrong" [0] is excellent too and I fully support both approaches.

[0] https://kentwalters.com/posts/seasons/

Maybe I'm autistic, but I loooove the sharp edges near the opening. They've become almost a nervous tick of playing with them with my fingers.

I've got no idea why, but the sharp feeling is amazing.

Love this! I did this in 2020 and until today I hadn't seen anyone else who had done it. If anyone is tempted, I recommend finishing the job with Micro-Mesh. IIRC, I went up to 12,000 grit and it results in a nicely polished look that catches the light beautifully.[1] I bet it would look even more striking on the actual black MacBooks we have today.

[1] https://x.com/andrewculver/status/1297575768520716288/photo/...

So, is rasping a subset of hacking now? Goodness.

A few weeks ago I accidentally dropped my space grey MBP. It had the lip open and fell on its right corner, inner/keyboard side.

The machine is fine and I didn’t even have to adjust the screen as it was still correctly in place but on that corner the aluminium lifted up forming a mountain shape, about 2 mm tall and very sharp.

Not only this was uncomfortable, but it also meant I couldn’t close the lid properly and might eventually crack the screen from it, so I filed it away. Like OP, I started with a pretty gritty file to get most of the tip off, then finished with a multi-tool with the sanding attachment. I went through a few grits but I got bored long before it was smooth.

In the end, I actually liked the look, and have been considering going all around like OP. I may have to do it now.

Nitpicky, but he’s rounding the edges, not the corners.

And yes, why are they so sharp?

I seem to recall my wife having the plastic MacBook that came out circa 2006 and the edges on that thing were legitimately painful.

I always marvel at how sharp the points are on the notch of the lid on my current MacBook. Very very pointy.

Lovely writing! And I think the understanding that one can and should modify their tools to their needs is rather rare and should be appreciated.

Yes the front edge is too sharp for me too, more on the middle right where I rest my hand. It hurts.

I think there must be a better solution than a file, like an attachment to effectively round the edges, or even something like fingerless gloves.

On the other hand Apple always replace the top case when the keyboard needs changing so the filing approach may not be entirely insane. It might send a message to Apple.

There's a more thorough version of this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSaJAAqSAMw and the end-result doesn't look as tacky

As I'm typing on mine right now, I wonder why they made these so sharp. It hasn't cut me yet, but they are decidedly uncomfortable.

I salute your can-do spirit and your will to customise your tools to your preferences.

I also think you're an animal and need to be stopped before you do more damage to perfectly well designed machines.

That's some really poor filing job :D but yeah custom tools is the way to go

I thought this was going to be on a softwarefix for the appalling inconsistency that are macOS Tahoe window corners. What I found deeply disturbed me, though I must agree, the edges are a bit more sharp then I'd like and a slight curvature could probably prevent them showing wear and tear [0]. Good on op for doing something they like, even if it's really out there and I could see more "pillowy" hardware becoming a thing now, after a few years of sharp edged devices.

Since I mentioned Tahoe, it bears repeating, my spotlight is still broken.

[0] https://ljpuk.net/2025/05/23/how-does-the-space-black-macboo...

To my great dismay, I discovered the physical incompatibility of two Apple products recently: The sharp edge of my MBP and my Apple Watch’s magnetic strap. It seems that the magnets are an effective abrasive, resulting in a ruined strap and a rounded edge.

Thank you Apple, you have taken designed obsolescence to a new level.

Somebody should offer a service to chuck up Macbooks in a CNC mill and hit them with a chamfer tool

I feel like this is only a problem if you’re keeping your wrists at an unergonomic angle. I’m not saying that everyone is perfect all the time but like this is barely an issue if you’re sitting at your desk?

Probably don't do this if you have a magnesium-aluminum alloy laptop.

Depending on exactly how much magnesium is in the alloy, metal shavings can be highly flammable and otherwise hazardous.

I think it's fine to mess with stuff like this, just make sure you know what you can do safely to the materials.

I just came into Mac world for work and struggle to understand the choices Apple makes:

- Sharp edges eat into my forearms.

- Glossy screen makes it hard to see when it's light out.

- The keys have a real hard stop when you press on them which tires out my hands.

- An arrogant desire to obsolete ports.

I don't understand the appeal of the machine, it feels like style over function everywhere.

It’s not only more comfortable to file off those sharp edges but also makes the laptop less dangerous to carry around. Those sharp edges not only cause discomfort but can chip paint, damage furniture, and inflict damage in general. If you had to you could use it as a weapon I suppose.

As a bonus the machine looks like crap so it’s far less likely to get stolen.

Doing this to a work computer seem a bit questionable from the ethical standpoint.

Totally fine to do whatever you want to your personal belongings though.

>it is uncomfortable on my wrists

Are your wrists supposed to be coming into contact with that? I suspect many of us have bad posture and do rest our wrists like that, but if your concern is wrist comfort, you probably want to consider that you're going out of your way to enable harmful posture.

> This was on my work computer.

Bold move to do this on your work Macbook. I'd be too worried of getting chased down with a bill when returning the laptop eventually.

This reminds me of a problem we hit at work. Ended up going a different direction but same root issue.

I'm not brave enough to try this on my own, but I applaud the effort. I'm pretty sure I'm developing lasting calluses on the underside of my wrists from all the constant rubbing against the sharp edge of my MBP.

Definitely didn't expect this to be about literally filing the corners off. Bravo! I think it looks pretty great, not sure I'd do it to one of mine

When I was actively using my Macbook 2014, I did the same, though to lesser extent and in a uniform way. The edge was way too sharp.

A hero post. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to shave using the edge of iPhone Air 20 or whatever they are coming up with. iPhone Stiletto.

Did the same for my Macbook Pro 15 unibody circa 2010. It was a great QoL improvement.

I don't have any trouble with the corner on my MacBooks. But now I'm disappointed that Apple added an extra few grams to my MacBook Air that they could have avoided without damaging functionality.

Cool, but why is the most rounded-off part in the center? My wrists cover the edge at 5-25% and 75-95% when typing. When mousing, my right hand fleshy pad covers the edge at 65-80%.

I use a case on my MacBooks to protect them from damage. These cases are made of softer materials that are easier to chamfer. I make a similar modification when necessary. Sometimes it's worse with the plastic cases because the injection mold seam is that sharp edge.

I've done this to my MacBook around the sharp and unpleasant corners near the touchpad. I had the laptop a few weeks before I couldn't take how unpleasant it was to touch any more.

Physical objects should be rounded, virtual windows should be square. I will die on this hill.

Yea, that's ugly. I'm sure it could've been done more gracefully with 15 minutes more effort. But judging from the general wear and tear on this poor Mac I guess they don't even consider the resale value.

I've been meaning to do this forever and think this game me the push I've needed to do it tonight when I get home. Probably not as rounded as OP, but it's reassuring to know I could go that rounded and it wouldn't fall apart.

Mac users since 2010. Never noticed the sharp edges. I am just keen on not having that little red ball in the middle of the keyboard á la Elitebook.

Love that he took it so far. I filed mine a while back - it’s so much more comfortable to use. When I drop it and a corner get mashed, I file that back flat. It reminds me of kintsugi where it shines from the fine filing.

I filed my work dell laptop too. Very different feel, but it is nice not living in feel of your own stuff.

There are plenty of laptops out there that have square edges on the user-facing edge. However, most are tapered and/or have hinge designs that tilt the laptop surface towards the user, dropping that square edge away from the user's wrists.

Most Apple laptops, such as the latest Pro's, are level, rather than tapered, and sit flat so that the user-facing edge cuts into your wrists. It's bad ergonomics, plain and simple. If you value function over form enough to modify your tools in this way, choose better tools.

I wonder if it would be possible to sand down a MacBook surface to the grade where it was all shiny mirror like the Apple logo, e.g. with car polish :-) The "untouchable" MacBook mirror :-)

Not just sides, the vents are much sharper.

Few years back, I tried to look on reddit for complaints regarding this - barely anything.

Sitting in a reclined position on the train, I’ve had a MacBook fly into my face when the car lurched and slice my nose open. Bled all over.

Depending on how I'm using the computer, I may definitely have deep marks after working laying down, but if I sit in a wood chair for a while it's the same thing- and my forearm is much tougher than behind my knee.

I suppose I would prefer it nice and rounded and soft on my wrist - but I don't feel like it's quite as extreme as this thread would have you believe lol

A very even 45 degree cut, like the cut to lift the screen but much shallower would look pretty cool. Maybe 2mm wide

Too bad my Mac is company owned, maybe I'd use it in a "laptop mode" more if it didn't slit wrists.

I did this on the macs at an old job, but not as drastic. It really doesn’t need much to ..ahem… take the edge off.

Everyone should be personalizing their belongings to suit their needs and desires. Living with belongings that make you feel anything less than happy and satisfied is NOT necessary.

This is a particularly hilarious customization both for its combined utility and shock value and also for doing it on a work computer.

The sharp and high edges leave a mark in my skin. The older MacBook Air design was lower, so resting your palms wouldn’t give me this

I did this at my last job, it's nice.

Maybe it's just me, but I think it looks kind of cool. I like how it tapers from the ultra-smooth front to the jagged back edges. Only suggestion would be to use better tools to do the filing, since it looks a bit uneven/rough.

The author has the same problem as myself; there’s a permanent imprint on the screen that sits right where the screen makes contact with the topside of the touchpad.

It’s quite an annoying flaw, and i’ve only had this problem with the machines since the M1 redesign

One of the ATPers was going on and on a bit ago about how the Neo is very "rounded" and "not sharp" compared to the Pro. I wonder if it would need this.

At one point due to the way I was using my just above my wrist my skin basically calloused from the edge of the macbook. Now at least the lid is not that sharp but it used to be I recall and I always worried about kids getting hit by it in case of an accident.

Maybe it's because I type like one would play the piano (with hands curved, fingers well below the palms), but I've never ran into an issue like this with a laptop before, wrists always clear the edges by a couple inches.

All the same, hell yeah.

This is very interesting Maybe I'll do this when my mac is a couple years old haha

Would be cool if somebody would make a round over or chamfer plane that would allow you to remove the corner with a higher finished look.

I'm very tempted to try this although I worry that the rubber "seal" around the edges of the screen will no longer have anything to butt up against, meaning there's glass-on-metal contact when it's closed?

This is the spicy content I come here to read. I wouldn’t do it myself but god speed to anyone who does.

I dropped my MBA on concrete and the edges got dinged up and sharp.

A bit of 220 grit sandpaper and all the sharp edges are smooth and it actually looks pretty cool. I was grimacing at first but now I like the feel.

I too find the sharp corners incredibly uncomfortable for my weak sensitive baby wrists but I chose to overcome this by wearing a wrist band. Two very different approaches

On one of my old MacBook Pros, I managed to do this naturally through friction from my wrist moving back and forth on the keyboard for years; good idea to get ahead of it.

The clearest demonstration that the knife edge is dumb is that there isn't a similar sharp edge around the exterior.

Maybe it’s the lighting, but that doesn’t look even on both sides to me - that’d bother me more than the sharpness.

The Apple Watch Ultra also has an aggressively sharp screen edge. It's kept me from upgrading from my current watch (Model 8). But maybe I would get use to it?

Fans of My Mechanics on YouTube will chuckle at this.

The channel’s Swiss host is famous for removing sharp edges from metal things.

Another thing that multiple generation of MacBook Airs used to do is constantly be running (sometimes quite painful) amounts of electricity through your wrists if they accidentally touched the metal.

Not sure if the Apple Silicon devices have the same issue - but it was consistent through at least 3 different generations.

It was oddly satisfying taking a file to my MacBook when a drop lifted a nasty burr on the edge.

Very minor "you can just do things" collides with the "infallible object" presence that Apple wants for its products - almost feels "wrong", but it's a nice norm to break.

(and I'm not a "Cult of Mac" guy)

One concern with doing this would be when you pack it in a bag and the screen would now flex more than usual, leading to excessive wear of the anti-reflective coating on these screens.

Since the edge has been filed away, the rubber seal on the screen would no longer presses against the edge of the body protecting the screen.

Truly the most horrifying post on HN I've seen in quite a while

It’s not just the edge but the corners where the finger accommodation is for opening the lid.

There’s a sharp corner there is unnecessary.

I don't want to do the whole front edge but this has definitely inspired me to take a file to these notch corners

Early Saturday morning and what a simple, to-the-point read about irreverence :D Gave me my new maxim - "Fuck about a bit" Created a poster out of it :D https://nextfive.xyz/bits/2026/04/11/fuck-around-a-bit.html

The sharp points by the track-pad are bad design. Ive made some terrible decisions when he wanted to show off.

Sharp edges and an axehead-like profile wear down the bottom of the laptop sleeve in my office-commuter hand luggage. Solved by putting my old MacBook Air in a neoprene pocket case before putting the whole thing, now with the double-thickness :-( p into my sachel.

One way to equalize the form > function equation!

If only they'd round the edges/corners of the body instead of the screen and the UI

Can we get some pictures with the hinge closed?

External keyboard and mouse too easy?

Unless you fly/train travel alot I guess.

I first encountered this in-person on a Mac Mini many years ago, which to be fair is not meant to be touched all the time, but it was still slightly repulsive. It has a surprising weight and uncomfortable sensation like picking up a freshly-cut block of metal. Then I realised Apple did the same with their laptops which are meant to be touched. They do have rounded corners, but not on the axes where the roundedness is useful. In contrast, Thinkpads look sharp-edged with square corners but are actually confortable to hold.

Is it me or is that aluminum already developing some stress cracking?

Brilliant. Love the tech-disrespect and the “right to repair”!

Did this too. Absolutely ridiculous I had to :(

Well, this can be read as a nice hack or ...

... it means the OPs job does not provide external monitors and proper keyboards :)

on the tool analogy :

only the biggest POS tools have bad ergonomics on the industrial side. The real quality tools, the ones meant to be used on the factory floor or in a production line, think of human ergonomics first .

I would probably be considering that as I took a file to my laptop in order to keep it from cutting into my skin as I used it.

I applaud the ingenuity, but I detest the concept of aesthetic-first engineering without a thought for the human user of the thing. Vote with your dollar.

In the case of parent : I admire your ability to cope and the chutzpah it took to take a file to company property.

on a side note : I think it's absolutely fascinating in every Apple thread watching users trade tips on how to avoid electric shock, electrolytic/chemical pitting, and skin cuts like it's just normal computing worries. You folks have some thick skin to keep at it. I would be rubberizing the whole damn thing after the first zap.

You don't dock your MacBook for long sesh?

Takes a real bastard to do this.

I just put a plastic case on my MacBook…

Wish I had the courage to do this too.

I did this when my old 2011 Air dropped the fiftieth time and the sides showed some pitting. The aluminium body is a godsend.

I did something similar with drawer handles. I was living in a place with cheap furniture and the handles were aluminum billet cut to length and tapped so it could be screwed to the drawer face. The edge on either side were crazy sharp. If you bumped it with your knee you'd easily cut the skin.

So I took some 1000 grit sand paper for metal and gently wet sanded the edge. If you rotate it a little you can get a very small radius evenly around the edge and it will keep a nice finish that matches brushed aluminum.

I'd actually feel comfortable doing this to a Macbook having done it to the drawer handles. Just use little pressure, back the paper with something flat, and check your progress often. It takes very little to remove the sharpness to the edge, to the point it's hard to see with the naked eye.

i think its fine but why do such a shitty job

Goodbye resale value

It’s interesting to me that this makes it look old. Even slightly retro. Makes me think of early 2010s ultrabooks.

If my work computer were my own I would do this in a second. The MacBook pro is ridiculously uncomfortable, both in terms of geometry and heat. I don't mind when it gets warm but on a cold morning it's just downright unpleasant to get working on it.

anything but admitting the design is bad and frivolous

I hate those sharp edges. I've contemplated taking a router with a carbide roundover to mine many times.

I have never understood how Jony Ive is highly regarded as a designer when he put not only sharp, aluminum edges but sharp aluminum corners exactly where your body spends almost all the time for continuous contact with the device.

He honestly seems like a terrible designer, which seems corroborated by him doing nothing of remote interest outside of Apple and barely inside it. The items that are regarded as design epochs, like the iPod, we're not his.

Finally, now I know I'm not the only one! These sharp edges constantly cut into my wrists to the point I was thinking of doing the same, or glueing some kind of kind soft padding to the edges. Great someone did it. I wonder how far can you cut them?

Savage.

OMFG I am so glad to hear I am not the only one! The stupid thing hurt my wrists on the white Macbook generation so I shaved it off so it wasn't so sharp.

Love it, this is the ultimate laptop sticker.

I dealt with sharp edges issue by investing in an Andar leather case. Works just as well.

https://www.andar.com/products/the-helm

If instead you sharpen the corners it's a security mechanism.

I would remove material from the outside edges of the front, not the center near the trackpad. The blue edges of my M2 air have already become silver and the palm rests have become more silver and glossy like glass from wear. I'm probably going to do something like this.

This seems like a reasonable choice, but man you really need to do this with a CNC mill. The craftsmanship is not there.

yay

I hate this But I also understand Still I hate this

> I file the sharp corners off my MacBooks. People like to freak out about this

The fact that any conscious human being has the time or energy to be "freaked out" about someone futzing around with their own devices is astounding to me.

Looks terrible, I love it

I’m now wondering how difficult it would be to polish one to a mirror finish.

I'm now painfully aware of how uncomfortable the edge of my mac is.

Not seriously... I too love the sharp edges but this is scary.. Lol

> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Damn good advice.

Apple users always convincing themselves they are still using the best premium most thought after designs of all time.

> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Preach.

> Don't be scared. Fuck around a bit.

Bet this person never heard about FAFO

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One of the many first world problems of this century. /s

Meanwhile a very important object called "Orion CM-003 Integrity" of the Artemis II mission is about to splash-down on Earth in 35 mins.