Not sure what caused your laptop’s hinges to break? More often than not, it happens due to mishandling the laptop but there’s more to this problem. 

The laptop hinges usually break when open up the laptop using the screen corner. And there it is, a classic case of mishandling. The hinges of a good quality laptop are generally quite sturdy, however, they can eventually break due to misuse, careless handling, or mechanical wear and tear over time. 

In this article, you’ll find out 8 reasons why laptop hinges break and a word or two on how to prevent or fix a broken laptop hinge. So let’s get into it!

8 Common Reasons Why Laptop Hinges Break

Below you can find the 8 common reasons why laptop hinges break.

1. Hard Impact on the Laptop Hinges

The hinges of a laptop are commonly made out of steel, which makes them sturdier and more durable in the long run. Since the hinge construction is steel, you must figure it’s not easily breakable, which is true. However, it does not mean the hinges are completely indestructible and can withstand all kinds of impact.

If the laptop falls or receives a hard impact, it can cause a lot of stress on its hinges, and consequently, it can lead to damage or breakage of the hinges. So while a laptop can endure minimal impacts, it is important to protect it from full-blown hits. 

2. Opening the Screen From the Corner

One of the biggest reasons laptop hinges broke over time because most people put undue stress on them as they open the screen of their laptop from the corner. As I write this for you, I had a moment of self-realization that I’m guilty of opening the laptop the wrong way too.

Most of us have made ourselves comfortable with opening the laptop using a single thumb and pulling the screen up from either the side or corner of the laptop. This disturbs the balance of the hinges because most laptops have one hinge on each side and opening the laptop from one corner puts pressure on one hinge only, causing it to endure unnecessary stress. 

Now, this won’t have a noticeable effect right away, but in the long run, it will make the hinges of your laptop weaker and hence, more prone to damage or breaking hinges.

3. Mechanical Wear

With the passage of time, the components of a laptop go through mechanical wear and tear, which is totally normal for any mechanical device. 

The hinges support the weight of the screen, help in opening and closing the laptop, and hold the screen and chassis together. This means they’re doing a fair amount of job, which can cause wear and tear over time. 

This wear and tear can be minimal or extreme depending on how you use the laptop as well as the build quality of your device. But keep in mind that misuse and mishandling of the laptop can accelerate the process of mechanical wear, impact the longevity of the laptop hinges and cause them to break earlier than expected. 

4. Mishandling

We’ve already addressed the fact that most people open the laptop the wrong way. But there’s another common case of laptop mishandling and that happens when you’re holding the laptop. 

For a moment, assess how you hold your laptop when taking it out of the sleeve or carrying it from one place to another while it is still closed. You probably hold it from the front edge, or the back edge, on the opposite side, where the hinges are located (If you don’t do this, good for you).

But the fellas out there who do this must be warned. Holding the laptop vertically from either of these edges causes an imbalance between the hinges, and puts a lot of pressure on them. This will cause the hinge joints to become weaker over time and break ultimately.

5. Slamming the Screen while Closing

Do you slam your laptop screen shut to the point it makes a *thud* sound? Well, if not regularly, you might have unconsciously developed a habit of doing so occasionally.

To you, the sound may be satisfying, but for the laptop and its hinges, the slam shut habit is an absolute hazard. Besides harming the hinges of the laptop, this can also cause damage to the screen and other components of the laptop. 

Closing the lid with one strong haphazard motion causes a lot of stress on the hinges, which can cause them to break right away in some cases, or over the course of a few years eventually. Therefore, you should always close your laptop slowly and carefully, no matter how done you’re with your work day. 

6. Opening Screen Beyond Hinge Limit

The hinges of a laptop can only extend up to a specific limit. If you extend the screen beyond the limit of the hinges, they’re bound to break or get damaged. 

Most of us unconsciously push the screen back as we adjust our viewing angles, not realizing how we’re opening the screen wider than its limit. The hinges of most laptops cannot extend beyond 135° to 140°. If you try to open the screen wider than this range, you’re causing damage to the hinges. 

Opening the laptop’s screen beyond the hinge limit can cause it to break or even cause damage to the laptop screen by putting undue pressure on it.

7. Low Quality Hinge

At times, the problem is not how you use your laptop but the build and construction quality of your laptop. Some cheap entry-level laptops are constructed with poor-quality components.

If your laptop has a defective chassis and its hinges are made from cheap plastic, it will break down sooner than one may expect. This is usually a trick to earn money from repairs because entry-level laptops are not very profitable otherwise. 

That’s not to say all laptops are like this, but there are a few that have a subpar build quality, and low quality hinges particularly, which is why they break so easily.

8. Rust Build-up

If you don’t use your laptop frequently and leave it opened or closed for extended periods of time, its component parts fall at risk of corrosion or rust build-up. 

This issue, however, is limited to laptops with metallic hinges only. If your laptop features plastic hinges, then for once it’s a win for you because plastic hinges are safe from the risk of rust and corrosion. 

The rust buildup or corrosion weakens the hinges and may cause them to break, if not taken care of. 

How To Prevent Laptop Hinges From Breaking? 

The best thing you can do to prevent the laptop hinges from breaking is to avoid mishandling your laptop. Laptop hinges typically break when they go through undue pressure or hard impacts, which is usually caused by opening or closing the screen incorrectly or handling the laptop carelessly. 

To prevent the laptop hinges from breaking, open and close the laptop carefully in a way that neither creates an imbalance between the hinges nor causes unnecessary pressure on them. And the best way to open the laptop is from the middle.

Read Our Detailed Article on 7 Ways to Prevent Laptop Hinges from Breaking

How To Fix a Broken Laptop Hinge?

A broken laptop hinge can be fixed or replaced depending on the amount of damage that has happened. You can repair a broken laptop using epoxy glue or gorilla tape around the hinge mounting points. This temporary fix will keep your laptop screen functioning for a while. 

Other than that, you can replace the broken laptop hinge with a new hinge as a permanent fix. You can replace the hinge in a few simple steps at home or visit a professional to get them replaced.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve mentioned the most common reasons why laptop hinges break, you have all the clues required to prevent it from happening. Use your laptop carefully and you should be able to keep the hinges functional for a lifetime, except of course if the build quality of your laptop doesn’t allow it.