5 Cool Accessories You Can 3D Print for Your MacBook

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Getting the right accessories for your MacBook is one of the best ways to overcome its physical limitations, improve security, improve productivity, and even protect other accessories. You can buy a wide range of accessories on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, but if you own a 3D printer you can make them yourself. While it’s not always the cheapest way to get an accessory, especially when you factor in the costs of filament, replacement parts, and specialty tools, it can be satisfying to create something that works yourself.

To this end, products you can 3D print include cable ties, iPhone mount for continuity camera, under table mount, camera cover, and corner bumpers. Just be sure to read the instructions provided by the author of the print files, as some include notes on how to achieve the best results. You may also need a few additional accessories, but overall you have enough variety to cover several useful scenarios for your MacBook.

USB cables tend to fail near the connector, because this is where most of the mechanical stress is concentrated. Sometimes we just don’t take care of our USB cables, causing them to bend, twist and pull at that vulnerable point, which can cause them to fray or break the internal wires at the connection point. To make this vulnerable area more resilient, especially against bending stress, you can attach this MagSafe 3 cable tie to your MacBook’s USB charger. As the author notes, this design is for the MagSafe 3 charger, which means it only works with MacBooks that have a MagSafe 3 port.

A cable tie is a flexible protective material that reinforces a USB cable at the connection point. The base of the cable tie covers the cable connector and is followed by U-shaped loops that protect the weakest point of the cable by preventing it from bending suddenly. As a result, the cable will bend into a gentle curve, minimizing stress on its internal wires and outer layer and preventing breakage and fraying.

If you have an iPhone XR or newer running iOS 16, you can use its rear camera as a webcam for your MacBook. The feature is called Continuity Camera and is available in macOS Ventura or later. Instead of holding the iPhone awkwardly in your hand or finding angles where it can stay steady, you can 3D print this iPhone MagSafe Holder for Continuity Camera.

Although it is designed with the M1 MacBook in mind, it can also fit other MacBooks as they share similar designs. However, you will need the magnetic mounting disc to print the MagSafe version. You can get the iPhone Encased Magnetic Mount-Anywhere Disc, which costs $16.99 for a two-pack on Amazon. Once printed, mount the iPhone on the mount, then place it on the MacBook.

Although MacBooks have good cameras, iPhones have better cameras. For example, the MacBook Pro M5 has a 12MP camera with 1080p video recording, while an iPhone 13 has a dual 12MP camera with a larger sensor and up to 4K video recording, which can outperform the MacBook Pro M5’s camera. If you want to use it to record videos or make a Zoom call, it might be a smoother and clearer experience.

Unfortunately for MacBook users, there’s no toggle or drop-down menu in Settings to turn off the camera when not in use. There’s also no MacBook model with a camera cover that you can slide to block visual access, like on Lenovo or HP laptops. Instead of covering the camera with tape, which looks crude and messy, you can 3D print this laptop camera cover yourself to improve your privacy.

To attach the camera cover to your MacBook, use thin double-sided tape, which you can get on Amazon for less than $10. Since you don’t clip this camera cover onto the MacBook, it has an ultra-low profile. This can make it look like it’s part of the laptop, especially if you 3D print it in a color that matches the MacBook’s aluminum case. When it’s time for privacy, simply slide the shutter to block the camera. This is important because hackers have ways to turn on your camera so they can spy on you.

Don’t believe the myth that macOS cannot be infected with malware. That’s why it’s important to know the signs that alert you when your MacBook’s camera is in use, the biggest clue being the green LED light that suddenly turns on when you’re not using the camera. This camera protection is your first line of defense when investigating if someone is using your camera.

Clamshell mode lets you use your MacBook like a desktop computer. The MacBook needs to be connected to power and an external monitor using an HDMI cable. When you close the cover, it will continue to display on the monitor. Then you can use an external keyboard and mouse. But instead of placing the MacBook on your desk, where it will take up space, you can print this MacBook Pro Under Table Stand designed for the MacBook Pro M2 and newer.

You’ll see that the stand holds the MacBook Pro where the air vents are. So the author put cutouts in the design to allow the laptop to breathe. You’re supposed to print three supports: two to hold the MacBook Pro on the sides and one on the back. If it’s a 16-inch MacBook Pro, two should be enough to hold it in place, but you don’t want to push it all the way back.

You will need additional materials to install the design. You are supposed to screw the brackets into the desk using 4mm wood screws. The author recommends adding glides or pads to the stands to ensure a snug fit and protect the MacBook Pro case from scratches.

The corners of your MacBook are one of its most vulnerable places. With just one bad fall, the laptop’s aluminum case and internal components can absorb the full force of the impact. At best, you’ll just have a bump that compromises the aesthetics of the MacBook. In the worst case, this can crack the screen or fracture the motherboard, the latter rendering the MacBook unusable. To give it extra reinforcement in the corners, you can 3D print these MacBook corner bumpers that protect fragile corners from drops, bumps and scratches.

The files even include bumpers you can 3D print for the external drives you connect to your MacBook. This can be essential for protecting hard drives, which have moving parts that can break if you drop them hard. These bumpers can even help prevent falls from happening in the first place. For example, external hard drives often fall when they slip out of someone’s hands or are knocked off a desk. Bumpers provide adequate grip and friction to prevent both scenarios.