Laptop Privacy Filters

What a privacy filter does

A privacy filter is a thin sheet over the screen with a layer of tiny slats, like a very fine blind. Light coming straight out of the screen passes between the slats; light going off to the side is blocked. So you can read the screen as normal, while the person next to you on the train, in a café or in an open-plan office sees it turn dark. Straight on, the screen looks a little dimmer, so most people turn the brightness up a step. It is worth having if you work on payroll, medical notes, client records or anything else you would not want read over your shoulder.

The kinds in this range

• Magnetic filters sit on the screen and hold by magnets along the edge, so they come off in a second when you want to share the screen. Most here are for MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, listed by size and chip, and there are also versions for the 13-inch Surface Pro and the MacBook Neo.
• Removable suction filters press onto the edges of the screen and peel off again with no glue.
• Privacy films are cut to fit Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Book and Go models.
• Universal filters come in 16:9 sizes from 13.3 to 24 inches, for laptops and desk monitors.

Several are reversible, with a glossy side for a clearer picture and a matte side that cuts reflections.

Getting the size right

A filter for a named laptop only fits that model, so check yours first: on a Mac, open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac. For a universal filter, the shape matters as much as the inches. A 16:9 screen is wide and fairly short; a 16:10 screen of the same diagonal is taller and narrower. Measure the screen's visible area, width and height, in millimetres, and match it to the sizes on the product page, which are given both ways. Our guide to laptop sizes explains screen shapes in more detail.

Questions people ask about privacy filters

Does it work in portrait?

Most block the view from left and right only. Turned on its side, it blocks above and below instead.

Does it protect the screen as well?

Yes, it covers the screen against scratches. If you only want protection and not privacy, a screen protector keeps the picture brighter.

Will it stop the lid closing?

Read the product page. If it does not say the lid closes with the filter fitted, take the filter off before closing the laptop.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when that filter usually arrives, so check it before ordering for a set date.

More to look at

• Laptop screen protectors
• Webcam covers
• Laptop skins
• Laptop cable locks
• Screen sprays and cloths
• Guide: Privacy and protection: filters, screen protectors, skins and locks