AbstractIn search for magnetically active carbon structures, we have undertaken the magnetic force microscopy study of intrinsic defects at the surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Most of the observed defects, such as ridges and cleavage edges, are found magnetically inert. However, some of the observed sharp cleavage edges do show magnetic activity – a built‐in surface magnetization, which reveals itself as the magnetic force gradient signal sensitive to the polarity of the tip magnetization. These results indicate the existence of a defect related magnetism at room temperature on graphite surface. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)