Flickering/Flashing Touch Bar on MackBook Pro.

I was having the same issue and tried a million different things. I finally found what appears to be a fix. If you launch the terminal app and type in the following: sudo pkill TouchBarServer, killall ControlStrip

Then enter your password -- Then restart the Mac

It appears that the TouchBarServer and Control Strip are linked. This command kills both processes. After restarting, I have not encountered any flickering (it's been 24 hours). Also, I do not see either the TouchBarServer or Control Strip process show up in the Activity Monitor.

Here is the thread that I found the fix in: https://gist.github.com/JamesMarino/1c628e9ad57e21684cd5e8ec139b7e98

Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page for the fix. Hope this helps someone. I was ready to throw my machine out the window......

I also had the same problem with my 2020 MacBook Pro Touch bar flickering like a lightning storm. I took it to Apple and the guy there did all kinds of things, including resetting the SMC and the NVRAM/PRAM. He tried to tell me my battery health was shot and was shocked to see it was normal. He said I probably needed to have the whole motherboard, or whatever the bottom part of my Macbook is called, replaced at a cost of approx $1000. WHAAT? My Macbook is only 3 years old! He told me to buy a back up and a back up for my back up.

Good thing I did because the touch Bar continued going bananas and then the laptop died about a month later.

I don't know anything about computers but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have to buy another Apple Macbook Pro three years after buying a brand new Macbook Pro.

I notice that the newer models do NOT have the Touch Bar anymore.

Apple needs to recall the laptops with this touch bar problem. I've had several friends, who were die hard Apple fans, fall off the Apple truck after hearing about my faulty Macbook needing to be replaced after only 3 years. Very upsetting.

I also had the same problem with my 2022MacBook Pro Touch bar flickering like a lightning storm.

I've tried the pkill option in the past, and it never did anything for me, although never in the same line as suggested here.

The one thing that seems to consistently help with this problem for me (I have 13" 2020 MacBook Pro with an Intel Chip) is to shine a bright light on the keyboard. If there is also a lot of natural light, that also seems to work. Which makes me wonder if there is something little program that could replicate what happens when the ambient light sensor is responding to the bright lights.

I also wonder whether this isn't really a software issue after all. Like the original poster, for me this problem only happened after one major OS upgrade, although I don't recall which one.

Take these reflections as those of someone who has no programming experience.

MHannah789 wrote:

Recently (possibly since Ventura update) the touch bar on my 13 inch 2020 MacBook Pro (Intel) is intermittently flashing/flickering.

I have reset PRAM, NVRAM, SMC, entered a script that promised a fix, nothing is working, I have turned off control strip in keyboard preferences.

Since none of the fixes I've seen suggested here or anywhere else have made a permanent fix, what do I do next/now?

The go to way to sort Touchbar issues—

resetting the SMC Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support see the details.

resetting NVRAM/PRAM Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

ref: Use the Touch Bar on Mac - Apple Support

if no resolve take it in—

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Outside the USA

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support