The M4 MacBook Pro often automatically activates the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen.

Not long ago, I upgraded from an M2 Pro Mac Mini running macOS 15.1.1 to an M4 Max MBP. After migrating with Time Machine, I encountered issues with internet connectivity, so I reinstalled all the apps that I used on the Mac Mini from scratch.


However, I've noticed that the MBP often automatically activates the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen. I've tried to keep track of it happening across various apps like Safari, Notes, DingTalk, MWebPro, and others. In most cases, after a few seconds of popping up a menu, it disappears on its own; in some instances, it requires a left mouse click to dismiss.


I attempted using Safe Mode for half a day and didn't encounter this issue again during that time. However, since working effectively is difficult in Safe Mode for me, I didn't test further there. I've also tried disabling some startup apps one by one but couldn't prevent this problem from occurring either.


I really don't want to erase the hard drive and reinstall all the apps again. Activating licenses and reauthorizing is quite a hassle, especially since I have a lot of plugins in SketchUp that need activation.


Has anyone else encountered a similar issue?

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.1

Posted on Dec 1, 2024 10:16 PM

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5 replies

Dec 2, 2024 6:16 AM in response to Ahmay2025

Hi, I've not encountered this issue before. I'm sorry to say that if the issue doesn't occur in Safe Mode, it's likely something you've installed causing the issue. Trying to identify what exactly is causing it can be challenging. Trying to disable startup apps is a good place to start. You can also toggle off the apps running in the background under System Settings > General > Login Items & Extensions unfortunately, this doesn't always work as these apps can store files in several different hidden directories.


The first thing I would look for are any application updates. Do any of your apps need to be updated? You could also test a different account to see if the issue only occurs with your account. You can create a new account under System Settings > Users and Groups. if the issue doesn't occur with the new account, you could transfer the data from your old account to the new account.


Let us know if the issue persists.


Best,

Dec 2, 2024 4:42 PM in response to ConT3ch

I tried creating a new user, and it was as if I had wiped the hard drive, reinstalled macOS, and reinstalled all the apps. Except for the apps from the App Store, all other app licenses were lost, which meant I had to authorize them on what seemed like a new device—some apps have single-device licenses, which can be problematic. Additionally, all plugins in SketchUp were lost as well, meaning I needed to reinstall and authorize them again (as if authorizing on a new device). I had to abandon this approach. I switched back to my old user account and deleted the newly created user; however, I couldn't delete the home directory of the new user. Perhaps these remnants will permanently remain under /User.

Dec 2, 2024 4:03 PM in response to ConT3ch

Thank you for your response. This issue occurs more frequently in apps like Safari and Notes. After observing it over the past few days, I found that it doesn't seem to be related to any specific app, as it happens suddenly with many different apps running. Perhaps I can only create a new user account for testing; however, I'm not sure if creating a new user will affect the documents of the original user (since both Desktop and Documents are synced to iCloud). I'm also unsure whether it will impact the licensing information of my various apps and plugins.

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The M4 MacBook Pro often automatically activates the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen.

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