Macbook pro retina flicker

Dear Support,


I bought a Macbook pro retina recently, and now the screen keeps flickering, and is very annoying.

I am not sure how to reproduce it, when it happens, it will have horizontal lines cutting across the screen very quickly and disappear.

It happens randomly across all application.


It is the same as,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq0l-bHmSYE


I have updated all patches, and still doesn't help.


Could you please advice how to fix it? Do i have to send it back?


Kind Regards

Andy

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 17, 2012 6:10 AM

Reply
249 replies

Feb 3, 2014 7:06 PM in response to YCLAM

I have also started having the same issue in December, 2013, about 13 months after I purchased my Macbook Pro 13in with retina display. I have all my software up to date and tried some of the simple fixes people have suggested. However, the problem persists. It is difficult to reproduce, and the folks at Apple Store do not know how to fix it. Mine does exacly the same thing as the ones in the youtube videos - intermittent flickering with horizontal lines across the entire screen.


I have noticed that it happens most frequently when I am downloading/installing updates from the App Store or using Facetime or Skype. However, it can also happen when I am browsing the web or working on Word documents. My screen flickers regardless of being on powersupply or on battery.


Does anyone know how we can report this issue to Apple so they will look into the problem systematically?

Feb 5, 2014 3:13 AM in response to YCLAM

This is 100% related to WIFI. When wifi is turned off it goes away. When wifi channel changed it sometimes fixes it. It also occurs more with wifi turned on + NVIDIA graphics being used versus the standard intel graphics.


There is SOOO MANY posts about this problem dating back to 1.5 yrs ago. Everyone is on a macbook pro retina with this exact problem however when you call applecare they have no clue. They should be aware and pinpoint this problem by now when there is so many ppl with it.

I today read over 100 different web pages regarding this problem and saw numerous videos on youtube of ppl showing this issue.


Now i gotta turn on wifi again to post this, two thousand bucks for this.

Feb 9, 2014 9:00 AM in response to corycory123

This is a product defect where the wifi signal interferes with the video signal and garbles the display. The issue is especially pronounced when its looking for nearby access points, particularly wireless B/G 2.4GHz access points (ie when you click on the wifi signal icon).


Apple knows this is a product defect. We all know this is a product defect. Apple is on the hook to resolve it on their dime.


The only workaround I found was use a wifi access point that supports Wireless N at 5 GHz. If I switch to 2.4GHz Wireless N I get the screen flicker. And when I switch to 2.4GHz Wireless G the flicker is severe.

Feb 13, 2014 4:50 PM in response to IEDAudioDeveloper

That worked for me for a couple weeks... but now its back even when I'm on 5ghz though its not as much.


Waiting for someone at apple to see the hundreds of posts about this issue and videos of it that have been online for the past 1.5 yrs so they can tell us whats the exact problem/fix for this.


now i gotta turn on wifi to post this and enjoy the flicker show. it only cost me 2k+ yay.

Mar 11, 2014 11:57 AM in response to YCLAM

My macbook had some flicker initally when it was only a few months old, but then it stopped. I was fine now for the last 3 months, and today the flicker returned, but very violently this time. Computer is literally unusable while in this flickering episode.


I must say i did notice turning the WIFI off stops the flicker. The minute i renable the wifi, flicker is back on.


APPLE PLEASE WAKE UP AND FIX MY 13 MACBOOK PRO RETINA!


Apple seems to be turning a blind eye to this problem

Jun 28, 2014 10:52 PM in response to YCLAM

Hi all,


I have started having the flickers at the bottom of my screen for the past few weeks and it started to be more frequent lately.

I brought my MBPr 15" early 2013 (which I had gotten refurbished - not that it should matter) to the Apple service center in Singapore last week. They replaced the display free of charge (as it was still under the 1 year warranty) no question asked when I showed them the video I captured of my screen.

So far so good, no more flicker. Will keep monitoring and update this post accordingly.

Jul 15, 2014 12:34 AM in response to YCLAM

I have the same issue: http://youtu.be/VcexXDC0dlc


As can be seen in the video, I'm able to turn the flickering on and off by turning my wi-fi on and off. The flicker seems to come on when I'm on a 2.4GHz channel, and not a 5 GHz channel. Unfortunately, my router at home doesn't is only 2.4. I only started experiencing this problem a year ago.


Took it to the Apple Store today, and no one had heard about this issue. I showed them how the problem can be fixed if I turn of my wi-fi (as shown in the video). They tested it on 2.4 GHz networks in the mall, as well as on 5 GHz networks. The flickering only occurred on 2.4 GHz networks. It's still under warranty so they sent it off to have the "display and wifi card replaced", according to the work order.


If this does the trick, I'll post an update.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Macbook pro retina flicker

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.