Control Strip (Touch Bar) randomly disappears

Updated to 10.12.4. fine for a few days, doing it again now. Also occassionally the mbp display dims itself for no reason, and videos are mute until I use the touch bar and volume slider... Apple just don't give a s**t.

3 of my colleagues have now bought Windoze machines, and they were all Mac champions, until they hiked the prices with the new models.

After an update I do not have this issue anymore. At least so far as the update appeared. The interesting thing is that I have second laptop touch bar 13", and it did not have any troubles with the touch bar when it was connected to the screen.

Hey, I just did a couple quick tests with my timer and I think it's just an energy saving option where they dim after 1 minute of inactivity then completely shut off after 1min and 15secs. I think we just don't have to update to manipulate this yet i guess until the update we just need to tap the touchbar to reveal it again or the fn key

I'm also having the same problem. I've had my 13' MBP for a month (so the latest release in the first week of July). Emojis seem to crash the touch bar, particularly when I try to use them for Facebook. Given I run a business via fb, this is painful as I'm on that particular site a lot. I'm hoping there's a fix soon!

Yes, I have this EXACT same problem with my 13" MBP. I don't know if it's time-based as there appears to be no consistency as to when or why the icons disappear, but usually everything except the 'esc' button will disappear. Sometimes if I touch where the icons/buttons should be they will reappear. However, I usually I then have to do the same thing as you - go to System Preferences and tweak what the Touch Bar shows to "reset" the icons.

Out of curiosity, are you hooked up to an external monitor(s) when this happens? I have only noticed this issue when I am hooked up to dual monitors via USB-C to DVI adapters.

I just got off the phone with Apple Support and the rep couldn't find anything in their notes related to the issue so he had me reset the SMC during startup (hold down Shift-Ctrl-Opt w/ power button for 20 seconds) and then the VRAM (hold down CMD-Opt-R-P for 20 seconds immediately after hitting power button), but I just came back to my computer after being away for about 15 minutes and the touch bar was dark all the way across.

With that said, I think I found a quicker / more convenient way to reset it moving forward. Hit the 'fn' function button in lower left of your keyboard and it'll present the the F1-F12 keys in the touch bar. As soon as you let go of the 'fn' button the touchbar reappears.

Just to add my 5 cents: I have only seen this happen when connected to an external monitor (USB-C to DP cable) but I don't know if that's just coincidence.

The "tap the fn" key fix seems to work for me to bring the icons back.

I also talked to tech support. They weren't aware of the issue. Sadly persists in 10.12.2

I'm also connnected to the new 4k UltraFine Display via USB-C - no dongle.

Fn key hit was also my temp solution.

I have this exact problem too, hooked up to one of apple's LG ultrafine monitors via usb-c. It's so annoying!

Posted a video demonstrating the issue here:

https://youtu.be/JDj1kZnm2_M

Yup same here.

Constantly tapping the function key lol.

I don't have parallels installed and I have the problems.

Same problem here. Almost everytime i open my laptop some part of the strip is black, if i touch the buttons they appear, hope next update fixs this problem.