iMac 5K Image Retention

I have the exact same problem. Apple Care refers to the article "Avoiding image persistence on Apple LCD displays" which means that I should activate the screensaver every 10 minutes to avoid retention/ghosting. It is alarming that Apple allows this to be normal. It is a top of the range display, and I would never have bought it if I knew that I could expect this, and that Apple would say that it is normal.

I think that we should make this known to as many as possible, so THEY know what I didn't know - That Apple displays are expected to show retention and ghosting after only a few minutes.

The picture below shows the ghosting from a browser window that has been open for less than 5 minutes.

Hey all, this is a bug that's affecting many iMacs. The only way they will fix is if everyone reports it!

You can report it here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/imac.html

Very quick and easy to do, fingers crossed they sort this mess out.

Same issue here, 2015 5K iMac. Used for a year with 10.12 Sierra without issue. Updated to 10.13.3 High Sierra last week and now images are retained within 5 minutes of being on screen (like desktop icons etc).

Funnily enough, using Windows 10 in boot camp with screen on and static images displayed for hours does not see any burn in.

Thinking about downgrading to Sierra until Apple admits this latest and greatest fault.

Ditto. I have the same problem. Changing the background multiple times and/or rebooting sometimes eliminates the burn-in but IT REAPPEARS IN SEONDS. At the moment, I cannot get it to disappear after trying all of the methods posted.

Sorry, there is nothing "normal" about this, if you do photography work like I do, it's un-exceptable period. I been using Mac since 2004 with zero issues till now, I have a Apple Lightning screen right next to my iMac and use both at the same time and this display is older and has zero issues. After the last 2 Sierra updates I see it more now than ever, so hot sure if it's software/hardware or both.... Reinstalling a clean slate of Sierra after I back up my computer first.

I have an identical issue with a Late 2014 iMac 5K. Image ghosting/retention is occurs towards the edges (less so in the center) of the screen. This ghosting seems almost like a software issue as the elements that show persistent ghosting were initially only displayed for a matter of seconds (or less), not hours as would be required in the case of traditional screen ghosting.

Has anyone successfully gotten Applecare to fix this in any way? Either a repair or a machine swap? Is this an issue with ALL 5K iMacs?

I'm seeing it after maybe 10 minutes or less, just from the menubar itself. Any time I switch to a full-screen app that hides the menu bar, I can see a persistent ghosted image of the menubar icons for some time after.

It is not always from smoking or kitchen soot. Very fine dust can also seep in-between the layers of a display panel that has lost it's seal integrity.

If there is smoke, kitchen soot or fine dust seeping into the corners or edges of a display panel, then it is because the display panel seal is broken and leaking.

You could remove the glass cover and clean the 2007-2011 models.

The display and glass are sealed one piece units in the 2012 and later models and can not be separated for cleaning.

If the display panel seal is broken and leaking for whatever reason (poor seal material, stress, overheating) then the only way to fix it, is to replace it.

From what I've worked on and seen, heat from the all-in-one design is the #1 reason causing the panels to delaminate and leak.

Well I gave away the 2011 iMac. But since you mentioned it. I called my local Apple Store at the time and asked if they could clean it. They swore up and down they could so I made an appointment. When I get there they informed me they couldn't. I was not happy. lol

I go to a different Apple Store now about 10 mins further away.

I actually bought a suction cup to pull the glass from the display. The glass was easy enough to clean but the display was discolored. I just put it back together and ignored the tar stain until I gave it away.

I get the same issue, just started to get really bad,

my 5k iMac is about 2 yrs old now so out of warrantee 😟

results bellow happen after about 20sec

In addition to the persistence of the image, all the white ones look like pink / beige and the screen flickers

I don't know if this is image retention or whatever, I know it's not supposed to happen on 2k Euros iMac. Apple disappointed me!

Avoiding image persistence on Apple LCD displays - Apple Support