MacBook Pro screen flickering solution

Can confirm, this helped with the issue. I reset my SMC about twice, and then kept to default scaling and I haven't remember whenever I saw it. But I switched to scaled (more space) just to see if it fixed it, and I saw the bottom portion of my screen flicker.

It is weird, it is not the whole screen flicking, but certain sections of the screen seem to blank out. Hard to tell because it is so fast.

10.13.6 dropped today. It doesn’t specify anything relating to this issue but it’s worth a shot.

I had similar issues for a half of year with JetBrains ToolBox running. I have resolved it by quit app and remove from auto start up. Hope it helps someone.

Mine started doing this after 10.13.4. I am now on 10.13.5 (released today) and it did it again this afternoon.

Randomly, it will just begin flashing on/off/on after I login to macOS. The only workaround is to close the lid and re-open it again.

I just booted into Safe Mode, reset NVRAM and SMC (again), will see if there is any improvement.

My logic board and display were both replaced a few months ago for an unrelated issue, before 10.13.4 was released in April.

I have a 2017 15" MacBook Pro with Radeon Pro 560.

Don’t do that re-install , that’s just BS , apple store acknowledges that’s it’s an issue , go one more time to Apple store and talk to their manager , this is not cool , hopefully they will replace your computer !

Ask them if they can , as in your case it’s happening so often !

I mean it’s crazy , we pay $2400 + for this laptop and it’s like doing this crazy stuff , not cool !

Let me know how your experience goes !

Your story mirrors mine almost identically. I had a 2015 MBP that had consistent issues. They replaced display and logic board on that model and issues continued IN STORE when I went to pick it up after the repair. They told me they had “exhausted all their options” despite it still being under warranty. I got a 2017 MBP in January and have had 3 replacements all with the same issues. Have done a full wipe and reinstall of OS. Set up like new without the backup. Nothing works. They test the computer in store and tell me it passes all the hardware tests and it must be a software issue. The rep that helped me in store told me he has personally had over 100 customers with the exact same issue, that Apple knows about it and “hopefully they fix it and push something out in a software update eventually”. This is a well-documented issue, they just aren’t admitting it publicly for fear of having to refund a couple million dollars.

Good Luck,

My Retina Pro is from 2013, the screen flicker began after installing high sierra.

I seemed to have quieted it down a lot by going to energy saver and setting display to never turn off.

I am using a Dell U2412M monitor that has been working flawlessly for almost 5 years. Not really worried about the energy savings and the screen saver is fine, but I am sure this will shorten the monitor life a bit.

Apple should make this a priority fix, the flicker makes the unit completely unusable.

@Molly

I'm sure you'll find no surprise in this but mine was ultimately replaced, and the replacement machine exhibits the exact same issue. I'm currently working with a Senior Advisor at AppleCare but have yet been given any concrete information as to a fix or workaround. I handed over a data file and some small videos I took of the issue while it's happening, and am waiting to find out what happens with their engineering people. I don't want to speculate as to the cause except to say that I think this problem may be endemic to this computer model.

The only things I've found out that may be of consequence...

- If I leave the MacBook Pro plugged-in but not hooked-up to anything else, the issue does not spawn, and presumably because of Power Nap.

- If the MacBook Pro is on battery-only, and wakes from Standby Mode, I have a 2:1 chance of it happening.

- I've left the MacBook Pro without anything hooked-up to it overnight (on battery), wake it in the morning, and it flickers.

- Close/re-open the lid doesn't always work to clear the flicker(ing), I will often have to reboot the Mac to get it back to normal.

- NVRAM and SMC resets don't resolve it.

- Even a fresh install (format/erase; no extra software) doesn't resolve the issue.

At first, they theorized the problem was related to an external monitor I often use (27" ACER K272HL 1080p) but it flickered and continues to flicker without an external monitor involved. My wife uses the ACER monitor all the time with her work MacBook Pro (via DVI) and has no issues with it, no flickering. I think that theory doesn't yet hold water but who knows.

The model of the original and replacement MacBook Pro is the same so it remains unclear if this is software and/or hardware. To date, AppleCare has given me absolutely no indication as to if/what the problem is, or what will fix it--the waiting game continues.... ♂ I'm hoping this gets resolved quickly. I've been a Mac owner for fifteen years, this is not helping my confidence in the product.

Anecdotal to this problem, I'm using my wife's old white unibody MacBook (2009) as a workaround, only sparingly using the MacBook Pro as-needed. I spent a few hours over the weekend updating the MacBook to 10.13.5 High Sierra, and it's working just fine albeit slower than the MacBook Pro but no flickering at all. I'm using this white MacBook with the same ACER monitor, no issues, flickering or otherwise. For an older, slower machine, it works pretty well considering it's been mothballed for nearly three years. I'm glad we decided to keep it as a backup.

I do believe someone can try to install new MacOS Mojave (at least beta one) and check the problem there.

Because as I mentioned above, after switching off automatic switching for graphics made this problem disappear, so as for me this workaround makes me think it is the software problem, not the hardware one

I received a phone call from the senior advisor I was working with, and I was told it's a "known issue" that they're working on in an upcoming software update. No workarounds or time frame was given but "keep your machine up to date."

Shrug.

Guys, the one user is answered in the thread: Re: MacBook 2016 screen flickering

that the problem has gone away after installing MacOS Mojave beta.

So we all hope it will be fixed in the new software update!

I would keep bothering them to see if they can sort this out for you. Disabling automatic switching keeps the discrete GPU active all the time which drastically reduces battery life. They usually last from 8-9 hours with the integrated GPU and about 3-4 with the discrete. If the glitches aren’t present with the Radeon Pro, perhaps the integrated GPU in the core i7 CPU is faulty.

I bought my 15” back in 11/2016 and I’ve never experienced any problems with it. There’s no reason for you to have any either after spending a good amount of money on it.

Hello!

Okay, so it's maybe nothing to do with it but that's what I experienced.

I bought my Mac in June and had no problem with it for 1-2 weeks. Then I took my Mac on a plane with me and the problem started. Read this article and reseted NVRAM and SMC as suggested and the problem seemed to be solved, I had no issues until now when I took my Mac on a plane once again.

I just reseted NVRAM and SMC again to see but I'm going home tomorrow..

Let me know what you think, I know it sounds crazy.

¿Did you perform an SMC reset as suggested?

¿Did you use Safe Mode to isolate the problem as suggested?

¿Did you upgrade to the latest software available, which may contain any additional fixes for the issue?

eyeofdatigr

Your issue does not sound like most of these other issues. Yours sounds like a RAM memory problem. You should have your computer checked over at an Apple-owned store, if available to you.