There may be times when you face the problem of your Macbook’s screen flickering on many occasions. This flickering occurs on both non-retina and retina screens. It can also lead to corruption regardless of whether the user has enabled or disabled their graphics.
In other cases, this problem may worsen so much that you cannot see the screen correctly. Along with the numerous reasons why this problem occurs, there are several reasons to fix it.
You may want to resolve it as soon as possible so that it does not disrupt your processes or equipment.
Why is my MacBook’s screen flickering?
Before getting into the details of how to fix the problem, there are several reasons why this happens frequently. In most cases, the GPU and the new operating system may not be compatible.
For this reason, errors and crashes occur that make it impossible to display correctly on a screen with or without retina. Updating macOS will help resolve this incompatibility between the GPU and the new operating system.
In addition to software issues, hardware issues such as a faulty graphics card, display module, or loose screen connector can also cause your Mac’s screen to flicker.
How to Fix MacBook Screen Flickering
- Restart your Mac
- Disable mouse pointer shake
- Update your macOS
- Remove heavy apps
- Reset PRAM and NVRAM
- Enter Safe Mode
- Clear cache
- Turn off true tone
- Running Maintenance Scripts
- Change screen resolution
- Adjust power saving settings
- Reset your Mac’s SMC
- Disable dark mode
- Optimize Mac System
- Contact Apple Support
1. Restart your Mac
Sometimes all you need is to restart your device to fix certain glitches. The restart also includes rebooting the device so that certain issues can be resolved on their own.
This is one of the main reasons why this is one of the first and easiest ways to address and possibly fix the problem. You can follow the steps below to restart your device.
- Go to the Apple menu in the top left corner of the screen.
- Click “Restart”in the menu.
You can either do this or turn off the system itself and turn it back on. As soon as you turn on your computer, you can check if the screen is flickering. If this problem persists, you can try other methods as well.
2. Disable mouse pointer shake
Shaking the mouse pointer can be a very useful feature on your Macbook. However, display modules may be interrupted by this function itself. Hence, there is a high possibility that your Macbook screen is flickering due to this pointer.
Once you disable the same, that might fix the issue as well.
- Open System Preferences on your Macbook.
- Click Availability.
- Select the Display tab and click on the Shake Mouse pointer.
- Restart Macbook.
Once you turn on your Macbook, you can open a few other apps and check if the screen flickers when you use it. If not, the issue might be with the Shake Mouse printer.
However, you can update your macOS if it’s still unresolved.
3. Update macOS
Sometimes, due to a few glitches or bugs in the software itself, there can be certain issues that you will encounter. This is one of the main reasons why keeping your device software up to date is essential.
Updating macOS may help resolve the issue. You can do this by following these steps.
- Click on the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen.
- Select “System Preferences”from the drop-down menu.
- Once you open the menu, you will be able to know if there is a new update or not.
If your system is still running the old software, you will see the new update and be able to install it. In addition, you can also enable automatic updates to make it easier for you to install new updates when they are available.
After updating your system to the new version, your Macbook will automatically restart. After that, you can check if the screen is flickering after updating and restarting your system.
For security purposes, you can back up your data to either an iCloud drive or an external hard drive.
4. Remove heavy apps
If you have recently downloaded or used a lot of apps, chances are that they are causing a screen flickering crash. Sometimes these applications not only load the system, but may also contain viruses.
Downloading from unknown sources can pose a great threat to any system, especially if there is no proper malware or antivirus to protect it. These include not only applications, but also files that are stored in your downloads.
You need to uninstall these applications and files so that they don’t cause further damage to your system. All you have to do is click “Manage”on the specified application or file and click “Delete”.
You can also follow a few steps if you want to permanently remove files and apps from your Macbook.
- Locate the folder in the dock or through the Finder.
- Drag the app to the trash.
- After that, click on the trash can and select “Empty”.
If you have a running antivirus program, it can remove any leftover cache and other files that could potentially harm your system. You can also scan your system and manually remove the remaining files.
You can reboot the system if you like; if not, there is a good chance that the screen flickering issue will also be resolved.
5. Reset PRAM and NVRAM
In most cases, a damaged Macbook can be the cause of screen flickering. You may have to resort to restoring all hardware settings. This can be done by resetting PRAM or NVRAM.
After resetting PRAM and NVRAM, the internal hard drive will also be configured as a boot drive. You can follow the steps below to reset PRAM or NVRAM.
- Use the Apple menu to turn off your Macbook.
- When the system is completely shut down, press Option, Command and P+R for 20 seconds.
- You will need to hold down these keys without a break.
After that, your Macbook will automatically reboot with PRAM and NVRAM reset, which will also help you fix screen flickering.
6. Enter Safe Mode
The Safe Mode feature allows users to enter a mode where several services are disabled. Other functions also switch to low-key mode. Enabling Safe Mode on your Macbook will also mean that some screen settings and other display features will also be affected.
Your screen graphics will stabilize after entering Safe Mode, and you can do so by following these steps.
- Turn off your Macbook.
- After shutting down your Macbook completely, press the Shift key and turn on the power.
- Press and hold the Shift key until you see the login screen.
Once you do that, you will automatically enter Safe Mode and now you can check if your screen is flickering.
7. Clear cache
After using your Macbook for some time and downloading a few apps and files, your system is bound to have a lot of cache and junk. The accumulation of this cache and junk takes up a lot of space and at the same time also affects the performance of your Macbook.
Even if you have recently purchased your Macbook, over time it will have a lot of redundant caches, which can also be one of the causes of screen flickering. However, to ensure that these cache and junk files are not the cause, you can clear them relatively simply.
You can use the Finder, go to the Library and find the Caches folder. You can check all the files and folders you don’t need and delete them from there. Once you clear all the cache from your system, the screen flickering issue can be resolved.
Apart from this method, you can also clear the cache and junk using a third party app. However, you will need to make sure that you are downloading the application from a trusted source in order to be safe for your system.
With these third party apps, you can easily scan all the junk and remove it.
If this method doesn’t work for you, you can try disabling True Tone on your Macbook.
8. Disable True Tone
This method usually works on new Macbook models, especially after 2018. The True Tone feature on your Macbook provides more natural colors. However, if you disable this feature, your Macbook’s screen flickering issue can also be resolved.
To disable True Tone, you can follow these steps.
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Select “System Preferences”and click “Displays”.
- Find the True Tone option and uncheck it.
After you disable the true tone feature, the smaller screen display features will work on your system. For this reason, there may be much less
9. Run Maintenance Scripts
You can fix various crashes on your system with maintenance scripts. Older Macs running Mac OS X run the risk of piling up log files that take up valuable free space and lead to excessive load.
This in turn can also cause your Macbook screen to flicker repeatedly. One of the easiest ways to clear these caches is to use the Terminal to run maintenance scripts. You can follow the steps below to run maintenance scripts.
- Go to the Utilities folder and launch the Terminal.
- Type
- periodic daily, weekly, monthly and type in the command window.
- You will be prompted for your Macbook’s administrator password. Then press Enter again.
When the process completes, the maintenance scripts will run in the background and return a Terminal prompt.
10. Change screen resolution
Another option is to change the screen resolution. Go to System Preferences and then to Displays. You can experiment with the resolution settings and also try turning off the default option that is shown there.
11. Adjust power saving settings
Inefficient power saving can also be the main reason why your Macbook screen is constantly flickering. If you can switch automatic graphics to power saving, your Macbook will switch between two different graphics chips depending on how much you use it.
The system will use an integrated Intel graphics card for light tasks and a dedicated graphics card for intensive tasks. Only Mac computers with Intel processors can do this.
Follow the steps below to adjust power saving settings and switch graphics on your Mac.
- Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Select System Preferences.
- Click “Energy Saver”and you can easily turn off automatic graphics.
12. Reset your Mac’s MAC
Another easy way to fix screen flickering is to reset your Mac’s SMC. The SMC is a system management controller, mainly in charge of the processes within the system.
Another reason for your screen to flicker over and over again could be due to low-level processes. The system management controller takes on several autonomous functions. These features also include system power and battery.
You can reset your Macbook’s system management controller and fix the problem if it’s corrupted. Follow the steps below to reset your Macbook’s system management controller.
Before proceeding with this method, you need to make sure that all your files and other tasks are backed up. Also close all running applications. After that, turn off your Mac.
Once completely shut down, press and hold the Control, Option, and Shift keys for about seven seconds. Once you’ve done that, press the Power button for another seven seconds. Wait a few seconds and then turn your Macbook back on.
13. Disable dark mode
Enabling dark mode on your MacBook can also cause screen flickering. You can try disabling it and check if that is the cause of your screen glitches. You can follow the steps below to turn off dark mode on your Macbook.
- Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Select System Preferences from the drop-down menu and click General.
- Go to the “Appearance”section and click on “Light Mode”.
Once you enable this, dark mode will automatically turn off. This also means that you will have to restart your Macbook. You can check if the problem persists after this method.
14. Optimize your Mac system
Your Macbook’s screen may flicker for several reasons. If the issue is not resolved in several ways or by simply restarting the system, you will have to carefully optimize the system.
The methods mentioned above can be tedious and you will have to check each issue manually. What’s more, if the problem is a bit more serious, you may need to handle it more carefully.
Also, when you try to uninstall certain apps or files, you may end up deleting an important file. To avoid such situations, you can resort to a third-party application.
When clearing the cache and junk files with a third-party app, it’s much easier. However, using a third party application is also ideal for optimizing your software. Apart from clearing the cache and junk files from your system, you can also check if there is a serious problem with your RAM.
You can also check your hard drive and re-index Spotlight using a third-party app. Fixing the root cause of this issue will save you more time and eliminate screen flickering on your Macbook.
Apart from these features, a third party app will also allow you to keep track of updates and other apps. Especially if you have a malware problem, a third-party app can detect the problem faster and avoid it from happening in the future.
15. Contact Apple Support
If you have already performed a factory reset and the flickering screen issue persists, it could be due to hardware issues. In this case, your best bet is to contact Apple Support and have your device repaired.
A bad screen connector, faulty display modules, or a problem with the graphics card are some possible hardware factors that can cause this problem. Running Apple Diagnostics on this device will reveal the cause of this issue.
Conclusion
Your Macbook’s screen flickering can be frustrating and harm your system. Screen flickering may indicate a display or graphics problem, which is a serious problem. Hence, resolve it as soon as possible so that it does not harm your processes and equipment.
In most cases, you can fix the problem by changing your display settings or even resetting certain processes. However, if you are unable to do so, you can also try checking hardware such as the screen connector, display modules, or graphics card. To do this, you will have to visit the nearest service center, but the sooner you contact him, the less damage will be done to your system.
FAQ
Why is my Mac screen flickering?
Your Mac screen may flicker for several reasons. Most of the time, this is due to certain glitches or bugs in the software that cause the screen to flicker. However, display functions or functions that require a lot of power can also be the cause. Aside from software, hardware issues can also be the cause of your Mac screen flickering; some of them include a faulty graphics card, a display module, or a loose screen connector.
How much does it cost to fix a flickering MacBook screen?
The cost of eliminating screen flickering on your Macbook mainly depends on the model. One of the main reasons for this is the retina display that is present in some models. Estimated cost can be from 400 to 800 dollars. If you need to replace the entire screen, the cost may be slightly higher. Together with wages, it can reach about 750 dollars. However, you must remember that this is only if your hardware or software is severely damaged.
Why is my screen suddenly flickering?
A lot of junk files and cache that take up more space on your Macbook can be one of the reasons for frequent screen flickering. Also, if your software has malware or you haven’t updated it, your screen can sometimes flicker due to glitches or bugs. You should note that hardware issues can also be the reason why your screen suddenly flickers a lot. Cleaning up system junk or resetting NVRAM may help you fix the problem.
Why are lines flickering on my MacBook Pro screen?
If you’ve recently dropped your Mac or accidentally dropped it from your hands, you may also be facing the MacBook pro black flickering issue. It can also damage the screen by causing it to flash black or multiple colors due to an accident. Also, make sure you’re getting the correct voltage for your device, as lower or higher voltages can negatively impact your Mac’s display. Apart from these reasons, the flickering screen can be caused by external monitors or lack of software updates. If you disable automatic graphics switching or reset the SMC, you should be able to fix this issue.