CrackMacMacBook Pro screen flickering? Causes by model, and how to fix it
On a MacBook Pro from 2021 onward, flicker is most often a setting: ProMotion's variable refresh rate, automatic brightness or True Tone. Set the refresh rate to 60 Hertz and turn the other two off. On 2016 and 2017 models, flicker that changes as you move the lid usually means the display cable is wearing out. Flicker in one band after a knock is damage to the panel itself.
Not ready to pay for a repair? If the damage sits along an edge, you can block off the broken part and keep using the rest.
See the flicker for yourself with the free screen flicker test, which also shows your current refresh rate.
Which MacBook Pro do you have?
The likely cause depends on the model. Check under the Apple menu, About This Mac, or use the free which MacBook do I have tool.
| Model | Most likely cause |
|---|---|
| 14 and 16-inch, 2021 to 2026 | ProMotion refresh rate, brightness settings, an app or a macOS update |
| 13-inch, M1 and M2 | Brightness settings or a macOS update, then panel damage |
| 13 and 15-inch, 2016 and 2017 | The display cable wearing out, often called flexgate |
| 13, 15 and 16-inch, 2018 to 2020 | Settings first. The cable fault is much rarer on these. |
Fixes to try, in order
- Set a fixed refresh rate. On 14 and 16-inch models, open System Settings, Displays, and change Refresh Rate from ProMotion to 60 Hertz. Variable refresh can flicker with some apps and video.
- Turn off automatic brightness and True Tone in the same window, and Night Shift while you test.
- Check one app. If it only happens in a browser or one video player, turn off that app's hardware acceleration and restart it.
- Update macOS in System Settings, General, Software Update.
- Try safe mode. If the flicker stops there, a login item or background app is the cause.
- On an Intel MacBook Pro, reset NVRAM by holding Option, Command, P and R for 20 seconds at startup.
Halos around bright objects on a black background are normal on the mini-LED screens of 14 and 16-inch models. That's called blooming, and it isn't flicker.
The cable fault on 2016 and 2017 models
The display cable on these models is short and wraps around the hinge, so it wears a little every time the lid moves. It usually shows up in this order:
- uneven bright patches along the bottom edge, sometimes called the stage light effect
- flicker that comes and goes as you tilt the lid
- a black screen once the lid opens past about 40 degrees
Apple ran a free repair programme for some 13-inch 2016 models, but it has ended. On these models the cable comes with the display, so the usual repair is a whole display assembly. Some independent shops replace only the cable, which costs much less. Here's what a cable repair involves.
Hardware or software? One test
Connect an external monitor. If only the built-in screen flickers, and the flicker changes with the lid angle or sits in one area, it's hardware. If both screens flicker, it's macOS, an app or the graphics.
If the damage runs along one edge, CrackMac can keep windows, menus and the pointer off it. There's a free 30-minute trial.
If it's the hardware
A new display assembly for a MacBook Pro is expensive. Here are the prices by model. If the flicker is confined to a strip along one edge, you can keep working on the rest of the screen instead. Here's how to block off part of the screen. Flicker on other models is covered in MacBook screen flickering.
Quick answers
Why is my MacBook Pro screen flickering?
On 14 and 16-inch models from 2021 onward, the usual causes are ProMotion's variable refresh rate, automatic brightness or one app. On 2016 and 2017 models, flicker that changes with the lid angle is often the display cable wearing out. Flicker in one band after a knock is panel damage.
How do I stop my MacBook Pro screen flickering?
Set a fixed 60 Hertz refresh rate in System Settings, Displays, turn off automatic brightness and True Tone, and update macOS. If the flicker changes when you move the lid, the cause is hardware and needs a repair.
What is flexgate on a MacBook Pro?
The nickname for a display cable fault on 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pros. The cable is short and wears as the lid opens and closes, first causing uneven light along the bottom edge, then a screen that goes dark past a certain angle.
Flicker stuck along one edge?
On a MacBook Pro, a worn cable or a damaged panel often leaves the flicker in a band along the bottom. CrackMac paints that band black and keeps windows, the menu bar and the pointer on the steady part of the screen.
- Works on macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel.
- Free for 30 minutes of use, then a one-time price. No subscription.
- A refund within 7 days, no questions asked.