15 Mar MacBook Screen Flickering? Here’s the Fix!

MacBooks are one of the most popular laptop models in the market, thanks to their reliability and performance. However, like any other electronic device, MacBooks can encounter issues, and one of the most common issues is screen flickering. Screen flickering can be quite annoying and can make using your MacBook a frustrating experience. In this article, we will discuss how to fix MacBook screen flickering issues. Let’s get started!

Tips to Fix MacBook Screen Flickering Issue

Restart Your Mac

The MacBook screen flickering issue can be resolved with a simple restart. Thus, give your machine a fresh start and see if it brings you success. For beginners, here’s how to reboot your Mac:

• Navigate to the top left corner of your Mac’s screen and click the Apple logo. Under the menu, you can find the restart option. Select it and you are done.
• Those who want their Mac machines to get restarted with their currently active window can click the Reopen windows option at the time of logging back into their devices.

Update Your MacBook

The use of outdated software can also lead to the MacBook screen flickering issue. If you haven’t updated your device for a long time now, it’s time to gift it the latest updates.

Apple, now and then, releases new software updates for its devices, and MacBook is also not untouched. These software updates can fix known bugs and issues with your device. So, check if any update is available for the version of the Mac you own.

To check for updates, go to the Apple menu, click on ‘System Preferences’ and then click on ‘Software Update’. If there is an update available, click on ‘Update Now’ to install it.

Reset the SMC

The System Management Controller (SMC) controls several important functions on your MacBook, including the display. If your MacBook’s display is flickering, resetting the SMC may fix the issue.

To reset the SMC, shut down your MacBook, then press and hold the ‘Shift’, ‘Control’, and ‘Option’ keys on the left side of the keyboard along with the power button. Hold these keys for a while and then release them. Once done with the above process, power on your MacBook and check if it now working fine.

Adjust the Refresh Rate

The refresh rate of your MacBook’s display determines how many times the screen is refreshed per second. If the refresh rate is set too high, it can also cause the MacBook screen flickering issue.

To adjust the refresh rate, go to the Apple menu, click on ‘System Preferences’, and then click on ‘Displays’. Now, click on the ‘Display’ tab, and select a lower refresh rate from the drop-down menu.

Disable Automatic Graphics Switching

When using a MacBook with a separate graphics chip, the graphics output may be divided between two GPUs. The standalone chip will handle more demanding tasks such as gaming or video rendering, while the integrated chip handles simpler tasks like web browsing or word processing.

To save power and extend battery life, automatic graphics switching is used. However, this feature may result in flickering on the MacBook screen. Disabling automatic graphics switching may resolve this issue.

Try Safe Mode

Booting your MacBook in safe mode can help determine if the screen flickering is being caused by a software issue. To boot in safe mode, shut down your MacBook, then press and hold the ‘Shift’ key while powering it on.

Release the key once the login screen appears. If the screen flickering is not present in safe mode, it may indicate a software issue. If even after following the steps above, you can’t book your MacBook in safe mode, check the detailed description of how to boot Mac in safe mode.

Turn Off Low Power Mode

If you are running resource-intensive applications and your MacBook is currently in Low Power Mode, disabling it may improve performance. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open System Settings and select Battery
• Locate the menu box for Low Power Mode
• Select the option for ‘Never’ to turn off Low Power Mode

Once done, check if the MacBook screen flickering issue has been resolved for you or not. If the issue persists, give the next tip in the line a shot.

Have You Recently Installed a New App? 

If your answer to the above question is yes and you started facing the MacBook screen flickering issue only after the installation of this particular app, then don’t delay anymore and uninstall it from your MacBook. Perhaps, the app is not the right fit for your device and creating a mess.

Free Up Space

There is a chance that you have overloaded your Mac with lots of data, resulting in its non-performance. If that is the case, free up some space on your MacBook by deleting unwanted photos, videos, apps, and other large files. Along with that, ensure to clean your system’s and browser’s cache. Duplicate photos can also gorge up a lot of space and impact the performance of your MacBook. Learn here how to delete duplicate photos on Mac.

Check for Hardware Issues

If the above methods do not fix the issue, there may be a hardware issue with your MacBook’s display. In this case, it is best to take your MacBook to an authorized Apple service center to have it checked and repaired by experts.

Final Thoughts

MacBook screen flickering can be quite frustrating, but there are several methods to fix the issue. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your MacBook’s display is working smoothly and without any issues.