Macbook Pro M1 Touchbar Flashing in MacOS 27.2

Hi,

You can fix a flashing Touch Bar on your M1 MacBook Pro by restarting the Touch Bar software process or adjusting for low-light sensor glitches.

Quick Software Fix (Restart Touch Bar)

• Open the Activity Monitor app using Spotlight.
• Search for TouchBarServer in the top right search bar.
• Click on TouchBarServer from the list.
• Click the X button in the upper left corner of the window.
• Select Force Quit to restart the process.

Alternatively, open Terminal and run this command:

sudo pkill TouchBarServer; sudo killall ControlStrip

Check the Ambient Light Sensor

• Shine a phone flashlight near the camera at the top of your screen when it flickers.
• If the flashing stops instantly, your Touch Bar is reacting to very low ambient light by dropping brightness too low.
• A temporary workaround is keeping your room or workspace slightly brighter, or looking into community tools like TouchBarFloor which prevent the Touch Bar from dimming to the glitchy minimum level.

deba_shish wrote:

In update 27.2 sometimes my Macbook Pro M1's touchbar is flashing like a flashlight. When I restart my Macbook then it fix and come again when and why I don't know.

For software issue you can try a SafeBoot Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support to sort anomalies

Login and test. Reboot as normal and test. Caches get rebuilt automatically.

For a hardware issue take it in—

In or out of warranty you can get a free over the counter 'Apple Service Diagnostics' test /assessment

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Outside the USA

Contact Apple Support - Apple Support

You can try the AHT and see if it kicks out an error code—

User Diagnostics to test your Mac for hardware issues

Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac - Apple Support