Reasons for a Macbook Air Flickering Screen

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Posted by Geeks Callout London

@geekscallout

01 Aug, 2022

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Flickering Mac Screen

It isn’t easy to pinpoint the actual reason for the Macbook Air’s flickering screen. The issue could occur due to an outdated OS that needs updating, a bug in the software, a glitch in a third-party application, incompatibility issues between the macOS and GPU, or hardware errors that include repairing the logic board. All these reasons could lead to a flickering screen.

So, this article will discuss some solutions you can implement to fix your Macbook Air’s flickering screen

1- Restart your device:

The most practical and obvious step is restarting the system. Rebooting the device fixes errors during startup, which is why it works most of the time in repairing several issues you usually don’t understand the cause of. The software gets refreshed when it is restarted and fixes problems automatically.

To restart the device, go to the Apple menu and choose “Restart.

2- Update the macOS:

Update your opearting system

If the flickering light issue exists due to the incompatibility issue between the macOS and GPU, system updates can fix it. The new and improved updates also fix bugs and errors in the system, enhance software performance and tighten the device’s security.

  • To update the macOS, go to the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.”
  • Go to “Software Update” and install any updates if available.

Your device will automatically restart as the finishing step of the update installation. Check if the issue has been resolved. If it persists, you’d have to try other methods.

3- Delete cache, unnecessary files, and junk:

Sometimes a lot of storage occupied by useless data creates performance issues in the system. So, clearing out your old time machine backups, unnecessary files in the downloads folder, and overall system junk could help resolve the problem and enhance device performance as a side benefit. 

  • Omnidisksweeper organizes files in a drive that you can select and delete, while CleanMyMac X analyzes storage and presents the junk report. You’d click “Confirm” to allow it to delete everything.
  • If you don’t want to use tools, you could manually go to each folder and delete useless files.

4- Reinitialize the NVRAM:

The NVRAM takes care of the many processes of your Macbook Air, like maintaining the speakers and volume, time settings and display resolution plus brightness, etc. If you reset it, this might fix your screen flickering issue.

  • To reinitialize the NVRAM, shut down the device completely.
  • Then, Press Command, Option, P, and R keys together for 20 seconds while turning on the device.
  • Now, when your device boots up, it’ll reset the NVRAM

This should fix the screen flickering or move on to the other solutions.

5- Boot in Safe Mode:

mac safe mode

Safe mode allows you to identify the cause of the issue. For instance, if you boot in safe mode and the issue doesn’t exist there, the problem might be due to a third-party app that you’d need to uninstall to fix the issue.

  • To boot in safe mode, shut down the laptop.
  • Then turn it on again and press the Shift key immediately, holding on to it til the login window appears.
  • Type in your login details, and you’ll boot in safe mode.
  • To start the laptop normally, click on the restart option via the Apple menu.

 

6- Factory Reset your Macbook Air

Running a Factory Reset might fix the persisting problem if the software is to blame. However, this step will delete all the saved data in the laptop, making the Macbook Air return to its stock version. So, if you want to proceed, it is recommended to backup all the files and data beforehand.

  1. To run a factory reset, shut down the notebook completely.
  2. Press the power button and keep holding it till the startup options appear
  3. Choose “Options” and continue.
  4. Enter the login details after you see the login window
  5. Click on “Disk Utility” and continue with the process.
  6. Choose the name of your Mac from the sidebar.
  7. Tap on the “Erase” option and enter the required details about the Mac.
  8. Enter the name of the Mac, “Macintosh HD,” and type “APFS” for format.
  9. Select “Erase”
  10. Enter your Apple ID details and confirm the reset.

After the reset, follow the on-screen instructions to set up the device. The factory reset might repair the flickering screen problem. 

Final Thoughts:

If the flickering screen problem doesn’t go away after trying all the solutions mentioned above, it might mean the issue exists in the logic board and needs professional repair. If your device gets covered under warranty, contact Apple for repairs. Or you could visit a local PC repair shop for support. Geekscall out provides top-quality Mac repairs in the UK. Give us a call today to discuss your MacBook Air issues. 

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