The Touch Bar is the touch strip above the keyboard of many MacBook Pro models from 2016 to 2022. Does it stay black, flicker, not respond or suddenly press buttons by itself? Often a restart of the Touch Bar fixes it. Sometimes it goes deeper. This article explains what you can do yourself and when it is a hardware problem.
Blue Apple repairs MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar in Amsterdam. We mostly see Touch Bar problems after liquid damage and on older models.
Which MacBooks have a Touch Bar?
13-inch MacBook Pro (2016 up to the 2022 M2) and 15-inch (2016-2019), and the 16-inch from 2019. Newer MacBook Pro models have normal function keys again.
Step 1: restart the Touch Bar
- Restart the Mac. That fixes it most often.
- Restart only the Touch Bar: open Activity Monitor, find the process TouchBarServer and stop it with the button with the cross. The Touch Bar restarts by itself. See Activity Monitor explained.
- For problems with the volume and brightness buttons you can also stop the ControlStrip process.
Step 2: the settings
Go to System Settings, Keyboard, and click the Touch Bar settings. You choose what the Touch Bar shows (app controls, expanded Control Strip, function keys) and what happens when you hold the Fn key. If you prefer F1 to F12 at all times, set that, per app if you like.
Step 3: software
- Install the latest macOS update.
- Start up in safe mode. If the Touch Bar works there, a program causes the problem.
- On Intel Macs with the T2 chip an SMC reset can help.
The Touch Bar presses buttons by itself ("ghost touches")
If the volume or brightness suddenly rises, or Siri starts by itself, the Touch Bar registers touches that are not there. Clean the strip with a dry, lint-free cloth. If it continues, there may be moisture under the strip or the strip is damaged.
When it is hardware
- The Touch Bar stays black, even after restarting and in safe mode.
- It shows lines, patches or flickers.
- The problem started after a spilled drink or a drop.
- The keyboard or Touch ID also misbehave.
The Touch Bar is fixed in the top of the case, together with the keyboard. With liquid damage the connections on the logic board may be affected too. Then read MacBook water damage: why problems appear later.
The Touch Bar flickers or is dimmed
The Touch Bar dims after a while without use and then turns off, to save power. Touch it or press a key to light it up again. If it flickers while you use it, or shows lines, that is not a setting but a sign of a fault in the strip or the cable.
Temporarily without a Touch Bar
If the Touch Bar does not work, you can also use the Escape function and function keys via the on-screen keyboard (System Settings, Accessibility, Keyboard, Accessibility Keyboard). A separate keyboard with function keys also works. See pairing a mouse or keyboard.
What we do at Blue Apple in Amsterdam
We test the Touch Bar, the cable to it and the connection on the logic board, and check for traces of liquid. You hear beforehand which repair is needed and what it costs. More on our page about MacBook keyboard repair.
Frequently asked questions
Can I turn the Touch Bar off?
Not completely, but you can make it show only function keys in the keyboard settings.
Where is the Escape key?
On most Touch Bar models on the left of the strip. On the 2020 models it is a real key again.
Can only the Touch Bar be replaced?
That depends on the model and the cause. Often the top case with keyboard and Touch Bar is replaced together.
