MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max) Troubleshooting Display and Multi-Touch Issues
Guided steps to help resolve issues
Note: This procedure is intended for MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max) only.
Identify issues
Read the relevant support articles if you notice any of the following issues:
Display image quality issues:
Distorted, blurred, or illegible image
Inconsistent image clarity
Vertical lines of nonuniform brightness
Flickering or intermittent image
Video noise
Incorrect or missing colors
Nonuniform color, contrast, or brightness
Image sticks or remains on screen
Light leakage around the display
Particles or debris under the glass
Pixel anomalies
Horizontal or vertical lines
Can’t change resolution
Display not illuminated
Display backlight not uniform
Display backlight fails after warm-up
Display backlight fails at some brightness settings
Apple logo illumination issues:
Apple logo doesn’t illuminate properly or at all
Multi-Touch issues:
Multi-Touch responds slowly or doesn’t respond
Specific areas aren’t responding to Multi-Touch
Erratic response to Multi-Touch
Unexpected Multi-Touch response
Overly sensitive Multi-Touch response
Low sensitivity to Multi-Touch
Note: Multi-Touch in macOS differs from Multi-Touch in iOS and iPadOS. The following differences are expected behaviors and aren’t service issues:
Use a double tap instead of single tap to open apps
Can’t swipe up to unlock, go to the desktop, or switch apps
Can’t use to cut, copy, paste, or undo
Can’t tap items while dragging
Relevant support articles
About LCD display pixel anomalies for Apple products released in 2010 and later
About Apple logo illumination on MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max)
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article, continue to the next section.
Try quick troubleshooting steps
Display image quality issues
Inspect the computer for liquid damage. Contact with liquid can short internal circuits and cause the computer to malfunction.
Remove any cases, covers, or screen protectors.
Many display anomaly symptoms can be caused by one or more cracks in the display, including the following symptoms:
Vertical or horizontal lines or bands
Note: When both vertical and horizontal lines are present, it’s highly likely to be related to a crack.
No display
Flickering or flashing screen
Distorted video
Clean the display surface with a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to remove any dust or debris.
Caution: Before cleaning, disconnect all cables and turn off the computer. Don’t use aerosol sprays, solvents, abrasives, or cleaners containing hydrogen peroxide that might damage the finish. Avoid getting moisture in any openings and don’t spray liquid directly on the computer. Don’t use compressed air.
Verify that the computer’s display brightness is at its maximum setting. Setting the display to maximum brightness can help expose and identify cracks within the display or display damage.
Inspect the display at the startup screen and login screen.
Apple logo illumination issues
Inspect the computer for liquid damage. Contact with liquid can short internal circuits and cause the computer to malfunction.
Remove any cases or covers that may block the logo.
Verify that you’re working with a MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max). Other Mac laptops don’t have an illuminated Apple logo.
Verify that the Apple logo illuminates when the computer is on and the lid is open, and doesn’t when the computer is off or the lid is closed.
Adjust display brightness settings and verify that the brightness of the Apple logo adjusts correctly.
You can turn off Apple logo illumination using commands in Terminal. Refer to About Apple logo illumination on MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max) for more information. After executing Terminal commands, wait about 10 seconds before verifying logo illumination.
Multi-Touch issues
Inspect the computer for liquid damage. Contact with liquid can short internal circuits and cause the computer to malfunction.
Remove any cases, covers, or screen protectors. Touch the screen with your finger pads, not your fingernails.
Note that no Apple Pencil models are compatible with MacBook Pro (PROLED XDR, M5 Pro or M5 Max).
Run manual and diagnostic tests
If the issue wasn’t resolved by following a support article or trying the quick troubleshooting steps, run these manual and diagnostic tests to help isolate the cause of the issue:
For Multi-Touch issues, run the following diagnostics:
For display quality issues, run the Display Anomalies diagnostic suite. Inspecting the display during diagnostics, which uses various display images, can help expose and identify cracks within the display or display damage.
While observing the issue, move the display back and forth. Fully open and close the display several times to ensure that internal display cables aren’t pinched or short-circuiting.
Check ambient light sensor functionality by covering the sensor (located on the display assembly, near the camera) with your hand to simulate a dark room. Check whether the display brightness and Apple logo brightness increase. Uncover the sensor and check whether the display brightness and Apple logo brightness dim to normal brightness.
Verify camera functionality for Apple logo issues. If both the camera and the Apple logo brightness aren’t functioning correctly, the camera flex cable might be disconnected or faulty. Proceed to the next section to check connections.
Open and inspect the computer
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following support articles or running diagnostic tests, refer to the computer’s repair manual to open and inspect the computer. A damaged or out-of-place part may be causing one of the issues.
Follow repair manual procedures to remove the bottom case and disconnect the battery from the logic board.
Inspect internal parts and the enclosure for indications of physical or liquid damage, contamination, or burned or darkened areas. Inspect all relevant internal flex cables and connectors for damage or tampering, such as a film or foreign material blocking a connector.
Disconnect and reseat all display-related cable connections to the logic board, including the camera flex connector.
If the issue is resolved or inspection reveals no issues, complete the reassembly. If diagnostic results or inspection identified a faulty part, continue to the next section. If the issue persists without identifying a specific part, continue to the next section for logic board replacement.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.
Replace the part
If the issue wasn’t resolved or isolated by following the previous steps, replace the following parts one at a time in the order shown. After you replace the first part, run the post-repair diagnostics and perform functional testing to determine whether replacing a part resolves the issue. If it still isn’t resolved, replace the next part.
Replace the display.
Replace the logic board.
Repair completion
Depending on the part replaced, Repair Assistant may be available on the device to finish the repair. Learn how to initiate Repair Assistant.
Post-repair verification
Run the following diagnostic suites after the repair:
Mac Resource Inspector (MRI) (to test overall functionality)
Multi-Touch
Unexpected Touch
Display Anomalies
After the repair is completed, turn on the computer and verify that the image on the internal display, backlight, camera, and ambient light sensor are functioning normally. Verify that the Apple logo illuminates normally, and verify that Multi-Touch is functioning normally.
Note: This section requires ordering parts and tools. Replacing a part may not resolve the device’s issue. You can find other service options at support.apple.com/repair.