How to fix a MacBook Pro Touch Bar that’s not working

🧰 Difficulty: ★★★☆☆ (Software fixes are easy—hardware isn’t)

⏱ Time involved: 10–45 minutes depending on the cause

⚠️ Risk level: Medium—resets are safe, opening the device isn’t

💡 Pro insight: Most Touch Bar flickering issues start with software glitches or system conflicts—but if it keeps coming back, it’s usually a hardware connection issue.

⚙️ Still flickering after troubleshooting? Your nearest uBreakiFix® by Asurion store can test the display ribbon and internal components before it turns into a bigger problem.

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If your MacBook® has a Touch Bar, you’re probably used to how easy it makes using gestures to access Siri®, open apps, and adjust your settings with a tap—or swipe—of a finger. So when it suddenly stops working, it can be put a damper on your experience.

At uBreakiFix® by Asurion, we’ve got the tech know-how to keep all of your tech working as it should. From connecting your MacBook to a TV to fixing broken computer keys—we’ve got you covered. Here’s what to do when your MacBook Pro® Touch Bar is glitching.

Why is my MacBook Touch Bar not working?

Several factors can contribute to Touch Bar issues, from software glitches to system conflicts. Here are some of the common ones:

• Application glitches: A specific app may "hijack" the touch bar and then freeze, leaving the bar blank or unresponsive.
• Outdated macOS version or firmware: Ensuring you've moved to a stable version of macOS (like macOS 15 Sequoia or macOS 16 Tahoe) is vital, as Apple often includes firmware patches for older hardware components.
• Resource-intensive processes: If your Mac’s CPU is pegged at 100% (check Activity Monitor), the TouchBarServer process may lag or crash.
• Misleading settings: In System settings > Keyboard > Touch bar settings, it's possible to accidentally set the bar to show nothing or only specific "expanded" items.
• Hardware fatigue: If your touch bar is flickering white or has a dead spot, it is likely a hardware failure rather than a software glitch.

How to fix a MacBook Touch Bar

There are a few ways you can troubleshoot your Mac Touch Bar. Don’t worry—we’ll walk you through them all.  

Force quit troublesome applications

Sometimes, specific apps can cause the touch bar to malfunction. Use Spotlight (Cmd + Space) to search for and open Activity monitor. Look for apps with high CPU usage. Select the offending app and click the X button at the top to force quit.

Restart your Mac

A simple restart can often resolve temporary glitches affecting the Touch Bar.

1. Click on the Apple menu.
2. Select Restart.

Check your keyboard settings

Your keyboard’s settings could be sabotaging your Touch Bar. Go to System Settings > Keyboard. Check the Touch Bar settings section. Make sure Touch bar shows is set to App controls and Show control strip is on.

Update macOS

Ensuring your MacBook Pro is running the latest version of macOS can fix many Touch Bar issues. Go to Apple menu > System settings > General > Software update and install any available updates.

Clear the Touch Bar cache files

Clearing cache files specific to the Touch Bar can resolve certain issues. Cache files are non-essential files that your Mac sets aside to help you navigate programs a little easier. Clearing your cache will not delete your data. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Finder.
2. Click Go > Go to Folder.
3. Type ‘~/Library/Preferences/’ and press Enter. Then, delete Touch Bar-related cache files.
4. Restart your Mac.

Reset the Touch Bar

Resetting the Touch Bar can often fix unresponsiveness or glitches. Resetting that can solve the problem. There are two ways to reset it: the Activity Monitor or Terminal.

To reset the Touch Bar using Activity Monitor:

1. Go to Applications > Utilities.
2. Double-click Activity Monitor. 
3. Use the search box to search for ‘TouchBarServer’ and click the X button to force close it. Then, close the Activity Monitor. 

To reset the Touch Bar using Terminal:

You can also reset the Control Strip (part of the Touch Bar) using Terminal commands.

1. Go to Applications > Utilities.
2. Open Terminal. Type ‘sudo pkill TouchBarServer; sudo killall ControlStrip’, and enter your password when prompted. Then, close the Terminal. 

Reset the SMC and NVRAM

Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) and Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory (NVRAM) can resolve deeper system issues. If you have a newer Apple Silicon Mac (M1, M2, M3, etc.), these resets do not exist. Instead, just shut down your mac and leave it off for 30 seconds.

For older Intel macs (2018–2020 with T2 chip):

• Shut down your Mac.
• Press and hold the right Shift, left Option, and left Control keys for 7 seconds.
• Keep holding them and press the Power button for another 7 seconds.
• Release all keys and restart.

How to reset the PRAM/NVRAM (Intel macs only):

• Shut down your Mac.
• Turn it on and immediately hold Cmd + Option + P + R for 20 seconds.