MacBook Pro, Pro Display XDR will automatically dim when hot

Apple has revealed that the screens on its new 14-inch MacBook Pro, revised 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Pro Display XDR, will limit their brightness under certain circumstances.

It's an automatic feature that applies specifically to the screen technology introduced with the Pro Display XDR, and the Liquid Retina XDR of the MacBook Pro.

According to a new support document, Apple says that as well as automatically dimming the screen, the feature will display a warning triangle in the menu bar. Similarly, Control Center will show an icon of a screen with a small warning triangle to one side.

"[It means that] your display is in low power mode and using limited brightness," says Apple. "This can occur if the ambient temperature of the room is high and you've been playing very bright content for an extended period of time."

So it's a heat-related issue and one of Apple's proposed solutions is that users put their Macs to sleep. "Let your display cool down for 5-10 minutes," the support document says, "then press any key on the keyboard to wake your Mac."

Apple also suggests that for a MacBook Pro, users quit any apps that "could be consuming significant system resources." With the Pro Display XDR, Apple says users should work in the display's "reference mode unless your current workflow requires a specific reference mode."

For both MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR, Apple further recommends:

Lower the temperature in the room
Close or hide any windows with HDR content

It also says that if this does not resolve the issue, and the ambient temperature of the room is less than 77 degrees Fahrenheit, users should contact Apple.

11 Comments

soundsinmotion 86 comments · 12 Years

About 2 years ago

I hate that the newer iPhones do this! Before iPhone X they never used to dim when they got hot. Sucks now when you’re driving in bright daylight and can’t see the screen because it’s dimmed 50%

maltz 499 comments · 13 Years

Yeah, it seems like this is most likely to kick in when you need more brightness the most - outdoors in the sun. I get that thermal envelopes can be tricky, but it makes me think that if you have to go to these lengths to protect the screen, then maybe this isn't the best screen technology for mobile devices...

AppleZulu 2180 comments · 8 Years

soundsinmotion said:

I hate that the newer iPhones do this! Before iPhone X they never used to dim when they got hot. Sucks now when you’re driving in bright daylight and can’t see the screen because it’s dimmed 50%

And here we repeat the remarkable phenomenon when people became angry that iOS would slow peak processing on older iPhones with aged, degraded batteries, rather than allowing them to simply crash and shut down. They actually got lawyers and filed lawsuits about that. They claimed that slowing the phone was a gambit to get people to buy new iPhones, as though the phone crashing all the time wouldn't force that decision even sooner.

The screen dims because the device is too hot, and the next step along the course of reality-based physics is that the device will be permanently damaged by the heat if actions aren't taken to allow it to cool. It may suck that the screen dims, but it would suck more if the device became completely inoperable, wouldn't it? If you find that this is a frequent problem for you, it would probably be advisable if you would find a different place to secure the phone while driving. Perhaps instead of putting it up on the dash in full sunlight, you would do well to use an A/C vent clip during the hot months. Not only would this reduce exposure to IR radiation from the sun, but it would also make use of the A/C to keep it cool even on the hottest days, which would allow the screen to brightly show your GPS guidance all the way to your destination.

muthuk_vanalingam 1367 comments · 8 Years

AppleZulu said:

soundsinmotion said:

I hate that the newer iPhones do this! Before iPhone X they never used to dim when they got hot. Sucks now when you’re driving in bright daylight and can’t see the screen because it’s dimmed 50%

And here we repeat the remarkable phenomenon when people became angry that iOS would slow peak processing on older iPhones with aged, degraded batteries, rather than allowing them to simply crash and shut down. They actually got lawyers and filed lawsuits about that. They claimed that slowing the phone was a gambit to get people to buy new iPhones, as though the phone crashing all the time wouldn't force that decision even sooner.

You are making one BIG assumption and it is a MISTAKE in my view (your pro-apple mindset blindsides you to the actual reality of the situation here). The assumption is - People are DUMB. No, the iPhone users are NOT dumb. They are lot smarter than you assume them to be. A phone crashing all the time has "battery problem" written all over to it. That is the FIRST thing that people will try to change when it occurs. On the other hand, when a phone slows down, "battery problem" is the LAST thing that would come to mind (that too, only because Apple pulled this stunt). The first reaction to that situation would be - well, the phone has aged and hardware is NOT good enough to run the latest iOS version, so it should be replaced.

sdw2001 17459 comments · 23 Years

soundsinmotion said:

I hate that the newer iPhones do this! Before iPhone X they never used to dim when they got hot. Sucks now when you’re driving in bright daylight and can’t see the screen because it’s dimmed 50%

My phone has been doing this since I had an iPhone 6. It was really bad on the 7, the 10, etc. I have a 12 Pro Max now and it does dim from time to time, usually under processing load. I HATE this "feature." Hate. It hasn't happened on my new MacBook 14 inch, yet.