MacBook Pro 14" M2Pro PWM solution

[kalbason]

Hey Guys,
How do you solve the PWM flickering issue that may cause headache and eye strain problems?

I found the following steps to solve it on my 14" MBP M2Pro:

1. Install Adobe Lightroom on my iPhone. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lightroom-photo-video-editor/id878783582 run its camera, switch it to PRO mode and set the Shutter Speed to 1/4000 or lower. At this point I'm able to detect the MacBook Pro display PWM lines through my iPhone screen using it as a viewfinder.



2. Turn off "Automatically adjust brightness" MBP display setting.

3. Change the MBP brightness level with keyboard buttons until the PWM lines disappear. In my case I can see them at level 5


and they disappear at level 6 or above


4. Install the QuickShade tool https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quickshade/id931571202?mt=12 Enable Shade and set the required "brightness" level.

Quick Shade brightness is achieved through software rather than hardware therefore it allows to set the comfortable brightness level and prevents the PWM to start avoiding the hardware brightness levels with PWM.

Is there a better way?

UPD: Quick Shade tool has one disadvantage - bright mouse cursor. Trying to get rid of that, I found also Gamma Dimmer tool ( https://lowtechguys.com/gammadimmer/ ), which has no bright mouse cursor, but it is paid.
There is also trial that stops working after a few hours. Restarting the app resets the trial.

 

[kalbason]

Here is more of research info.

Instead of Quick Shade or Gamma Dimmer the Lunar application may be used

Lunar - The defacto app for controlling monitor brightness

Control monitor brightness, adapt using the ambient light sensor, adjust volume, switch inputs and turn off displays without fiddling with clunky buttons.

lunar.fyi

Launch the app.
Using the Adobe Lightroom's camera on smartphone in PRO mode with Shutter Speed 1/4000, 1/5000 or lower press Option-Shift-BrightnessKeys to fine adjust the brightness and find the brightness value below which PWM becomes noticeable. Set it as MIN BRIGHTNESS.
In my case it is 38.

Configuring a MIN BRIGHTNESS limit makes the hardware brightness stop there, and below that Lunar applies Sub-zero dimming which is what Gamma Dimmer does. You can keep using the same brightness keys for both the software and hardware adjustment.

In such way the hardware brightness levels with PWM are skipped and don't hurt your eyes.

Hope, this would be useful for PWM sensitive people like me.

 

[eret9616]

wow, thanks. why noone reply this

 

[arcite]

This is genius.

 

[nicolasmasset]

Here is more of research info.

Instead of Quick Shade or Gamma Dimmer the Lunar application may be used

Lunar - The defacto app for controlling monitor brightness

Control monitor brightness, adapt using the ambient light sensor, adjust volume, switch inputs and turn off displays without fiddling with clunky buttons.

lunar.fyi

Launch the app.
Using the Adobe Lightroom's camera on smartphone in PRO mode with Shutter Speed 1/4000, 1/5000 or lower press Option-Shift-BrightnessKeys to fine adjust the brightness and find the brightness value below which PWM becomes noticeable. Set it as MIN BRIGHTNESS.
In my case it is 38.




Configuring a MIN BRIGHTNESS limit makes the hardware brightness stop there, and below that Lunar applies Sub-zero dimming which is what Gamma Dimmer does. You can keep using the same brightness keys for both the software and hardware adjustment.
View attachment 2189517

In such way the hardware brightness levels with PWM are skipped and don't hurt your eyes.

Hope, this would be useful for PWM sensitive people like me.

Hey Guys,
How do you solve the PWM flickering issue that may cause headache and eye strain problems?

I found the following steps to solve it on my 14" MBP M2Pro:

1. Install Adobe Lightroom on my iPhone. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lightroom-photo-video-editor/id878783582 run its camera, switch it to PRO mode and set the Shutter Speed to 1/4000 or lower. At this point I'm able to detect the MacBook Pro display PWM lines through my iPhone screen using it as a viewfinder.



2. Turn off "Automatically adjust brightness" MBP display setting.

3. Change the MBP brightness level with keyboard buttons until the PWM lines disappear. In my case I can see them at level 5


and they disappear at level 6 or above


4. Install the QuickShade tool https://apps.apple.com/us/app/quickshade/id931571202?mt=12 Enable Shade and set the required "brightness" level.

Quick Shade brightness is achieved through software rather than hardware therefore it allows to set the comfortable brightness level and prevents the PWM to start avoiding the hardware brightness levels with PWM.

Is there a better way?

UPD: Quick Shade tool has one disadvantage - bright mouse cursor. Trying to get rid of that, I found also Gamma Dimmer tool ( https://lowtechguys.com/gammadimmer/ ), which has no bright mouse cursor, but it is paid.
There is also trial that stops working after a few hours. Restarting the app resets the trial.

Has this truly worked for you?

 

[Sentiny]

MBP M1 2021 has stable PWM for every brightness level as notebookcheck.com mentioned and, as I know, your trick is only working for M1 air and other laptops with variable PWM.

 

[Omega Mac]

PWM on MacBook now as well!

 

[alinpanaitiu]

Lunar developer here 👋

I have done some small changes to Lunar to aid in this PWM flicker situation, you can read about them in the v6.1.1 changelog.

To be honest, I don't notice any flickering whatsoever with my eyes, never did notice on any screen. But at least, for people who do notice it, there is now a solution.

 

[Sentiny]

Lunar developer here 👋

I have done some small changes to Lunar to aid in this PWM flicker situation, you can read about them in the v6.1.1 changelog.

View attachment 2230531

To be honest, I don't notice any flickering whatsoever with my eyes, never did notice on any screen. But at least, for people who do notice it, there is now a solution.

Macbook Pro M1 14/16 has PWM at all brightness levels at 14KHz. You need at least 1/15000 shutter speed to notice it.

 

[JohnBerkeley]

Macbook Pro M1 14/16 has PWM at all brightness levels at 14KHz. You need at least 1/15000 shutter speed to notice it.

So what are the diagonal lines in the original post which only appear below 6 brightness while looking at it with 1/4000 shutter speed? I would like it if someone did use higher than 14K shutter speed though. With PWM does it light up the whole display at once? Are the diagonal lines then due to iPhone capturing some pixels while the display is on and some pixels while its off? Or is it something else?

 

[JohnBerkeley]

Lunar developer here 👋

I have done some small changes to Lunar to aid in this PWM flicker situation, you can read about them in the v6.1.1 changelog.

View attachment 2230531

To be honest, I don't notice any flickering whatsoever with my eyes, never did notice on any screen. But at least, for people who do notice it, there is now a solution.

I wonder why in landscape mode you get those horizontal lines, but in portrait you get diagonal lines like in the original post.