white pixel on screen (software caused, nothing's wrong with the display)

[7422736m]

Hi all!
After the last Sonoma update I started noticing this annoying issue.
Out of nowhere, a white pixel appears on screen (if I am using my MacBook Pro hooked to the Apple Studio Display as my main display, it appears on the Apple Studio Display, otherwise it appears on the MacBook Pro Display).
This is not an hardware issue as if I change spaces, slowlingdragging four fingers, the space background moves, and with it the whit dot moves also.
If I reboot the Mac the issue goes away, but after some time there it is again.
Also, if I log off from my user the white dot immediately disappears.
After logging in, it will eventually reappear on a different position.
I was suspecting it may be due to the TG Pro helper app, as it was a non issue, but after removing it and also TG Pro, issue persists.
I suspect something in the last Sonoma update must have been changed that's causing this bug.
Anyone noticed having this issue?

 

[7422736m]

A few more details on this: taking a screenshot, the white dot appears on the screenshot.
Also, it shows when I put any item on the Mac OS workspace, but it does not show when I put the mouse pointer over it.
It is clearly something that is being created by software (either the OS itself or another app).
It happens in both Macs I have, after fresh installs.
What surprises me is the fact I cannot find any similar reports over the internet.
Anyone?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Never seen it.

Try creating a new user account. If it's not happening there, it's something in your original user automatically launching on login.

 

[7422736m]

Never seen it.

Try creating a new user account. If it's not happening there, it's something in your original user automatically launching on login.

Problem here is that I just got a new Mac recently and it happens both in my last year Mac mini and this newer MacBook Pro. On both I went with a clean install, so nothing was imported from TimeMachine.
It's weird.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Are you sure there's not a white dot in the background image itself? Locate the image and open it in preview, then flip the image (so it is upside down). Did the dot move with it? If so, flip it back and use a paint program to paint the white dot the same color as surrounding pixels.

That last half of your first post seems to imply it is NOT this as it appears the dot disappears at times (and not just by putting the mouse over it) and also appears to be moving around.

I'm guessing you have tried closing all apps one by one to see if any of them trigger the appearance. Don't forget any utility apps that don't show on the dock or have an open window.

Else, I'm with #3. Create a new user account for yourself and migrate your stuff over. You might have something corrupted in that user account. A new one should deal with anything like that. If you then don't see it in new user account, AFTER you've migrated all of your apps & data/docs/files/pics/music, you can make the new your main profile and optionally delete the current one to fully wipe it from the system. Be sure you've migrated everything before you do that.

 

[svenmany]

Problem here is that I just got a new Mac recently and it happens both in my last year Mac mini and this newer MacBook Pro. On both I went with a clean install, so nothing was imported from TimeMachine.
It's weird.

Do you have common applications on the two machines? If so, some app (maybe a background application) could be producing that artifact. You might have to check a clean install, before installing any apps, to see if you get the dot.

But, I agree that the best first step is to make a new user account. This would not have any user-specific background apps running and such an app might be the culprit.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Problem here is that I just got a new Mac recently and it happens both in my last year Mac mini and this newer MacBook Pro. On both I went with a clean install, so nothing was imported from TimeMachine.
It's weird.

Yeah, so something you installed on both is causing it. In a lot of ways that makes it simpler.

Still try the new user test - if the issue is there in the new user, whatever you installed is affecting the entire machine, not just the one user account. It's unlikely - but it'd be good to know, to focus your t/s on the right area.

 

[iMacDragon]

Are you using software to increase sdr brightness? iirc something that did this used a bright pixel to trick os into activating hdr more all the time

 

[7422736m]

Let me first thank you all for the useful inputs.
Trying to clarify all the questions:
The white pixel does not exist in the background images (tried several, all of the are Mac OS provided backgrounds).
It changes position only after rebooting or logging out of my user and logging in again.
During the first minutes the pixel goes away, but then it appears on a different position.
I mentioned the fact it is not visible under the mouse pointer just to clarify it seems to be in an intermediate “layer” between the background and the mouse pointer, being the mouse pointer in the top layer as it overlaps the white pixel.
Another interesting detail is that the white pixel appears on screenshots taken with Mac OS.
Regarding the possible use of an app to trigger HDR all the time, that is interesting as it reminded something: I am using Display Buddy, to control display brightness both on the Macbook Pro integrate display and on Apple Studio Display and the newer version added “ultra brightness” to the OSD brightness bar, which indeed triggers HDR brightness. That made me contact the developer to request the option to turn this off, which he did. But who knows, maybe the feature, even off, might be be the cause for the white pixel to appear.
I’ll contact the developer and question them.

 

[ozsmac]

I've had exactly the same issue for quite some time now, shutting down Display Buddy fixes the issue for me, so thank you for that suggestion in this thread.