iMac 5k Screen burn-in (High Sierra)

[dac610]

The same user posted an update: https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/bj8nfr basically saying that he is reducing brightness to 60% - 70%.

Since I am already at 56% brightness (one notch over middle) I am not sure how this trick might help me.

BTW, 56% brightness (without Automatically adjust brightness) looks perfectly to me, since screen white matches the brightness of paper sheets on my desk (under both natural or electric ambient light).

 

[ThugFreak]

The same user posted an update
basically saying that he is reducing brightness to 60% - 70%.

Since I am already at 56% brightness (one notch over middle) I am not sure how this trick might help me.

BTW, 56% brightness (without Automatically adjust brightness) looks perfectly to me, since screen white matches the brightness of paper sheets on my desk (under both natural or electric ambient light).

Deleted

 

[wilberforce]

In the end, I went back to Mojave. I'm now using a "image retention" trick that really works.
With this trick, there is no image retention at all. Try it and see if it works.
I don't remember who posted this, but here it is:

FINALLY! A FIX for Screen Ghosting / Persistance / Retention
Hello,
Firstly, I know this is an old issue that most probably does not affect the majority of current macbook users. However, I thought I would post here just in case this helps someone, as a current MBPR 2012 owner this issue has been driving me crazy but I've finally figured out a way to stop it from happening. And it's really simple:
Go to System Preferences -> Displays -> (Built-in Retina Display) Color tab -> Calibrate...
In Calibration, drag the white point slider to the far right (most blue light). This causes the screen to become extremely blue, so to cancel this out:
Select Night shift, adjust warmth to preferred level (far right for best results), and set up the night shift schedule to always be on.
Essentially what this does is makes the display dimmer by applying two filters that counter act each other. As a result, the pixels themselves emit less 'light' or color, and are not driven to the point at which color retention occurs.
Thank you for reading!

I tried this on my 2014 iMac, and it definitely reduced, but not eliminated, the image persistence. I was very skeptical that it would help, but it did!
However it also shifts the hue on many of the colors, and as my work is in Lightroom and Photoshop, I could not tolerate shifted colors. For others who are not sensitive to color accuracy, it seems to be a good workaround, and zero cost.
I eventually traded my 2014 iMac for a 2020 iMac, mainly for this reason, but also to get the P3 gamut

 

[dac610]

...I eventually traded my 2014 iMac for a 2020 iMac, mainly for this reason, but also to get the P3 gamut

Apple must like you! ?

I don't think they did it on purpose, but this whole thing (Metal-related image retention) conveniently works for them as "planned obsolescence".

I would really like to know how these new 2020 iMacs will behave in the long run... ?

 

[wilberforce]

Apple must like you! ?

I don't think they did it on purpose, but this whole thing (Metal-related image retention) conveniently works for them as "planned obsolescence".

I would really like to know how these new 2020 iMacs will behave in the long run... ?

Well I got 6 years out of it, and overall I thought it was fantastic.
I searched to see if there are reports/discussions/complaints about this image retention problem on later iMacs. It seems the problem is confined to the 2014/2015 models. But maybe it is an issue that just takes time to appear.

 

[ThugFreak]

Well I got 6 years out of it, and overall I thought it was fantastic.
I searched to see if there are reports/discussions/complaints about this image retention problem on later iMacs. It seems the problem is confined to the 2014/2015 models. But maybe it is an issue that just takes time to appear.

Deleted

 

[dac610]

...I'm not sure if his new trick will do anything different than the iMac brightness control, but I think it may work differently, since he didn't get the results with his iMac brightness control alone. I'll let you know what my results are if I try the "Brightness Control" software.

There might be something here: iMac brightness control seems to adjust the backlight LEDs brightness, while that app may adjust the degree LCD cells open.

The dimming of the image by reducing the amount the cells open, might be compensated by increasing backlight brightness.

Here's another app that seems to do the same:

Using Black Light to Avoid Image Retention

My iMac slowly started showing signs of image retention a few months ago. After leaving the screen on for a few hours, I'll see the imprint of what was left unmoved for too long.

michelf.ca

 

[mikepan2004]

I tried this on my 2014 iMac, and it definitely reduced, but not eliminated, the image persistence. I was very skeptical that it would help, but it did!
However it also shifts the hue on many of the colors, and as my work is in Lightroom and Photoshop, I could not tolerate shifted colors. For others who are not sensitive to color accuracy, it seems to be a good workaround, and zero cost.
I eventually traded my 2014 iMac for a 2020 iMac, mainly for this reason, but also to get the P3 gamut

It certainly worked on my 2015 12" Macbook which i'd also experienced ghosting lately!

 

[mikepan2004]

The same user posted an update: https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/bj8nfr basically saying that he is reducing brightness to 60% - 70%.

Since I am already at 56% brightness (one notch over middle) I am not sure how this trick might help me.

BTW, 56% brightness (without Automatically adjust brightness) looks perfectly to me, since screen white matches the brightness of paper sheets on my desk (under both natural or electric ambient light).

The same user posted an update: https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/bj8nfr basically saying that he is reducing brightness to 60% - 70%.

Since I am already at 56% brightness (one notch over middle) I am not sure how this trick might help me.

BTW, 56% brightness (without Automatically adjust brightness) looks perfectly to me, since screen white matches the brightness of paper sheets on my desk (under both natural or electric ambient light).

Awesome and helpful tips! I'm really thankful to TheSynchronizer for such an useful tip that saves me money from replacing the screen.

 

[wilberforce]

Since I am already at 56% brightness (one notch over middle) I am not sure how this trick might help me.

BTW, 56% brightness (without Automatically adjust brightness) looks perfectly to me, since screen white matches the brightness of paper sheets on my desk (under both natural or electric ambient light).

This app reduces brightness by darkening the pixels, not by darkening the backlight. It is not the bright backlight that causes the image retention, it is the bright (i.e. transparent) pixels that cause the image retention. The other method of applying a warm night shift combined with blue calibration shift has a similar effect.
Well, OK, that's just a theory, and sounds like BS, but it seems to work.
Edit - Sorry, I missed your later post, where you said sort of the same thing

 

[mikepan2004]

Haha...it doesn't matter if it sounds like BS! More importantly, it helps me to solve my 'ghosting' / retention issue of my beloved 2015 Macbook which I'd hate to throw away! As I am still using it as my primary machine although I also own a newer 2018 15" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar!

 

[GibaFaria]

It's 2022 and thanks to this topic I managed to solve this problem!!! I used this app and I'm also testing the other back light app that is available at the apple store (but paid) but it has 30 days free!!! Thanks so much for the tips guys!!!

 

[GibaFaria]

There might be something here: iMac brightness control seems to adjust the backlight LEDs brightness, while that app may adjust the degree LCD cells open.

The dimming of the image by reducing the amount the cells open, might be compensated by increasing backlight brightness.

Here's another app that seems to do the same:

Using Black Light to Avoid Image Retention

My iMac slowly started showing signs of image retention a few months ago. After leaving the screen on for a few hours, I'll see the imprint of what was left unmoved for too long.

michelf.ca

It's 2022 and thanks to this topic I managed to solve this problem!!! I used this app and I'm also testing the other back light app that is available at the apple store (but paid) but it has 30 days free!!! Thanks so much for the tips guys!!!

 

[Ploki]

My Ultrafine 4K started exhibiting a mild case of burn in, esp if i keep a screen on for longer (i.e. toolbar and top bar menu, apple logo on the left top)