This can't be a common MacBook Pro problem, or I would have found a solution more easily.
But fairly often my 13 inch Retina MacBook Pro presents me with a black OS X menu bar at the top of the screen after I've closed and opened the cover. About all I can make out is the American flag on the right side.
The black pixels that comprise the other icons are almost completely hidden, being black on black. When I'm using Safari, I have to visualize where the File menu, or whatever, is, then fiddle away in the dark to choose a menu function.
Here's the solution I've found: I maximize the Safari window using the diagonal arrow thingie in the upper right hand corner. Then I revert back to the usual window size by pressing "esc." Bingo, the bad black goes bye-bye.
Another solution offered up in this discussion thread is to click on the notifications icon on the far right side of the menu bar. But, of course, you have to be able to find the icon in the dark to do that. I like my approach better.
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hey, this worked! Thanks for the suggestion!
Thanks — I thought I had to restart to make it go away. This is much simpler. Hoping it will get fixed in one of the updates though.
Exact same problem here, with multiple freezes and crashes…Apple need to address these issues !!! Pain In The ASS !!!
i had the same problem. dont know how the black got there but the solution is freakishly easy. Thanks!
Found this post through a search for solutions to the menu bar suddenly being black when I opened the computer. Thanks for the quick fix, but I agree – Apple needs to get this fixed!
Another quick fix.
System Preferences > Desktop & Screensaver > Desktop > Bottom of window… Is ‘Translucent Menu Bar’ checked? Un-check the box.
This appears to only occur if you ‘Translucent Menu Bar’ is selected.
This worked for me! Thank you. I hope they fix these bugs soon. Lots of freezing and spinning over here.
Thanks so much for this! I was freaking out. My poor Air is just out of warranty.
Thanks for the tip!
Thanks so much.
Thanks, was becoming very annoying!
…and oddly enough, this happens when my computer screen refuses to wake from sleep!
Thank you! You are so NOT alone with this problem, as you can see, and your solution works just fine for me! Much obliged!
Thanks!
Awesome! Thanks!
Thank you! I’m experiencing the same. Too bad it’s not the reason and only a quick fix.
Thank you. An immediate fix.
Thanks….worked. I wish they would fix this!!!
Thanks, worked like a charm! Indeed with translucent menu bar setting.
Thanks… How did you figure that out? Perfect!
Thanks!
thank you very much for this information 🙂
Thank you.
Worked like a charm.
Thank you for the tip!
That was such an easy fix to something that has been bothering me!!! It’s really random too… but now I don’t care as much thanks to you!
Clicki gon notificuiation worked thanks
This happened to me after using some new effects in Adobe Premiere, anyone else using Premiere? Maybe the cause?
Fantastic , worked first time, wonder why it happened in the first place ?
Nice trick… strange this still happens two years after you writing this blog post!
I don’t want to copy everyone else,
but thank-you! What an incredibly quick fix. “Bingo” is right – I have been dealing with this for some time now.
Thanks, very useful. j
Wow! Thank you for the tip!
This was helpful. Thank you!
Another solution is just to place your three fingers on the finger pad of the MacBookPro and slide upwards, for a faster solution. But what is causing that bar to become black? For me that always happens when my safari starts lagging out a bit. Apple should fix this….
Bingo…. your recommendation worked and I thank you as it was beginning to make me crazy!
Thanks – still works – E
THANK YOU
Yay! So glad I found this post. Worked like a charm. Thank you!!
bingo!