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.
hey, this worked! Thanks for the suggestion!
Posted by: Maria Garcia | July 01, 2013 at 10:20 AM
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.
Posted by: ML | July 05, 2013 at 10:22 AM
Exact same problem here, with multiple freezes and crashes...Apple need to address these issues !!! Pain In The ASS !!!
Posted by: maire | July 11, 2013 at 01:51 PM
i had the same problem. dont know how the black got there but the solution is freakishly easy. Thanks!
Posted by: abc | July 29, 2013 at 10:43 AM
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!
Posted by: Jennifer Shettel | August 02, 2013 at 06:44 AM
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.
Posted by: Ralph Cipolla | August 29, 2013 at 03:33 PM
This worked for me! Thank you. I hope they fix these bugs soon. Lots of freezing and spinning over here.
Posted by: Kat F. | October 04, 2013 at 05:11 AM
Thanks so much for this! I was freaking out. My poor Air is just out of warranty.
Posted by: Haylee | October 08, 2013 at 04:44 AM
Thanks for the tip!
Posted by: olivier | October 23, 2013 at 06:09 AM
Thanks so much.
Posted by: Vincent | October 27, 2013 at 09:39 PM
Thanks, was becoming very annoying!
Posted by: Di May | November 10, 2013 at 02:49 PM
…and oddly enough, this happens when my computer screen refuses to wake from sleep!
Posted by: Phledd | February 06, 2014 at 05:11 PM
Thank you! You are so NOT alone with this problem, as you can see, and your solution works just fine for me! Much obliged!
Posted by: Nina | February 08, 2014 at 12:22 PM
Thanks!
Posted by: Kim | February 18, 2014 at 05:42 AM
Awesome! Thanks!
Posted by: MacGuy | March 02, 2014 at 05:54 PM
Thank you! I'm experiencing the same. Too bad it's not the reason and only a quick fix.
Posted by: Tim | March 31, 2014 at 12:08 AM
Thank you. An immediate fix.
Posted by: robert marsh | April 02, 2014 at 11:47 AM
Thanks....worked. I wish they would fix this!!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | April 04, 2014 at 04:55 PM
Thanks, worked like a charm! Indeed with translucent menu bar setting.
Posted by: jimmy | May 21, 2014 at 03:13 AM
Thanks... How did you figure that out? Perfect!
Posted by: Mariana Craveiro | August 12, 2014 at 06:46 AM
Thanks!
Posted by: Melinda | August 21, 2014 at 10:10 AM
thank you very much for this information :)
Posted by: Eray | October 17, 2014 at 05:31 PM
Thank you.
Worked like a charm.
Posted by: Suus | October 21, 2014 at 08:55 AM
Thank you for the tip!
Posted by: B. | November 12, 2014 at 08:01 PM
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!
Posted by: d. | November 21, 2014 at 10:34 PM
Clicki gon notificuiation worked thanks
Posted by: i cantspellfor shit | December 05, 2014 at 08:45 PM
This happened to me after using some new effects in Adobe Premiere, anyone else using Premiere? Maybe the cause?
Posted by: John S | December 17, 2014 at 05:34 AM
Fantastic , worked first time, wonder why it happened in the first place ?
Posted by: Marie | February 16, 2015 at 03:17 AM
Nice trick... strange this still happens two years after you writing this blog post!
Posted by: bo-oz | May 06, 2015 at 01:22 AM
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.
Posted by: RAS | June 04, 2015 at 05:36 PM
Thanks, very useful. j
Posted by: Jules Catbird | June 19, 2015 at 09:46 AM
Wow! Thank you for the tip!
Posted by: Jeremy | October 12, 2015 at 11:10 AM
This was helpful. Thank you!
Posted by: Amanda | October 15, 2015 at 08:16 AM
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….
Posted by: Elijah Wen | October 30, 2015 at 11:19 PM
Bingo…. your recommendation worked and I thank you as it was beginning to make me crazy!
Posted by: Beth | December 31, 2015 at 04:51 PM
Thanks - still works - E
Posted by: E | June 15, 2016 at 10:48 AM
THANK YOU
Posted by: Sarah | November 16, 2016 at 08:38 AM
Yay! So glad I found this post. Worked like a charm. Thank you!!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 13, 2017 at 09:46 AM
bingo!
Posted by: fuck | March 23, 2017 at 12:36 PM