How to Repair Touch Bar and Touch ID on MacBook Pro 2017 Running macOS Sonoma

How to Restore Touch Bar Functionality on MacBook Pro 13 2017

Upgrading a MacBook Pro 13-inch 2017 (MacBookPro14,1 or MacBookPro14,2) to macOS Sonoma using OpenCore Legacy Patcher can sometimes cause the Touch Bar or Touch ID to stop functioning. This behaviour is due to firmware authorization issues during post-install patching.

1. Prerequisites

• Hardware Specs: MacBook Pro 13-inch 2017 with Touch Bar.
• Required Tools: The latest version of OpenCore Legacy Patcher.

2. Compatibility Snapshot

• Touch Bar Status: Fully compatible with macOS Sonoma, but requires the T1 security chip firmware to be patched correctly.

3. Installation Preparation

1. Verify installation: Ensure you are running the official version of OCLP and not a modified version.

4. EFI and config.plist Review

1. This does not apply to this case because Touch Bar drivers are loaded directly from the system firmware.

5. Post-Installation

1. Apply root patches: Open OCLP, navigate to Post-Install Root Patches, and click Start Root Patching to apply firmware and graphics patches.
2. Reboot: Restart your MacBook to apply the modifications.

6. Troubleshooting

Reported Issue: Touch Bar remains black

1. Force reload Touch Bar: Open Terminal and execute: sudo pkill TouchBarServer; sudo killall "ControlStrip"
2. Reset SMC/NVRAM: Shut down the Mac, hold Left Shift + Left Control + Left Option + Power for 10 seconds to reset the SMC, then boot and reset NVRAM.

7. Dual Boot and Advanced Configuration

• This does not apply to this case because the Touch Bar is controlled directly by macOS system services.

8. Verification, Maintenance and Rollback

• Rollback: If the Touch Bar remains unresponsive, boot into recovery mode and re-apply OCLP root patches.

9. References and Glossary

• T1 Chip: The security processor in 2016-2017 MacBook Pro models responsible for driving the Touch Bar and Touch ID.