Latitude 12 5285 with detachable keyboard may develop internal display flickering

Summary: The Latitude 12 5285 with detachable keyboard may develop internal display flickering after re-imaging the system with an incorrect graphics driver.

Internal display flickering

Latitude 12 5285 users may encounter internal display flickering after re-imaging the system and installing an Intel graphics driver obtained from a different Dell Latitude model platform on the Dell support website.

While this driver will install and function, the system may display abnormal symptoms such as display flicker due to the graphics driver that was not optimized for this system.

NOTE: The Dell supported operating system for the Latitude 12 5285 is Windows 10 Build 1607 (Windows 10 Anniversary update) or later build. Installation of older builds of Windows 10 (1511 Threshold 2 or earlier) may result in unintended issues from the  Intel HD, 5300, 5500, 6000, 515, 520, 530, P530, Iris 540 Graphics Driver for the Latitude 12 5285 (Currently: Version 21.20.16.4574, A00).

Install the proper drivers.

NOTE: The Intel driver solution will work with Windows 10 build 1607 but will not work with Windows 10 build 1511 or earlier. For earlier builds, please disable the panel self-refresh in the Intel Graphics Control Panel. (See Figures 1 through 3 below.)

This issue can be easily resolved automatically by running the Dell Command Update utility or manually by installing the appropriate System BIOS update (Version 1.1.6 A05 or later) and  Intel HD, 5300, 5500, 6000, 515, 520, 530, P530, Iris 540 Graphics Driver for the Latitude 12 5285 (Currently: Version 21.20.16.4574, A00) or latest graphics driver version.

The Dell Command Update utility can be downloaded from the Dell Support Website. This option will allow you to make sure the system has ALL available updated drivers, including the BIOS and video driver updates.

You can also update the drivers manually, by going to the Dell Support Website, entering you service tag or selecting your system by the model, then clicking the Downloads and drivers option. In the BIOS subsection you can download the current BIOS revision (Version 1.1.6 A05 as of 16 May 2017)

In the Video subsection you can download the current Latitude 12 5285 Intel graphics driver: (Version 4574 as of 16 May 2017).

If you are unable to update the BIOS and Video drivers, the remaining option is to disable Panel Self-Refresh (PSR) in the Intel Graphics Control Panel., Power section, On Battery Sub-Section.

To open the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel, Right-click anywhere on the Desktop background, in the drop-down menu that appears click Graphics Properties (See Figure 1.):

Figure 1. - Drop down menu selection.

Click the Power Option. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. - Selection the Power option in the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel

On the Power Options page, click On Battery, then select the option to Disable Panel Self-Refresh. (See Figure 3.)

Figure 3. - Disable Panel Self-Refresh.