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I have a specifically

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) MacBookPro11,5

(indeed "AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2048 MB Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB")

You can easily (when they finally fixed that) force it to discrete, just "disable switching" in control panels.

However I want to use integrated exclusively only.

Unfortunately, after extensive googling I could only find this issue discussed for the older '11, '12 models.

(Since this particular variant from 2015 is the single worst product ever made by Apple, I think everyone's just thrown it away, so you don't see much about it! :O )

Does anyone know how to force a 11,5 to use integrated only? Thanks.

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  • Could you please add what the exact problem is you face with the dGPU? This would make specific and away from XY-problem to some proper solution. And have you tried the solutions listed to the right under related? Specifically variants of GPU problem - Boot Hangs on Grey Screen (It should work to disable dGPU/force iGPU, but will need adaption in kext treatment for thermal/energy management)
    – LаngLаngС
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 7:39
  • Howdy @LangLangC - thanks for that link. I'm not sure if that allows me to force integrated graphics on my model; I'll review all the info there. (Note the question title.)
    – Fattie
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 11:10
  • This will allow you to boot into iGPU (also look for GRUB-solution). That might be 'enough' if dGPU failure is your problem. If you want to save on battery, then you can play with the kexts, bypass the gmux-IC or apply a custom firmware to that chip (try the kexts first). All that is not the wisest approach if the dGPU still 'works' (is not broken). The GUI switch softwares are then your best option.
    – LаngLаngС
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 12:36

3 Answers 3

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+50

gfxcardstatus is no longer maintained but I recreated it for modern macOS:

https://github.com/CodySchrank/gSwitch

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3

Well, there's always gfxcardstatus: https://gfx.io/

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  • Geez, I totally forgot about it !!!!! Thanks. However, I fear he hasn't maintained it for years; one issue, it's for "2008-2012" macbooks...........
    – Fattie
    Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 12:02
  • 1
    Thanks again for reminding me of that! i just checked and indeed it does not work. If you try to lock it on "integrated" - it just doesn't work, you can't select that. It just clicks over to lock on - discrete. Bummer!
    – Fattie
    Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 12:18
  • I did tick this historic question as it was the answer at the time - unfortunately, there is, really, no answer now. Those completely defective devices are just another "Apple screwup" from the past - can't do nothing about it.
    – Fattie
    Commented Mar 21, 2019 at 15:25
  • You might want to add one of the forks, like github.com/steveschow/gfxCardStatus (2.4.4)
    – LаngLаngС
    Commented Apr 18, 2019 at 7:48
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This question is pretty old, but in case somebody stumbles here from a Google search, I wanted to add another option if gfxcardstatus doesn't quite work for you.

MacOS has a command line tool called pmset used to manage power saving settings. You can use that to control how integrated graphics is used. The command to force integrated graphic is

sudo pmset <power status> gpuswitch 0

And the options for power status are charging (-c), on battery power (-b) and always (-a).

Full explanation and other gpuswitch setting from this blog.

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