Apple Investigating Issue With 'Pink Squares' Appearing on Displays Connected to M1 Mac Mini

[MacRumors]

In an internal memo this week, obtained by MacRumors, Apple informed service providers that it is aware of and investigating an issue that may result in "pink squares or pixels" appearing on displays connected to an M1 Mac mini.

Image via Twitter user @FatihVidyograf​

This issue has been reported by users across the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors Forums, and Reddit since the M1 Mac mini launched in November, but the exact cause is unclear. Based on comments from affected users, it appears that the issue may be more common when connecting displays via HDMI compared to Thunderbolt.

Apple did not provide a specific timeframe for a fix. The memo was issued on February 19, over a week after the release of macOS Big Sur 11.2.1, which does not appear to address the issue. It is possible that a fix could be readied in time for the release of macOS Big Sur 11.3, which has been in beta testing since February 2.

In the meantime, Apple outlined the following troubleshooting steps:

• Put the Mac mini to sleep
• Wait two minutes and wake the Mac mini
• Unplug the display from the Mac mini, and then plug the display back in
• Adjust the display's resolution in System Preferences > Displays

If the issue reoccurs after restarting the Mac mini, Apple says to repeat the steps above.

There have been various other external display issues with M1 Macs in recent months, ranging from USB-C connection issues to some resolutions being unavailable when using an ultrawide or super-ultrawide display.

Article Link: Apple Investigating Issue With 'Pink Squares' Appearing on Displays Connected to M1 Mac Mini

 

[Joker73]

Finally!
This seems to happen randomly on startup and it seems to be solved when rebooting. But it's annoying.

 

[Richdmoore]

I hope these get sorted out soon. It must be frustrating for those who are having the issue.

 

[rictus007]

I'm waiting for the jokes here --- ____gate, inserting the HDMI wrong... etc. LOL. I hope there's fix for this soon

 

[HiVolt]

Maybe Apple isn't as good a GPU designer as they think they are... Intel, AMD & nVidia have been doing it a long time, and have the compatibility with external devices figured out.

 

[thadoggfather]

is this just for the Mac mini or with the Air/Pro M1 outputting to displays also?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I think Pink looks pretty good. There has been about 3 times when I had to force shutdown my M1 and the screen went Pink right before it turned off to reboot. I am not sure it is a flaw.

 

[BBC B 32k]

Ive had this issue since getting my M1mini at launch. Have twice had a support chat with apple about it. Mainly to get it filed as a complaint from the start. Disappointed the latest OS update did not fix it.

 

[mi7chy]

This is a lesser issue than other ones like USB-C hub bricking device, excessive SSD endurance wear, etc. Fortunately, I've avoided USB-C hubs until repair service recall but have experienced soft brick of Big Sur that wasted half a day recovering from.

 

[Red Menace]

Looks like a software issue to me. The pink squares twinkle based on what is running, and go away on my machine when the desktop background changes.

 

[cmaier]

Maybe Apple isn't as good a GPU designer as they think they are... Intel, AMD & nVidia have been doing it a long time, and have the compatibility with external devices figured out.

It’s certainly a software, not a hardware, issue, so GPU design has nothing to do with it.

And you think nobody ever has problems with Intel, AMD or nVidia? Seriously?

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Maybe Apple isn't as good a GPU designer as they think they are... Intel, AMD & nVidia have been doing it a long time, and have the compatibility with external devices figured out.

I had similar issues in recent years with those companies mentioned so your comment is incorrect.

 

[anthony13]

seems like software and fixable. standard stuff for a new machine.

 

[Wordman]

See, if Apple just made their own affordable monitor that played nicely with their laptops...

 

[xbjllb]

See, if Apple just made their own affordable monitor that played nicely with their laptops...

Affordable... that's funny.

 

[alex00100]

Maybe Apple isn't as good a GPU designer as they think they are... Intel, AMD & nVidia have been doing it a long time, and have the compatibility with external devices figured out.

My biggest fear about apple silicon. If they botcher the gpu on the more powerful macs no amazing M1 performance will help.

 

[now i see it]

I think they look pretty. Maybe it's a perk

 

[alex00100]

It’s certainly a software, not a hardware, issue, so GPU design has nothing to do with it.

And you think nobody ever has problems with Intel, AMD or nVidia? Seriously?

I've never had issues with amd cards not outputting video correctly. I mean it's literally the most basic function of a gpu. I like apple as much as anyone but we can't just excuse the most basic stuff like this, 6 months after launch.

 

[inhalexhale1]

I just had this issue on a new iPad. Had to send it back.

 

[Psychicbob]

This has been happening since day 1 for many users. Hopefully, this means they think it is software related and not impacting anything else. Strange though that we have had many updates already and the pink blocks still occurred. Fingers crossed it is software anyway!

 

[hagjohn]

My biggest fear about apple silicon. If they botcher the gpu on the more powerful macs no amazing M1 performance will help.

Try looking in the Mini forum and you can see a load of posts about intel HDMI/DP issues. I would gather it is a software, not hardware issue with these graphics issue.

 

[4jasontv]

It’s certainly a software, not a hardware, issue, so GPU design has nothing to do with it.

And you think nobody ever has problems with Intel, AMD or nVidia? Seriously?

That’s a bold statement. This isn’t the first time Macs have had pink square issues, and it’s almost always hardware. Just because it fixes with a reboot doesn’t mean there isn’t a hardware issue.

 

[D.T.]

Pink squares? Blue diamonds? Green clovers?

I blame Apple's lead graphics engineer:

 

[harriska2]

Pfft. Had an NVidia lower end card in a PC for 3 years before I finally upgraded it. It didn’t just do little pixelations, it would ghost windows when I moved it around leaving the background black. That said, not upgrading to Mx mini until this is sorted out.

 

[gnasher729]

Unlikely to be just hardware, because then the dots would always be there.

Possible that it is a hardware problem that happens for very, very specific instructions by the software that usually don't happen. In that case the software can be changed to avoid these instructions.

Possible that the problem is a pure software problem. The software gives the wrong instructions to the hardware, and the hardware follows the wrong instructions correctly.

I wouldn't want to be the guy trying to figure out what the problem is :-(