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Booting in Clamshell Mode

R

ruglet

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 22, 2021
12
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I often use my MacBook Pro in clamshell mode connected over USB-C to an LG 4K display. On my old intel 16", turning on the display (and providing power to the MacBook Pro) would boot the Mac if it had been shut down. This was really useful as it meant I didn't need to take the Mac out it's stand and open the screen just to turn it on and put it back again.

My M1 Max MacBook Pro doesn't seem to do this - connecting a display or providing power over USB-C won't boot the Mac if it has been shutdown. Does anyone else with the same kind of setup find the same thing? I know it's unlikely but I wonder if there's anything that can be done about it (aside from just keeping the laptop asleep all the time instead)?
 
I'm piggy-backing on this thread to get alerts. I'd really like to hear peoples experiences with using these in clamshell mode only. Looking to pick up a new MBP and will have it connected to four monitors in clamshell mode almost 100% of the time. Previous experience with Intel MBP's has been less than satisfactory in this area with regards to throttling and heat generation so optimistic that isn't the case with the new ones. In addition to issues like being able to power it on without opening it up, etc.
 
I've update my clamshell setup guide (svalt.com/clamshell) that includes additional details and instructions for older laptops, and a summary for 2021 16/14-inch MacBook Pros with M1 Pro or M1 Max chips is to connect an external display, keyboard/trackpad/mouse and laptop power supply in that sequence, then do one of the following based on your laptop configuration:

- If the laptop is SHUTDOWN, then startup laptop. The new 2021 MacBook Pro starts up automatically by connecting the power supply when the screen is open, or by opening the screen if it is closed. Once the Apple logo appears, then the screen can be closed and the remainder of the startup will proceed through the external monitor using the external keyboard/trackpad/mouse (note that you may need to press the external spacebar and/or click the external trackpad/mouse a few times to establish a Bluetooth connection for login). Alternatively, you can leave the laptop screen open and complete startup and login through the laptop, and then initiate clamshell mode simply by closing the screen.

- If the laptop is ASLEEP, then wake laptop. The new 2021 MacBook Pro wakes from sleep automatically by opening the screen, but if the screen is already open, then press the laptop’s spacebar to wake from sleep. Once the external display has been activated, then automatically initiate clamshell mode by closing the screen.

- If the laptop is AWAKE, then wait for the external display to activated. The new 2021 MacBook Pro automatically initiates clamshell mode by closing the screen.

Hope that helps, Chad
 
@Bearxor I've found performance in clamshell mode to be better than my Intel MacBook Pro (which would run fans almost incessantly with the display closed). It stays cool to the touch and when I have heard the fans they have been at a pretty low speed and volume compared to the Intel. The only downside so far I've found is the issue above - I'd love a way to power up the Mac without needing to open the lid.
 
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ruglet said:
I often use my MacBook Pro in clamshell mode connected over USB-C to an LG 4K display. On my old intel 16", turning on the display (and providing power to the MacBook Pro) would boot the Mac if it had been shut down. This was really useful as it meant I didn't need to take the Mac out it's stand and open the screen just to turn it on and put it back again.

My M1 Max MacBook Pro doesn't seem to do this - connecting a display or providing power over USB-C won't boot the Mac if it has been shutdown. Does anyone else with the same kind of setup find the same thing?...
Click to expand...
I just noticed this on my M1 Max MacBook Pro 16 in clamshell mode connected via Thunderbolt to a 27" LG 5K display and using an external keyboard. It seems impossible to boot the machine in clamshell mode by any action from the display or Apple Magic Keyboard.

You can reboot it, or awaken it from sleep but your question was specifically about *booting* the machine from a shutdown state in clamshell mode *without* walking around, removing the machine from a stand and opening the top. I don't think that is possible.
 
Yeah I’ve been running mine for a month or so in a stand and there’s no way to turn it on.

But I just leave it in sleep mode most of the time and the performance difference from the 16” i9 MBP I had is so incredible that if this is the sacrifice I have to make then I’m willing to accept it at this point.
 
Yes - to get around this, I just always set it to sleep when done rather than shut it down. Occasionally (maybe every 1-2 weeks depending on when it might be helpful to), I restart the computer.

While I did this even with my previous Intel MBPs, I really think these M1-based Macs can be treated like your iPhone in this sense. When do you ever shut iPhones down? Basically never. I think ok to do the same with the new MBPs.
 
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Same question here, would love to see my 14 inch macbook booting with closed lid when attached to the usb-c power supply/displayport cable like my intel macs did.
 
I have a 2019 Intel MacBook Pro 16”, 2020 M1 MacBook Pro 13” and a 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16”. I, too, was spoiled by Intel MacBook Pros being able to be powered on in clamshell mode when plugged into an external display via Thunderbolt or USB-C with PD. I took videos and how it worked on my Intel MacBook Pro and didn’t work on my two Apple Silicone MacBook Pros and opened a case with Apple Support. It got escalated to Engineering and they came back and said that the Intel chipset enabled that functionality and the Apple Silicone chipsets do not. Obviously, they wouldn’t say if that behavior would change but at least we got an answer that it’s simply not supported on Apple Silicone at the moment. Here’s to hoping they change that in the very near future.
 
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Thanks for the update. In general that should be a question of how the firmware handles this hardware event, so its hopefully not a hardwired thing.
 
Christopher Kim said:
Yes - to get around this, I just always set it to sleep when done rather than shut it down. Occasionally (maybe every 1-2 weeks depending on when it might be helpful to), I restart the computer.

While I did this even with my previous Intel MBPs, I really think these M1-based Macs can be treated like your iPhone in this sense. When do you ever shut iPhones down? Basically never. I think ok to do the same with the new MBPs.
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This is what I do. Let it go to sleep, and then when I hit the mouse or keyboard or get near it with my Apple Watch, it wakes up and unlocks.
 
I haven't had an issue yet. The new external keyboard with touch ID is insanely responsive and quick to boot up from sleep, I'm currently using HDMI to a TV for an external display.
 
I thought you were not supposed to shut down Macs regularly? They're meant to go to sleep when not needed. There's nothing to be gained by shutting them down unlike older Windows OS systems.

I read the advice was maybe shut them down/restart once every few weeks.
 
OW22 said:
I thought you were not supposed to shut down Macs regularly? They're meant to go to sleep when not needed. There's nothing to be gained by shutting them down unlike older Windows OS systems.

I read the advice was maybe shut them down/restart once every few weeks.
Click to expand...
I don't think it's so much that you're not supposed to, so much as you don't need to. I feel like it's kind of a trade off. Booting up fresh every time is going to put some extra wear and tear on your hard drive, and keeping everything loaded up but in sleep mode is going to suck down some battery while not in use.

I don't think either of these issues are nearly as important as they were with Intel Macs and non-SSD hard drives though.
 
spiderman0616 said:
I don't think it's so much that you're not supposed to, so much as you don't need to. I feel like it's kind of a trade off. Booting up fresh every time is going to put some extra wear and tear on your hard drive, and keeping everything loaded up but in sleep mode is going to suck down some battery while not in use.

I don't think either of these issues are nearly as important as they were with Intel Macs and non-SSD hard drives though.
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I did this with my 2019 and honestly believe its the main cause of the issues I had. So I'm going to be shutting down this new one this time around.
 
dreinidaho said:
I have a 2019 Intel MacBook Pro 16”, 2020 M1 MacBook Pro 13” and a 2021 M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16”. I, too, was spoiled by Intel MacBook Pros being able to be powered on in clamshell mode when plugged into an external display via Thunderbolt or USB-C with PD. I took videos and how it worked on my Intel MacBook Pro and didn’t work on my two Apple Silicone MacBook Pros and opened a case with Apple Support. It got escalated to Engineering and they came back and said that the Intel chipset enabled that functionality and the Apple Silicone chipsets do not. Obviously, they wouldn’t say if that behavior would change but at least we got an answer that it’s simply not supported on Apple Silicone at the moment. Here’s to hoping they change that in the very near future.
Click to expand...
It would be nice if Apple brought this feature back on the next generation of the processor.
 
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Third thread I've seen in a month (including one by me) asking for the fundamental basic feature to be implemented whereby our Macs will automatically switch on and boot when receiving power, without having to lift the lid (laptop) or otherwise press some obscurely-placed power button (Mini / Studio). A million and one (actually, understatement) Windows devices do this, especially those running an embedded version in the background, like ATMs and point of sale machines. For all I love Macs, lack of this basic feature restricts their usability in many environments unless you can get away with having the scheduling assistant turn the machines off and on at a known-in-advance consistent time.

I can think of various use cases where you would just want to power up a bulkload of machines at once, have them automatically boot into their OS and launch into predetermined apps. There's numerous reasons why Windows machines are commonly chosen for those kind of use cases, and this is certainly a major one.
 
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I doubt it. I think it’s a feature available in TB4 but has to be implemented in software.
 
I recently bought a MBP 14” and a powered docking station. Since it had a power button on it, I thought it would turn machine on. It appears that I am incorrect.
 
Hi there! I recently bought a MacBook Air M1, and I quickly bought all the accessories so that I can use it in a desktop setup. I'm using a Caldigit TS3+ and a vertical Brydge dock just to keep my desktop tidy. The Brydge dock has two thunderbolt ports. One of them I connect to the TS3+ and the other to my acasis TBU405Pro NVME Enclosure. So my MacBook Air receives charging from the TS3+. All of my devices including the TS3 is connected to a Socket Distributor which I always just shut down when I finish work. My question is, could my MacBook be damaged if I turn off the socket distributor, therefore shutting down my TS3+? That means that the laptop is still on, but the docking station is being turned off which cuts off charging to the MacBook. I did this once and my MacBook was off straight away and I couldn't turn it on for minutes. I know it's a little bit off topic, but since I also use the Mac in clamshell mode in this case, it's actually related. I appreciate any answers in advance. (Thomas)
 
The bottom line is this, if you are in clamshell and you power off, you're F'd (thanks Apple)

You must remove it and open it to start up. It's hogwash from Apple designers that don't use these things.
I'm not asking, I'm letting you know. That said, I do use sleep mostly. Just remember you will need to remove from stand and open if you power off in clamshell.
 
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