Some Users Having External Display Connection Issues With macOS Big Sur 11.1 and 11.2

[b656]

Yes. Ghosting + flickering happened to my new M1 Mac mini.
I am running 2x 4k Displays (HDMI & Thunderbolt)
Randomly fixed the issue by restarting serval times and unplug and replug the cable but... I don't know if it's going to come back or not. Not very assuring... 🙁

 

[adib]

Piling to the pile of issues:

My RTK UHD 4K 15.6” monitor doesn’t turn on when connected to a 2020 MacBook Pro 13” (Intel) through USB-C when the laptop is on battery power. However, plugging in power to the MacBook and then connecting the monitor through USB-C works.

In any case, connecting the monitor through HDMI using Apple’s USB-C Video connector works with the full 4K @ 60Hz resolution, even when both devices are on battery power. However the touch screen functionality couldn’t function through HDMI.

This was experienced in Big Sur 11.1 and 11.2.

Interestingly the same USB-C connection works with MacBook Pro 2018 15”, even on battery power. I suspect it’s because the 15” has discrete GPU whereas the 13” one doesn’t.

 

[bigdog5142]

I can confirm that I am having this issue as well. Here is my issue in more detail:

• I have a 34-inch 3440 x 1440 Ultrawide monitor connected to a Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock via Displayport to USB-C cable.
• Whenever I connect the Thunderbolt 3 USB-C (from the dock) to the USB-C cable into my M1 MBA, the monitor doesn't activate.
• The only solution that I found was to remove the USB-C to USB-C cable from my laptop, open the lid, and connect the cable again. At this point, the monitor is detected in macOS 11.2, and then I can close the lid again.

A little annoying, but I am not too flustered by this issue.

EXACT problem with the SAME hardware. I cannot get my MBP to wake up in clamshell. The only thing I can do is boot up or wake up when first connecting...THEN connect USB-C cable. Then it works fine for the rest of the day.

While it is frustrating...it's good to know that it's not a hardware issue on my end (monitor or Thunderbolt Dock).

 

[Feyl]

Can anybody tell me why Apple even bothers making Mac mini and support external monitors in macOS? Such a simple thing and they can’t get it working. I finally bought a 4K monitor to use it with the mini but I can’t. Well I can but the experience would suck hard.

For an optimal experience you have to get a 5K monitor to use it without scalling, which otherwise makes the screen blurry with a serious UI performance drop. I don’t have this issue with Windows no matter what monitor I’m using and how crappy old machine I’m using. I really wanted to buy the M1 mini but this is really bad.

 

[macduke]

I finally upgraded my 16" MBP to Big Sur last night. Figured by now it was probably safe. I usually upgrade in January or February every year.

Dammit.

At least my 5K iMac is on 11.1 and isn't having problems. I install it on one machine first to make sure it's good for a few weeks since I use these for work.

 

[elbolillo]

I have a 16” MacBook Pro connected to a BENQ PD 3220U. My solution to the issue is changing the monitor settings to use DP 1.2 instead of DP 1.4. Easy fix.

 

[mrr]

Yikes. I am glad I read this. I have a 2019 16” MBP MacOS 11.01 into an old DVI 20” Apple Cinema Display. Everything works fine. Can’t afford to have this mess up. Will have to wait.

 

[ksj1]

No issues with my mbp m1 and Samsung LF32TU87 connected via TB3. My TimeMachine drive is connected to the other TB3 interface on the monitor, and the monitor provides power to the mbp, so I still have an available TB3 interface

 

[Johnny907]

Well yeah, because in so many ways Big Sur is a huge piece of garbage. Apple needs to get serious about squashing bugs and getting back to “It just works” again.

 

[Clix Pix]

*cough* Intel *cough*

This thread is in an area/sub-forum which encompasses everybody, not just those with either Intel-based or MI-based machines, and along with the reports from people with MI machines, there are reports in the thread of people with Intel-based machines having issues, too.

Take a dose of cough syrup and you'll feel better very soon!

 

[amartinez1660]

The whole article plus a tiny sample of the user reported things:

It's not just M1 Macs. My 2016 MBP now will no longer charge since the update. It maintains the battery at 85% as long as I keep it plugged in, but it never charges. It also will not charge my iPhone or iPad now. External drives still work. Same on the Boot Camp side.

I have an issue too where True Tone flips on and off randomly on the external display. Only started happening recently.

I too have this issue. Very annoying.

makes me think what the actual heck... that update should be reverted. Isn’t this like worse than Catalina itself? I do have very minor annoyances with Catalina but nothing deal breaking like all the tb, usb, bluetooth, screen connection issues... charging?! that’s next level broken.

And the worst part is that the Software Update is always bugging me to go to Big Sur every single day, yeah right... not on a work critical desktop.

 

[Ramin83]

I thought something is wrong on my end, but my 2018 MacBook Pro 15 is having issues after upgrading to 11.2. I did a clean install to see if the problems go away, with no luck.

My bluetooth devices go missing and reappearing randomly. I have 6 different paired devices and apparently this happens when I am connected to 3 devices at the same time (keyboard, touchpad, AirPods). When connected, it constantly disconnect and reconnect as well.

Windows on bootcamp goes to the blue screen of death when my usb-c hub is connected.

Perhaps some firmware update issue?!

 

[brianjackson]

Ya, I discovered this as well. macOS Big Sur 11.2 update completely borks the SIIG HDMI to USB-C Port 4K Converter Adapter trick going to secondary LG Ultrafine monitor.

Resolution options completely wiped out. And no luck with SwitchResX.

I wasn't the only one with this setup (source), so I hope it gets resolved.

 

[lazyjj1]

DEFINITELY AN ISSUE, chiming in! M1 MBP + LG Ultrawide 5k2k

 

[Quu]

I am surprisingly to me also having this issue on my 16" Pro and it started with .1 and continues with .2.

I'm using a Display Port 4K 60Hz monitor through a Thunderbolt dock. I am getting intermittent black screens seemingly at random... I tried changing all the cables and other things thinking it was interference but seems not. I have this issue maybe 2-3 times in a 12 hour period.

 

[-DMN-]

Never buy a 1st gen Apple product. You’re a guinea pig, 18 months later and the next iteration will be damn near perfect.

 

[Ramin83]

Never buy a 1st gen Apple product. You’re a guinea pig, 18 months later and the next iteration will be damn near perfect.

Exactly. I learned my lesson in 2016 with then "new" MacBook Pro..

 

[shutterfreak]

I’m using a Benq EW3270U external display connected through USB-C to my 16” MBP. In case this is relevant, through the closest port to the left. I got 4k resolution when Big Sur came out, but I lost the 4k resolution after the 11.1 update.

Updating to 11.2 was nontrivial. I eventually had to boot in safe mode for the update to complete. Otherwise I kept downloading the update and the upgrade stuck at the “10 minutes remaining” when preparing the update.

For me the 11.2 update fixed my problem with the external display.

 

[cal6n]

I have a 16” MacBook Pro connected to a BENQ PD 3220U. My solution to the issue is changing the monitor settings to use DP 1.2 instead of DP 1.4. Easy fix.

Already done that with my PD2720U. It still wakes from sleep at the default 1080p resolution with only the upper left portion of my 1440p desktop.

 

[kull1ratzer]

Yesterday I installed macOS 11.2 on a MBP 16“ with an external monitor USB-C LG 32UD99-W.

After the installation of macOS 11.2 the ‚highest‘ resolution in the external monitor was only „1080p“ (1920 x 1080, 30 Hz) whereas before I used to use a resolution of 2880 x 1620, 60 Hz, or higher. The same problem plagued me already with 11.1 (and the last version that worked was 11.0.1).

From Apples support on Twitter I got the following tips for a "temporary" workaround:
a.) Reset the windowsever by removing a couple files. Please open Finder and from the menu bar select Go > Go To Folder to locate the following:
/Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist
~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.XXXXX.plist (not always there)
Note: "XXXXXX" in the example above represents a variable string of letters and numbers.
b.) Please move those files to the trash. Then restart and reset the NVRAM using the steps found here: https://s.apple.com/dE4l1d7i4H

Performing the two steps as advised I got more - sometimes all - missing resolutions (in System Preferences -> Display) ...

The chosen resolution is also keept after a sleep - awake cycle ...

But the clocking (Hz) still isn't correct (it's to low with only 26 Hz ...) and after a reboot I have to perform the mentioned two steps again ...

 

[hvfsl]

Never buy a 1st gen Apple product. You’re a guinea pig, 18 months later and the next iteration will be damn near perfect.

It's not a hardware issue, it is just a software one. All my monitors work fine in Windows (Boot Camp) and they worked fine in Catalina.

I am also seeing an extra issue with my setup though. I have 3 monitors plugged in and 1 of them no longer works with HDCP, which means I have to unplug it whenever I want to watch netflix etc. It worked fine under Catalina and works fine in Windows.

 

[-DMN-]

It's not a hardware issue, it is just a software one. All my monitors work fine in Windows (Boot Camp) and they worked fine in Catalina.

I am also seeing an extra issue with my setup though. I have 3 monitors plugged in and 1 of them no longer works with HDCP, which means I have to unplug it whenever I want to watch netflix etc. It worked fine under Catalina and works fine in Windows.

True, but the M1 silicon lineup is played with Bluetooth and lots of other issues.

 

[MattMJB0188]

On 11.2 I am unable to plug in my usb c to display port cable directly into one of the MacBook Pro m1’s ports. Despite unplugging and reconnecting I get nothing. Connect via HDMI through a dongle and it’s fine.

 

[JippaLippa]

I have a 4K PD2700U HDR (Funny enough, a model that has been famous for working well with Apple Hardware) and an old Eizo 1080p External Display.
Both connected to my M1 Mac Mini.

No matter how I arrange the connections, thing don't seem to work properly.
The PD2700 U only works correctly if connected via the HDMI output (and it still has massive HDR problems).
I'm testing it with a USB-C to Displayport 1.4 adapter and sometimes it is not detected and it always loses HDR functionality.

The Eizo no matter how I connect it to the mac, it still has an annoying flicker.
The display is fine, as it works flawlessly with my PC.

I really hope they'll fix these issues and I really do hope 11.3 will be released soon, as we waited quite a bit for 11.2

 

[Sidhoah9]

I have the 30hz problem too. MB Air M1, Benq EW3280U 4k using the monitor Benq supplied USB-C<>USB-C.
2019 MB Pro 15", no problem with 60hz 4k same monitor and cable.
USB-C to HDMI adapter on the M1 is also no problem.

Had this since 11.0 (base install with the Mac) and hoped it would be fixed in 11.1 and 11.2 updates. Also a support ticket with Apple with no progress.