VGA Monitor with a M1 MacBook Air

[Dave Braine]

Is anyone using a VGA external monitor with a M1 MacBook Air and Big Sur? If so, what adapter are you using for the connection?

I have a HDMI to VGA adapter via the HDMI slot on a Belkin hub. All I get is a black screen. The monitor appears in Sys Prefs>Displays. I can set the Arrangement, and the mouse slides off in the appropriate place and I can drag windows onto the external monitor, but the screen is black.

The monitor works fine with other Macs.

I'm after finding what others use before buying a different adapter.

 

[Amethyst1]

Plugable USB-C to VGA Adapter

The Plugable USB-C to VGA Adapter enables you to connect a VGA supported monitor, projector, or TV to their USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 compatible computer.

plugable.com

I don't have an M1 (sorry...) but that adapter is pretty “good”, so I'd give this one a try. It's an active one, meaning the computer just outputs a DisplayPort signal (via USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode) and the adapter handles the conversion to VGA.

What monitor do you have, i.e. is VGA your only option? And the Belkin hub plus HDMI-to-VGA adapter as you describe works fine with Intel Macs, correct?

 

[Dave Braine]

Thanks for that.

The monitor is an old Acer.

And the Belkin hub plus HDMI-to-VGA adapter as you describe works fine with Intel Macs, correct?

No idea. I don't have an Intel Mac to test it on. The monitor works with my old MBP and White MacBook.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Is anyone using a VGA external monitor with a M1 MacBook Air and Big Sur? If so, what adapter are you using for the connection?

I have a HDMI to VGA adapter via the HDMI slot on a Belkin hub. All I get is a black screen. The monitor appears in Sys Prefs>Displays. I can set the Arrangement, and the mouse slides off in the appropriate place and I can drag windows onto the external monitor, but the screen is black.

The monitor works fine with other Macs.

I'm after finding what others use before buying a different adapter.

Did you find an adapter that works for this?

 

[xraydoc]

Did you find an adapter that works for this?

USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter

USB-C VGA Multiport Adapter lets you connect your USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) enabled Mac to a VGA display, standard USB devices, and charging cables. Buy now at apple.com.

www.apple.com

 

[Dave Braine]

Did you find an adapter that works for this?

No. I eventually found that my MBA doesn't support the monitor's resolution.

 

[xraydoc]

No. I eventually found that my MBA doesn't support the monitor's resolution.

What resolution? Odd that it wouldn't support a standard VGA resolution and timing.