Annoying behavior with the M1 Max 16" in clamshell mode and connected monitors

[harshw]

[Update]: The problems are worse. I've turned off the display beep sound so that it does not annoy me any more - but there more problems after the M1 eventually goes to sleep. What is equally bad, if not worse, is that after the Mac M1 sleeps - could be anywhere from a few hours - it does NOT turn the monitors ON after waking up.

I have a 2016 MBP and it sleeps properly and turns the monitors on when it wakes up. But the 2021 M1 Max endlessly "unlocks" (I can see notifications on my Apple Watch) in response to me mashing any connected keyboards or moving the mouse - but the monitors stay dark. I need to either open the laptop or power cycle the TS3 dock or disconnect the TB3 cable, wait 5 minutes and then reconnect it. Maybe I should have waited for the M2 laptops so that Apple could iron out all the issues - but this is ridiculous !


[Original Post]: Got my 16" M1 Max 2021 a few days ago. The laptop is connected to 2 x 27UL850 4K monitors via a CalDigit TS3 dock. One monitor is connected via TB3/USB-C and the other DisplayPort. The laptop is usually in clamshell mode. My previous Macbook Pro's both a 15" 2017 and a 2019 16" - when connected to the same dock, would sleep, the monitors would go into power saving mode and then wake up when I used the keyboard or mouse.

The new 2021 M1 Max goes to sleep, then after 5 minutes, it wakes up and in doing so - wakes up the connected monitors (with the display making that startup noise when it turns on) - this repeats ad nauseam and is annoying especially to the S.O. Neither the 2017 nor the 2019 MBPs exhibited this behavior. I've checked/enabled "Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off" and also turned off "Wake for network access" - neither setting seems to help

Has anyone had this problem? If so, how did you resolve it ?

 

[satcomer]

Check your programs! Some programs are designed to wake a computer to check for updates!

 

[harshw]

Check your programs! Some programs are designed to wake a computer to check for updates!

It’s very unlikely that they check every 5-10 minutes. And also - why did it not happen with the 2019 and 2017 MacBooks? I used migration assistant to transfer my data over so it’s not using any new programs. I don’t use that many applications and I’ve also tried it after quitting MS Office and Safari - it’s the same behavior. After sleeping for a little bit the machine wakes up every 10 mins … and wakes up all devices connected to it …

 

[haralds]

You could try disabling Wake for "Network Access".

 

[harshw]

You could try disabling Wake for "Network Access".

Yep - as outlined in the first post …

I've checked/enabled "Prevent your Mac from automatically sleeping when the display is off" and also turned off "Wake for network access" - neither setting seems to help

…tried with and without those settings ... no real change.

Other than the constant waking - the notebook is almost the perfect laptop. It really runs much cooler than the 2019 or 2017 MBPs - no fan noise audible even on long Zoom sessions or other programs.

 

[malcky77]

Would any kind of notifications trigger this effect.....like an email coming through, or a news feed you might get or perhaps even a text message if your phone is synced to the laptop???

I know it didn't happen before, but this could be a bug that needs ironed out perhaps?

 

[iscajal]

I'm seeing the same on my MBA connected to a LG 38" UW via TB3. Wakes up every random amount of minutes for a few seconds, triggering the backlight. I don't think it's notifications, none of my other devices trigger them at the same time (and there's nothing running on the MBA that would emit them).

Tried:
* Closing all running apps.
* Turned off "Allow notifications while display sleeps"
* Turned off "Wake for network access"
* Nothing in wake reasons/console.log to indicate this behaviour.

Sometimes, when I explicitly go Apple Icon -> Sleep, the behaviour doesn't manifest. But it doesn't feel reliable, and besides, is a nuisance.

It's been doing this ever since I got the device, on Big Sur and then Monterey.

 

[MajorFubar]

There was a guy on here with this same problem a couple of months ago, I said why not just turn off the monitor with the switch. He was using his monitor as a USB hub and didn't want to do that. But it seems to be the only answer.

 

[datboi]

Same problem on M1 16 Max with LG display connected to TS3 Plus dock.
Tried everything, nothing works. Only solution is to completly discconect laptop when not using it

 

[tommiy]

Been happening since Catalina. I run my MACs via a dock and a HDMI switch. If you leave the MAC connected to the dock at all, even when its sleeping, the HDMI switch detects a signal and auto switches. I tried to prove to Apple some time back with a comparison of 10.14 and 10.15 on the same machine (2017 MBP). Unfortunately not much interest. All of Catalina, BigSur and Monterey are now the same. Just need to unplug MBP because it does not play well with external devices. And yes, this happens with a 2017 MBP Catalina, M1 BigSur and a M1 Monterey but not a 2017 MBP running Mojave but 10.14.5. I think from memory the final patches to Mojave at 10.14.6 made it happen on that as well. Sorry its been some time ago for Mojave....but I do remember trying to sort out the odd behaviour. Now I just accept it as an Apple flaw and work around.

 

[JPack]

The problem didn't happen with the Intel-based models.

This is one of the most annoying things with M1. It's not dock or network related. USB-C monitors plugged directly into the computer experience this issue, both fresh out of the box.

 

[appleArticulate]

It's probably reconnecting to the USB hub.

 

[harshw]

There was a guy on here with this same problem a couple of months ago, I said why not just turn off the monitor with the switch. He was using his monitor as a USB hub and didn't want to do that. But it seems to be the only answer.

With the LG USB-C monitors, unless you switch them off from the mains, an active signal on the USB-C or DisplayPort input will switch the monitor on, even if it is 'off'. So you could say that for the LG monitors, the 'Power OFF' is actually 'Standby'

 

[MajorFubar]

Ah. That scuppers that idea then :-(

 

[ludmiloff]

It is an USBC / Dp issue. Try USB-C to HDMI instead.

 

[AppelGeenyus]

Same issue here 16" M1 Max with DP monitor via dock, did not happen on intel. It's an M1+MacOS issue.

 

[se1961]

I have the same problem, M1 Mac mini, usb-c DP monitor. Have read that HDMI doesn't have the same problem, but also that HDMI images are not as sharp. I seem to remember choosing DP over HDMI connection when I first got the computer for that reason. Driving me bonkers. My only solution has been to treat my monitor (not an LG) like a desk lamp and turn it off when not using ☹️

 

[DJLC]

I've found my 14" MBP (M1 Pro) will do this if I leave it open and try to put it to sleep with my two monitors and other desk stuff plugged in. But if I close the MacBook and THEN put it to sleep with everything plugged in, it works fine and stays asleep.

Weird, but whatever I guess. ??‍♂️ Keeps the cats off my keyboard anyway.

 

[harshw]

Have read that HDMI doesn't have the same problem, but also that HDMI images are not as sharp.

^^^
This. I don't know whether it is my Caldigit dock or the LG monitors or the Mac but I prefer the Display Port and USB-C outputs to the HDMI outputs

So either we choose to purchase USB-C to HDMI & Display Port to HDMI cables and accept weirdness in display quality OR then we live with the Mac constantly waking up the monitors

Now I just disconnect the TB3 cable that connects the Caldigit dock to the Mac - but I am afraid of wearing out the connector with the constant removals (it has happened before to my 2017 MBP)

 

[tommiy]

I am using HDMI and it happens on 2017 intel MBP and M1 2020 and M1 2021 Max. If you have a intel at 10.14.5 this does not occur. Intel on 10.14.6 it does happen. Happens on Catalina and Bigsur as well. I did have a bug raise with Apple way back at 10.14.6 but never ever got anything back from them.

 

[RabidMacFan]

It's probably related to Power Nap.
System Preferences > Battery > Power Adapter > Enable Power Nap while plugged into a power adapter

Turn this off and report back.

 

[tommiy]

Its been happening ever since 10.14.6. Its annoying to say the least. Its not related to Power Nap as that has been turned off all the way along. It still happens now on a M1 with 12.3.1. I still have a 2017 MBP with 10.4.5 and it does not exhibit the issue. All the configuration items are identical between 10.4.5 and 12.3.1 as much as possible. It even happens if the machine is closed and simply plugged in to the thunderbolt port. Just another annoying Apple built in feature that has continued for years now.

 

[reentec]

I also have the exact same problem since I switched from intel and it super annoying!
MacBook Pro 14" M1 Max - CalDigit TS3 - macOS Monterey 12.3.1 - DisplayPort connection to SAMSUNG LC49RG90.

 

[harshw]

Yeah it isnt related to Power Nap. And what's bad is that the M1 laptops are just plain horrible to use in clamshell mode, compared to the 2016 models. They either wake up intermittently and when they do go to sleep, they wake up in response to keyboard presses and mouse clicks - but will not turn the bloody monitors ON !!! WTH Apple ???

 

[RabidMacFan]

Yeah it isnt related to Power Nap. And what's bad is that the M1 laptops are just plain horrible to use in clamshell mode, compared to the 2016 models. They either wake up intermittently and when they do go to sleep, they wake up in response to keyboard presses and mouse clicks - but will not turn the bloody monitors ON !!! WTH Apple ???

it's only been a few days with my M1, but so far it's behaving better than my intel Mac in clamshell mode.