Clamshell mode not working

[jaze22]

I cannot get clamshell to work, can anyone please help? I have looked at macrumors/google/youtube for help but nothing has worked.

- M1 Macbook Air 16GB 1TB (Big Sur 11.5)
- connected via USB-C to an Acer XR382CQK monitor (power and display data over single usb-c)
- with an Apple Magic Wireless keyboard connected via bluetooth to the Macbook Air
- also tried using apple power supply connected at same time
- also tried amphetamine app

It doesn't matter whether the monitor is powering the laptop via usb-c or whether I also have the official power supply connected as well.

Even running an Amphetamine session it will not run in clamshell mode.

 

[jdb8167]

It's hard to tell sometimes if the laptop is awake but the screen is off. I generally use the caps lock LED to check. There is a very common problem with M1 Macs not waking displays properly and that is what you might be seeing. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of help I can give except to search out wake from sleep problems reported here and try the many suggested solutions.

Personally, I had some of those problems with my M1 MacBook Air early on but the latest macOS versions seem to have largely fixed the problems. Others are still complaining so it varies. A lot of reports say the solution is as simple as unplugging and replugging the display cable.

One solution for me early on was to get a Caldigit SOHO dock and use that connected to the display but that is redundant with your display since it already acts as a dock. One other solution that I've used in the past is to use a different Mac (in my case a Mac Pro) to connect over screen sharing to my M1 MBA. For whatever reason, this always woke my MBA and the display. Once the display was on, it would usually stay on. Like I said though, I no longer have these problems (mostly).

 

[jaze22]

I contacted Apple support today and tested everything with them, still no luck. Hopefully there will be something in the data capture which they are analysing.

 

[EugW]

There is a setting in the System Preferences under the Battery --> Power Adapter:

"Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off"

This will keep my 12" MacBook powered on if it's plugged into a power source (through my USB-C to USB-A + DisplayPort dongle).

 

[Mike Boreham]

I cannot get clamshell to work, can anyone please help? I have looked at macrumors/google/youtube for help but nothing has worked.

- M1 Macbook Air 16GB 1TB (Big Sur 11.5)
- connected via USB-C to an Acer XR382CQK monitor (power and display data over single usb-c)
- with an Apple Magic Wireless keyboard connected via bluetooth to the Macbook Air
- also tried using apple power supply connected at same time
- also tried amphetamine app

It doesn't matter whether the monitor is powering the laptop via usb-c or whether I also have the official power supply connected as well.

Even running an Amphetamine session it will not run in clamshell mode.

Rather old thread now so you may be sorted, but I occasionally find Clamshell doesn't work (screen goes black when I shut the M1 MBA, and does not wake up). In my case it has been because the keyboard has not completed pairing. Clamshell will not work without a functioning keyboard (and I think mouse). Before closing the lid check that the KB is actually working.

 

[jaze22]

It's still a problem. I took it to an apple store where they connected it to an LG monitor and clamshell worked. But it won't work with my Acer XR382CQK. Apple think it's a software problem, but no resolution yet.

 

[Significant1]

It's still a problem. I took it to an apple store where they connected it to an LG monitor and clamshell worked. But it won't work with my Acer XR382CQK. Apple think it's a software problem, but no resolution yet.

Just some thoughts:
- Does the monitor work when not in clamshell?
- Have you tried connecting your magic keyboard with cable and see if it can wake it?
- It shouldn't, but maybe changing the external monitor to primary will have an affect (https://osxdaily.com/2010/04/27/set-the-primary-display-mac/). Anyway I could imagine, you would prefer the external display to be the primary, I would.

 

[jaze22]

Monitor works:
- single USB-C (DP-Alt) when not in clamshell.
- HDMI in clamshell.

Monitor does not work:
- single USB-C (DP-Alt) in clamshell.

Had a few phone calls with Apple about it, tried lots of things, but nothing works. But it did work when I first got laptop in February before it's first OS update.

 

[Significant1]

Monitor works:
- single USB-C (DP-Alt) when not in clamshell.
- HDMI in clamshell.

Monitor does not work:
- single USB-C (DP-Alt) in clamshell.

Had a few phone calls with Apple about it, tried lots of things, but nothing works. But it did work when I first got laptop in February before it's first OS update.

Ok, so clamshell works with hdmi, but not display-port.

I have an old 2009 iMac that supports target display mode and that is also more mis than hit to get working through my usb-dock. Once I got it working, by deleting a device profile, reverting to default profile. But it didn't solve the problem permanently. I haven't used that setup lately, so not sure what status is. It seems Apple Silicon Support for external displayes could be a lot better.

 

[jaze22]

Today, my MacBook Air M1 no longer works with my Acer XR382CQK monitor via USB-C. Clamshell or lid open it won't work anymore.


The same USB-C cable plugged into my Windows 10 Desktop works perfect.

 

[dr.devious]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but my M1 MacBook Air and M1 Max MacBook Pro will not work in clamshell mode with the XR382CQK. Originally the MacBook Air did work just fine in clamshell with the monitor but now does not work. I tested my MBP on a Studio Display with both their thunderbolt cable and my USB C 3.1 cable at the Apple Store and it functioned fine in clamshell mode. So my assumption is that somehow a recent OS update seems to have impacted compatibility with the XR382CQK

 

[jaze22]

Yes, exactly the same thing here. When I first got the M1 Macbook Air it connected to the XR382CQK via USB-C in clamshell mode. After the first OS update clamshell stopped working. Since October 2021 my M1 Macbook Air has not been able to connect to the Acer XR382CQK via USB-C at all (clamshell or not clamshell). I am now running Big Sur 11.6.4 and still cannot get a signal to the XR382CQK via USB-C.

For all this time I have been using this to get a signal to the monitor: https://www.mokinglobal.com/product/usb-c-hub-5-in-1-21.html