Macbook Air M1 not re-connecting to display when docked

[inkswamp]

Recently purchased the Satechi USB Type-C Slim 7-in-1 Multiport Adapter so I can use my Macbook Air M1 with an external display in clamshell mode. I have the Macbook connected with pass-through power and an HDMI cable running from the dock to the display. So far, not so great.

Trying to reconnect the Macbook to the dock and getting the image on the display is ridiculous. It seems to be largely a matter of dumb luck if and when it starts working. Ideally, I'd like to close the Macbook, plug the power in from the dock and then tap the keyboard to get an image on the display. No luck with it being that easy. I have to unplug/plug the power to the laptop repeatedly and re-open and close the lid multiple times. It usually takes several minutes before I somehow manage to get an image on the screen. Not seeing a clear pattern in my actions that causes it to work.

I have a week left to return the dock. I'm suspecting either it's not that good a product (despite many good reviews) OR that I'm doing something completely wrong. Open to both possibilities. Any feedback to help me sort this out is appreciated.

Totally open to recommendations for better products if this one is known to have problems with M1 Macs. Is anyone else out there doing this without problems? Let me know what your set up is please.

 

[Wackery]

It’s not the dock, the macbook just struggled to wake from sleep in clamshell mode

 

[w5jck]

I have the Satechi Aluminum USB-C Multiport Pro Adapter I bought from Apple. Similar setup in that it plugs into one of the USB-C ports on my MacBook Air M1. I have a wall charger plugged into the Satechi hub to power it and my MacBook Air M1 via PD. I have an HTML cable running from the hub to a Samsung monitor. I don’t use my MacBook Air M1 in clamshell mode though, I have the monitor setup as a second screen. When I awaken the MacBook Air M1 from sleep when its lid is open, it awakes fairly fast, but it takes a while (20 seconds or so) before the monitor awakens too.

You have to make sure all the cables are up to spec, otherwise the MacBook Air M1 can get finicky. The monitor might also be an issue depending on which model it is and whether it works well with M1 Macs. The charging USB-C cable has to be rated for PD or you will have issues.

 

[James3000]

Does it so this every time the MacBook sleeps?

For me, I only get these types of issues the first time I use the MacBook after a shutdown. I don’t get so many dock/external display issues with my Intel MacBook.

For M1 I usually do the following:

1. Open MacBook, turn it on.
2. Turn on monitor with the button (Off then on if necessary)
3. Keep Mac open and unplug then plug in dock.
4. Image usually appears on monitor now (Extended display for me)
5. Close lid and it automatically uses only the external display as the main display.

From this point if the MacBook sleeps it wakes up with the external keyboard as you would expect. Of course you need to make sure the MacBook is always powered or you’ll probably need to do the routine again.

In my experience the challenge is around the mix of M1, dock, display cable and monitor brand.

 

[w5jck]

I also find that a BT mouse connected to my MacBook Air M1 can wake it up by simply moving the mouse a bit. I actually switched to a dongle rather than BT to avoid accidental awakenings when I bumped the mouse by mistake.

One issue I do get with my MacBook Air M1 on wakeup is that the fingerprint reader sometimes won’t work and I have to type in my password. I suspect this is either yet another Apple bug or by design.

 

[inkswamp]

Does it so this every time the MacBook sleeps?

For me, I only get these types of issues the first time I use the MacBook after a shutdown. I don’t get so many dock/external display issues with my Intel MacBook.

It only seems to happen when I'm docking the Macbook. If the Macbook is already in clamshell mode and docked, I can wake it up and put it to sleep without issue. It's only if I've removed it from the dock and am using it as a laptop and then close it and re-dock it. I'm unable to get the computer to show up on my display easily at that point. That's when the unplugging/plugging in and opening closing the laptop comes up. It's really frustrating. If it weren't for that, this would be a great set up.

 

[teknodude]

The external monitor issues are frustrating and I deal with it least once a day. For me, it's the waking from sleep to a blank screen whether clamshell or not. Unplug/plug usb-c port always solves it. It seems like you need to have the right combo of usb-c hub and monitor to have no displays issues.

 

[inkswamp]

So it sounds like Apple is the weak link here.