Studio Display Fans Running When Mac Asleep and Screen is Off

[danbalsh]

I've been trying to app 'Sleep Aid' to try and identify why my MacBook might be keeping the display powered up, and noticed Photos is pretty much doing something constantly... all of the red sections on image are the same.

Tried to Google this but nothing is coming up, is this 'normal' ? does anyone else have this?

 

[Johnf1285]

Eh. Looks like I stand corrected. Before I woke the connected Mac, the Studio Display was outputting some exhaust air. Everything appeared to be sleeping. What the heck is up with this? Apple, C'mon. Fix your stuff! Insert obligatory "this wouldn't happen if Steve Jobs was still here" line. And in all seriousness, it probably would not have, too!

 

[Johnf1285]

I just tested this again and put the Mac Studio to sleep. It went to sleep as expected and now the connected Studio Display appears to be fully asleep as well! I don’t feel any exhaust air and the screen is off. Not too sure what to make of any of this. Glad I have annual AppleCare on each, though.

 

[Johnf1285]

And another update: the Studio Display fan is running now after a few short minutes. Hmmm. But now it seems to have stopped. I… don’t know what to think anymore!

 

[danbalsh]

I think it’s just bad internal software can’t see any reason for fans to run when the Max connected is fully charged

 

[Matt Leaf]

I have this issue with a MacBook attached. I can hear the fans running in the display after putting the Mac to sleep. I can only assume it’s because the Display charges the Mac over Thunderbolt, so the fans keep the display cool while it provides power? Hard to say if it should/is charging or not while sleeping though. I’ve taken to disconnecting the Thunderbolt cable at the end of every session, which sucks a bit.

 

[xraydoc]

I have two Studio Displays connected to my 14" MBP. I've yet to notice the fans come on. When plugged in, the laptop is set not to sleep (I want my email filters to keep running) but the displays are set to sleep.

 

[zorinlynx]

I got tired of my Studio Display remaining powered even when my Macbook was not connected, to I picked up one of these:

Cable Matters [ETL Listed] 3 Pack Grounded Outlet with ON Off Switch, Single Outlet Switch ON Off/Plug Switch in Black

Cable Matters [ETL Listed] 3 Pack Grounded Outlet with ON Off Switch, Single Outlet Switch ON Off/Plug Switch in Black

www.amazon.com

Luckily my ASD is plugged in under my desk to a mounted power strip. With a quick flick of the switch, it is unpowered. Why should I keep my entire USB device tree that's plugged into the ASD powered up when neither myself nor my Macbook are home?

Just recommending this if anyone is tired of the ASD sitting there consuming power when you're not there.

 

[bluesteel]

A few weeks ago I bought two new Apple Studio Displays to use with a 16" M1 Max MBP in clamshell mode. I noticed the fans were running in both Studio Displays one morning before I woke the MBP up for the start of the day. Both displays and Mac were ice cold, yet both fans in both displays were blowing air out the top. Didn't seem right. I monitored the issue for a few days and noticed that the fans actually run 24/7 when connected to my sleeping Mac.

I called Apple tech support, but they weren't aware of an issue. They suggested I take the displays to an Apple Store to have them looked at. When I read there were others having the same issue going back to March and April but the issue wasn't addressed by Apple yet, I just decided to return both displays altogether. It does seem like something that is fixable through a software update, but then why hasn't anything been done yet? Maybe Apple intends the fans to work as they do, I don't know. Doesn't make sense if they do, though. Its more dust and wear on the fans.

 

[danbalsh]

My only theory, is that they run the fans 24x7 to cool the charging stuff that’s inside.

It’s annoying!

 

[bluesteel]

My only theory, is that they run the fans 24x7 to cool the charging stuff that’s inside.

It’s annoying!

Sounds like a good theory. For the price, I knew it would annoy me too which is why I returned while I still could.

 

[spinner.7580]

I wasn't aware of this as an issue with my Studio Display and Mac Studio Max.

So, I put the system to sleep and confirmed that the fans in both the Mac Studio (Ventura 13.1) and Studio Display run silently.

Serendipitously, I went to Settings - Display - Advanced - unchecked Energy 'Prevent automatic sleeping when the display is off'

After I unchecked it and put the system to sleep the fans do not run.

The only thing of note; I use the extended keyboard with Touch ID to wake the system.

Prior to unchecking above, the system would sleep with fans running and wake in a split second using Touch ID. After unchecking above the fans do not run during sleep and the system wakes in a couple of seconds using Touch ID.

 

[AlexKananchuk]

Hi everyone! Just turn off the "ask Hey Siri" option in Mac settings and fans will be turned off in the sleep mode. BTW if this option is turned on, you can say "hey Siri" when the computer sleeps and start to speak with Siri immediately.

 

[kattam]

Unfortunately both solutions do not work for me with Sonoma 14.3.
Siri was already turned off. Prevent sleeping when the display is off is also already unchecked.
Bluetooth is also off. I unplug my keyboard everytime I put my mac mini to sleep. Why is it so annoying?

 

[Egregius]

Did you find a solution for this? I recently added a Studio Display to my 27" iMac and find that the fans always turn and the display consumes 15W all day while doing nothing but blowing.
In the beginning it was even after shutting down my iMac. Yesterday I went to a repair center and they did a software reset. Since that the display shuts down completely when I shutdown my iMac but it still keep blowing when my iMac is at sleep.

 

[kattam]

Did you find a solution for this? I recently added a Studio Display to my 27" iMac and find that the fans always turn and the display consumes 15W all day while doing nothing but blowing.
In the beginning it was even after shutting down my iMac. Yesterday I went to a repair center and they did a software reset. Since that the display shuts down completely when I shutdown my iMac but it still keep blowing when my iMac is at sleep.

Sadly, no. What happens when you unplug the Thunderbolt cable from your iMac? Do the fans stop then?

 

[Egregius]

Yes, almost instantly and power consumption drops to < 1W.

Also after a shutdown they stop. But not when sleeping.
Also tested with my Macbook Air and it's exactly the same.

 

[kattam]

Yes, almost instantly and power consumption drops to < 1W.

Also after a shutdown they stop. But not when sleeping.
Also tested with my Macbook Air and it's exactly the same.

I find this behavior of the Studio Display really strange and it annoys the heck out of me. I‘m already past my warranty as this is an issue I have noticed quite late.

 

[Egregius]

Mine is 1 month old, to late for returning 😥

 

[Calbear88]

I had purchased a switch so I can use my Apple Studio display with my 2020 Retina iMac and also with my M1 Macbook Air without having to unplug the cable each time. As a side benefit, when I put my iMac to sleep, in order to turn off the fan/power to the Studio display, I push the button on the switch so it switches input to position #2. Since there is nothing connected to #2 most of the time, it allows the studio display to fully power off. One caveat is that it works with the two usb-c cables supplied with the switch, but not with a thunderbolt cable.

It isn't a fix for the issue, but it does allow me to power off the studio supply with the push of a button.

USB C Switch Selector, 2 in 1 Output 8K 60Hz HD Type C Bi Direction Switcher Splitter for Monitor, One Switch, Power Indicator

Specification: Item Type: USB C Switcher Material: ABS Switching Mode: Key Switch Speed: Support USB3.1 Cen2 10Gbps/S Data Bi Directional Resolution: Support 8K HD Display Charging: Support PD Protocol 100W Fast Charging, Maximum Support 20V 5A How to Use: Plug and Play Package List: 1 x USB C...

www.amazon.com

 

[danbalsh]

I just learned to live with it, still frustrating tho.

 

[Egregius]

I'm gonna keep stalking them until it's fixed. I didn't pay € 2239 for a faulty screen.

 

[kattam]

I'm gonna keep stalking them until it's fixed. I didn't pay € 2239 for a faulty screen.

I've just got a notification by this thread I was watching as well. There's an utility app called Sleep Aid that I'm currently testing right now. Maybe this can help identify what exactly is waking the Mac and therefore the Display and if this app can actually keep the Mac in sleep.

 

[Egregius]

I know that app. But the maintenance wakes of the iMac have nothing to do with the Studio Display not sleeping at all. When I shutdown my iMac the display sleeps instantly and never wakes (power consumption <1W). If I put my iMac in sleep the display continuously consumes 12-15W energy.

I had a call with Apple Support yesterday. They told me that the problem is unknown to them. She also found lots of posts on the net but said that if people don’t contact them directly they can’t do anything about it.
Didn’t had time enough yesterday to complete the call. Will continue today…

 

[kattam]

I know that app. But the maintenance wakes of the iMac have nothing to do with the Studio Display not sleeping at all. When I shutdown my iMac the display sleeps instantly and never wakes (power consumption <1W). If I put my iMac in sleep the display continuously consumes 12-15W energy.

I had a call with Apple Support yesterday. They told me that the problem is unknown to them. She also found lots of posts on the net but said that if people don’t contact them directly they can’t do anything about it.
Didn’t had time enough yesterday to complete the call. Will continue today…

I see. I assumed this is because of the maintenance wakes of the Mac. That they interfere with the Studio Display's slumber although the Display should not be affected at all by this. And I thought that maybe by "forcing" the Mac to sleep via Sleep Aid it could also help with the constant wakes and power consumption of the Display.

If we are already at it: Do you hear a very low ticking noise when you put your ear on the Studio Display's fan?