LG UltraFine 4K 22MD4KA will not work in 4K resolution

Question

LG UltraFine 4K 22MD4KA will not work in 4K resolution

MacBook Pro 15" w/ Catalina 10.15.1

I have tried a PRAM reset, installing the LG Screen Manager software and updating the LG's firmware, all to no avail. Several restarts, etc...

Further details:

I bought a used LG UltraFine 4K display in great condition. Tried it at the seller's house and it worked fine at full retina resolution. Now I am trying it out after it sat around for about 10 days and I can't get the resolution to go above 1080p when using the "Default for display" setting. 1920 x 1080 is the maximum within the "Scaled" options.

System Profiler tells me the following...

LG UltraFine:

Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (1080p FHD - Full High Definition)

UI Looks like: 1920 x 1080

Framebuffer Depth: 30-Bit Color (ARGB2101010)

Display Serial Number: 610NTRL05806

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: Supported

Automatically Adjust Brightness: No

Connection Type: DisplayPort

I am connected to the left upper Thunderbolt 3 port on the MacBook Pro with the original cable for the monitor. It is the only thing connected to the computer.

I tried connecting the monitor my iPad Pro Mid-2019, the image displayed but also maxed out at 1080p
I've tried the "Option" key approach to no avail. All it gives me is a "Detect Displays" button.
I tried installing the LG Screen Manager per LG's instructions, updating the display's firmware, disconnecting/reconnecting the monitor (as the app instructs after the firmware update), restarting the MacBook, etc, all with no success.

It seems like there are ongoing issues with this display per https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250514564 and many other threads re: the 5K version only working in 4K, etc.

Has anyone made any progress on this?

LG Screen Manager details as of today (after updating firmware):

MacBook Pro 15”, macOS 10.15

Posted on Nov 29, 2019 12:11 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Dec 3, 2019 6:37 AM in response to graysonstebbins

Hello graysonstebbins,

Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities. I can see from your message that you've done extensive troubleshooting to get your LG monitor working at its best.

Take a look at the information provided in this article to ensure that your MacBook Pro meets all the requirements: Use the 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K Display with your Mac or iPad Pro.

Your MacBook Pro stores settings in the NVRAM (nonvolatile random-access memory). One of the settings which is stored is display resolution. Reset the NVRAM following the steps in this article: Reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac. Also, don't hesitate to try another of the USB-C ports on your MacBook Pro.

If the issue persists after resetting the NVRAM, reach out to LG for further assistance with the update message you received in the LG Screen Manager.

All the best.

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Answer 2

Dec 3, 2019 6:04 PM in response to Joseph_S.

Thanks Joseph.

I tried another PRAM/NVRAM reset (and was sure to wait for the 2nd Apple logo as I have the T2 chip). Still no luck.
I have also tried every USB-C port available on my MacBook, making sure to "Detect Display" each time via the Display preferences.

:(

I will reach out to LG support and share this thread with them.

This is what I still see in About This Mac:

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Answer 3

Dec 3, 2019 8:16 PM in response to graysonstebbins

Cross posting to the thread I just started at LG: https://lgcommunity.us.com/discussion/8406/os-x-catalina-and-ultrafine-4k-22md4ka-wont-work-in-4k-limited-to-1080p/

And putting in my recommendation that both Apple and LG work together to look at a fix for this :)

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LG UltraFine 4K 22MD4KA will not work in 4K resolution

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