External USB Keyboard/mouse randomly stops working on New MacBook Air Early 2020 model running Catalina 10.15.4

There's an article by Gadgets 360 entitled "MacBook Pro, MacBook Air 2020 Models Plagued by USB Connectivity Issues, Some Users Report" dated June 19, 2020. They say the reports say that the USB 2.0 devices randomly disconnect via both hubs and adapters. They said that an Apple Community Specialist recommended reinstalling macOS to resolve the problem, but that Apple was yet to provide an official fix. They said they had reached out to Apple for a comment on the matter and would update their site when Apple responded. It is now October 2.

I took my 2020 13-inch two-port MBP into a nearby Apple Store for a repair to try and fix this connection problem. They wiped the OS and reinstalled a new one. But this wasn't able to resolve the problem.

The connectivity problem has gotten worse with time. My 2020 MBP now won't connect at all to my webcam either by hub or by C-port-to-USB adapter. (But my 2013 MBP can connect to it just fine.) My 2020 MBP stopped being able to connect to my external monitor (a 2018 Ben Q) via a hub - and then stopped being able to maintain a connection with it via a C-port-to HDMI cable. I changed the HDMI cable but this didn't help. (But my 2013 MBP can connect to the monitor just fine.) And my 2020 MBP apparently won't connect to my LaCie backup drive by direct connect (the LaCie connects directly to a C-port). Despite regularly plugging in the backup drive overnight, my MBP says it hasn't been backed up in 10 days.

So I called Apple and they said to ship it to them for repair and they sent me a box to ship it in.

Apple said that if this repair doesn't work, to arrange to send it in again for a third repair. They said that if the 3rd repair doesn't work either, then they will replace it or allow me to pay the difference and get a four-port MBP.

I've had this problem consistently over my last three MacBook Pro's - Thunderbolt 3 (or its implementation on Macbook Pros) just doesn't seem to be very good - I've tried multiple different (all very expensive) thunderbolt 3 docks to connect my two monitors, ethernet cable and (numerous different powered, high quality, expensive USB hubs) - I think it's pretty scandalous really that the most basic, simple functionality like CONNECTING PERIPHERALS doesn't work, and hasn't worked on MacBook pro computers for years. Pretty disgusted with apple's noncommittal response to this issue

Even though this sounds a minor issue to many, as someone who has to use an external mouse with other lot of peripheries in regular basis, I could not bare the trouble. Finally I sold my MacBook Pro 2020. Awaiting until Apple releases a Mac with their own silicon!

Hi guys,

I'm using MBP 14,2 (13" 2017, 4TB3) and I'm using usb-c hub to connect the logitech MK235 dongle.. first, it didn't response with anything its understandable because this MK235 didn't design for macOS, so I download option from logitech webisite... installl it and it did connect but disconnect interminently, and the weird part is the connectivity only reach 1 meter, when I move away from the laptop the connection lost...

then I search the web and found an article that says USB 3 fast data transfer did generate interference with wireless devices.. so I plug in an extension cable to the usb-c hub and at the other end of the extension cable I plugged in my MK235 dongle... now its working flawlessly....

I'm typing this with the new MK235 keyboard..

hope this can help others that faces the same problems...

I just got my 2020 13-inch two-port MacBook Pro back from its second attempted repair at Apple. Apple said they could find no connection issues with the laptop.

It still won’t maintain a connection to my monitor via a hub. The signal to the monitor keeps blacking out for a few seconds over and over again - every couple of minutes.

I called Apple Support and asked them to watch it via my iPhone and they could do that and saw the problem.

They said that the issue is that the monitor has a refresh rate of 60 Hz but that the Satechi hub that I bought from Apple in May only has a refresh rate of 30 Hz, and they think that must be the problem.

They then tried to find a multi-port hub that would support a 4K monitor with 60 Hz refresh rate that would be compatible with the two-port MacBook Pro - and couldn’t find one.

The closest they came was a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter that Apple sells - but it only lists being compatible with the four-port 2020 MacBookPro, not the two-port.

I told them that it was Apple’s responsibility, since they were marketing the two-port 2020 laptop as a “pro” model, to make sure that there was a hub that would connect it to a monitor with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, especially to a 2019 monitor with a refresh rate of 60Hz.

They said well it would connect to the monitor if I didn’t use a hub but connected it directly via an adapter. But I told them that since there were only two ports, and the other port was needed for the power supply, then I wouldn’t be able to use a webcam or any other peripheral - not even a memory stick. And that I couldn’t think of any professional who only used an external monitor and no other peripheral.

They said if I went without the power cord, it could support two peripherals. I asked them for how long could it do this if you were at a Zoom meeting. And how reasonable did they think that answer was.

 And I have no real idea of whether the refresh rate of the monitor is actually what’s causing the connection issue. Or whether this is yet another rabbit trail. I've been trying to solve this problem since I bought the laptop in May 2020.

I've done more types of restarts and resets than I can remember, all the software updates, replaced the hub, the HDMI cable, the external monitor, and my backup drive, sent it in to Apple repair twice, called Apple Support 8 times, called the makers of both hubs, both monitors, and the backup drive.

Just bought a MacBook Pro 13.5". I'm no computer genius. I have a hub plugged into one of the ports. External monitor and keyboard are working well and there are no hesitations. I hope to not experience the same issues others are having with things shutting down. What brings me to this forum is that my external mouse is continually hesitating. It's very frustrating. I have no idea how to fix.

I gave up on using my Logitech mouse with my 2020 MBP because it would lose control of the mouse several times a day. I got a new Magic Mouse, and the connectivity is always good with it.

My 13-inch two-port 2020 MBP is finally connecting with my external monitor via the Belkin 4K 60Hz adapter. That takes one of the two ports. I am feeding the power cord for the MBP into a Satechi hub I bought from Apple. I have my webcam (which I bought in May 2020) plugged into that hub, but sometimes the webcam signal just quits; it also quits using the C-port-to-USB adapter I bought from Apple.

There have been many reports of the 2020 MBPs not connecting well with USB 2.0 devices. Logitech has come out with a USB 3.0 webcam - the Brio Ultra HD Pro Webcam - fairly expensive. I ordered it and hope it does the trick. There's a USB-C port on the Satechi hub.

I'm teaching online, so I need peripherals that work.

i wonder if my issue is the same.

At random times my Logitech G700s mouse would freeze for 1-10 seconds and then return. I tried several usb hubs to no avail.

I've recently looked ant the system log and noticed that each time this happens i get the following log events :

MacBook-Pro xpcproxy[6210]: libcoreservices: _dirhelper_userdir: 557: bootstrap_look_up returned (ipc/send) invalid destination port

Can someone confirm they get these messages when the mouse freezes ?

BTW - my keyboard does not freeze and it's also usb 2 and it's connected via same HUB.

Very similar situation been happening for several months, possibly years - you know how you just 'work-around' the problem....

2014 MBP - (16GB i7 etc), Apple display on thunderbolt from MBP. Generally operate in clamshell mode. Apple magic mouse 1 and original keyboard (both from a 2009 iMac!). Gamer mouse, USB3 hub connected to a USB port on the apple display - it doesn't matter about the make/model of hub or mouse as this has happened with several makes - Microsoft, Razer, Corsair, ET, el cheapo etc, bluetooth, dongle, USB corded.

The mouse stops moving. I notice it most when waking the MBP but it has happened whilst I have been moving the mouse, so it will wake, move then stop moving.

I am able to get it working again by changing the USB port that the mouse is connected to, or switching between BT, dongle or USB which is the only reason I put up with it for so long. Sometimes I have to change ports twice.

It happens when I plug into the USB on the MBP directly. It happens when the hub is connected to the MBP directly. It happens when on bluetooth. It happens when on the dongle.

It never happens to the Apple keyboard or the Apple mouse (both bluetooth of course) - these always work fine.

I am always on the latest software so currently Big Sur, happened with the last 2-3 versions of macOS.

I have a 13-inch two-port MBP

You have to use a bluetooth magic mouse.

The ports on the 2020 won't connect to most devices. Believe me I've been through many devices, and so have many, many other people.

I've taken mine in for repair thinking there muse be something wrong with the ports. I've shown them videos in live time showing the intermittent connectivity. But Apple says that when they test it, it works just fine - and that, they say, solves the problem for them.

I have the same issue and Apple is too stupid to acknowledge and understand what to do. My Mac Mini was working perfectly a couple of weeks only and then suddenly one day the keyboard and mouse would work intermittently. I even purchased a different keyboard but it did the same thing and AirPlay doesn’t work properly either. I can mirror the Mac to my smart TV but the mouse and keyboard do not work on it. Apple changed my OS wall and motherboard and did a reset and the same thing still happens and I’ve been complaining about this since May 2020 and every time I contact Apple Support I have to explain the same thing over and over again because they do not know how to communicate and document cases properly. They have the worst customer service ever and make it next to impossible to escalate your complaints. They sold me a defective product and will not own up to it. They stole from me!!!

I have gone to the Apple store about 10 times during this pandemic becauese they keep putting me in this situation. They have ripped me off and they don’t know what they are doing. This back and forth increases the odds of me getting Covid and dying. My life and family’s life is in jeopardy. I just wanted a reliable computer so I could work from home and they have not done so and then I had to get another computer on top of that because the Mac mini was sold to me broken.

Like you, I would get a device and it would work a couple of weeks, and then suddenly start working intermittently. Here's what I've found (through much expensive trial and error on my part):

My 2020 MBP will only connect to a bluetooth Apple Magic Mouse (and even then sometimes I have to restart the laptop or the mouse on occasion). It connects to my (old) bluetooth Magic Keyboard most of the time - but it's difficult when the pairing is lost to get it to re-pair again. I've gotten a new bluetooth Magic Keyboard, but haven't tried it out yet (not anxious to find out if it will give me trouble too.)

From what I've read on several sites, the 2020 MBP doesn't maintain connection with USB plug-in mice and keyboards - and especially so if they are USB-2 devices.

My 2020 MBP would not maintain connection with my external monitor, and not with my webcam (which I bought this summer) either. When Logitech released a dedicated USB-3 webcam this fall, I bought it, and it's been working well (Brio Ultra HD Pro). I had to get a new external monitor and went through 4 different connectors before I found one that would maintain connection (a Belkin 4 K 60 Hz HDMI to C-port adapter).

I have never had a problem with an Apple product before, but now the web is full of people with problems. I thought it was just with the laptops, but from you Iearn it's the Mini too. So is this a software problem? A hardware that no software can handle problem? It looks like it's a problem that the people at Apple Support are left to handle as best they can, I guess in the dark with no support from Apple itself on what the problem actually is.

I took my laptop in twice to be wiped and have its OS re-installed; having to stand in long line-ups, beside the de regueur anti-maskers, waiting to get into the store. They said there was no problem, the laptop was working well so no refund.

At first they said it was a hardware issue so they changed the OS wall. After when it was not working they said it was software so they reset it completely. After that, they changed the motherboard because they decided it was a hardware issue again. Now, I am waiting to go in again and listen to their lies and excuses. I had other issues that I did not mention. The computer was excessively slow to the point that it would load for about 1 minute after any action I would take. E.g. click a document to open wait a minute, right click to rename a document wait a minute, etc.

Since getting my computer back last week I have not installed anything on it so there are no third-party applications that would be causing this problem. They tend to use that as an excuse for computer problems. One thing that Apple loves to do is use anything you say against you as being the cause of the issue. When I picked up my computer I realized that they removed the extra 8 GB of memory I purchased. When I called to explain that they stole my memory they obnoxiously said that is the reason my computer is having those problems. That is very frustrating to hear because clearly that is not the case when this has been an issue since I purchased this defective computer.

I don’t believe there is such a thing as Apple Support. I do not get any help from anybody. All they say is I’m sorry to hear that and pass me around and make up lies and excuses.

This is happening to me aswell. I also restored from a Time Machine backup.

Link to my question.