External Monitor with Big Sur

I rang Apple - clamshell mode only works when you have power into the MacBook. In my case, I didn't - and got all the results everyone is talking about here. Try that:

Make sure your Mac has power. (Or monitor is supplying power to Mac)

RULE: Without power, clamshell mode with an external monitor does not work !

Beta Driver for macOS 11.1 Big Sur available!! (BEEN WORKING GREAT!!)

Below are step-by-step instructions including a link to download the driver. Here is a link to a pdf document for those who need a visual instruction guide.

macOS 11.1 installation steps:

1. Please disconnect your j5create device if it is connected before continuing on to the installation process.
2. Please click on the link below to download the driver install file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/149mqP-puHkgSqBl4BsxaVRESeuOjKKFa/view?usp=sharing
3. Open Finder, then select “Downloads”
4. Locate and double-click the file labeled as: “j5create_video_adapter_driver-3.3-2021-01-03.dmg”
5. Please select “10.15-11-v3.3-2021-01-03.pkg” file (This is the macOS 11 Display driver installer.)
6. Proceed through the installation process to completion, i.e select “continue”, “install”, and enter your password when prompted
7. You will be prompted that our driver will be blocked (Magic Control Technology Corporation) during the installation (Note: The installation might complete but do not restart until you allow the driver through)
8. Select the "Open System Preferences" button to take you to the "Security & Privacy" settings.
9. Under the "General" tab you will find a message at the bottom of the window that states "System software from developer “Magic Control Technology Corporation “ has been updated.......".
10. Make sure to unlock the padlock at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to make changes (enter admin password) and to select "Allow" next to the message mentioned above
11. Once this is completed, you will be prompted to restart your computer. A window will appear, please select "Not Now" and then click the driver installation window option "Restart" instead.
12. Connect your device to the Mac computer and your video cables to the display/monitor once the mac computer is back up. Also ensure that your display/monitor is on the correct video input as well.
13. A "USB DISPLAY DEVICE" notification will appear in the upper right corner of the system Please be sure to click on the icon and select “Allow”.
14. The "USB Display device" Application should also open automatically. If it does not appear, please find the application on the Mac computers dock or launchpad to access the app.
15. Next click on the "Activate USB Display Driver" button located at the bottom right-hand corner of the window.
16. You may be prompted to allow the application. If you are prompted, please select "open system preferences" and Under the "General" tab you will find a message at the bottom of the window that states "System software from application “USB Display Device” was blocked from loading.”
17. Make sure to unlock the padlock at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to make changes (enter admin password) and to select "Allow" next to the message mentioned above. (You should not have to restart your computer but please do if prompted)
18. An Authentication message may appear again, click "Open System Preferences" under the "Screen Recording" message, If this message does not appear, please reconnect the adapter. If the message still does not appear, ensure to check your Security & Privacy settings. Go to your Apple Icon > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > screen recording > Check if "DJTVirtualDisplayDriver" is there and has a checkmark next to it. Then disconnect and reconnect the device after.

Once these steps have been completed, you should now see the desktop background and the display should now be ready to use!

Beta Driver for macOS 11.1 Big Sur available!! (BEEN WORKING GREAT!!)

Below are step-by-step instructions including a link to download the driver. Here is a link to a pdf document for those who need a visual instruction guide.

macOS 11.1 installation steps:

1. Please disconnect your j5create device if it is connected before continuing on to the installation process.
2. Please click on the link below to download the driver install file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/149mqP-puHkgSqBl4BsxaVRESeuOjKKFa/view?usp=sharing
3. Open Finder, then select “Downloads”
4. Locate and double-click the file labeled as: “j5create_video_adapter_driver-3.3-2021-01-03.dmg”
5. Please select “10.15-11-v3.3-2021-01-03.pkg” file (This is the macOS 11 Display driver installer.)
6. Proceed through the installation process to completion, i.e select “continue”, “install”, and enter your password when prompted
7. You will be prompted that our driver will be blocked (Magic Control Technology Corporation) during the installation (Note: The installation might complete but do not restart until you allow the driver through)
8. Select the "Open System Preferences" button to take you to the "Security & Privacy" settings.
9. Under the "General" tab you will find a message at the bottom of the window that states "System software from developer “Magic Control Technology Corporation “ has been updated.......".
10. Make sure to unlock the padlock at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to make changes (enter admin password) and to select "Allow" next to the message mentioned above
11. Once this is completed, you will be prompted to restart your computer. A window will appear, please select "Not Now" and then click the driver installation window option "Restart" instead.
12. Connect your device to the Mac computer and your video cables to the display/monitor once the mac computer is back up. Also ensure that your display/monitor is on the correct video input as well.
13. A "USB DISPLAY DEVICE" notification will appear in the upper right corner of the system Please be sure to click on the icon and select “Allow”.
14. The "USB Display device" Application should also open automatically. If it does not appear, please find the application on the Mac computers dock or launchpad to access the app.
15. Next click on the "Activate USB Display Driver" button located at the bottom right-hand corner of the window.
16. You may be prompted to allow the application. If you are prompted, please select "open system preferences" and Under the "General" tab you will find a message at the bottom of the window that states "System software from application “USB Display Device” was blocked from loading.”
17. Make sure to unlock the padlock at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen to make changes (enter admin password) and to select "Allow" next to the message mentioned above. (You should not have to restart your computer but please do if prompted)
18. An Authentication message may appear again, click "Open System Preferences" under the "Screen Recording" message, If this message does not appear, please reconnect the adapter. If the message still does not appear, ensure to check your Security & Privacy settings. Go to your Apple Icon > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > screen recording > Check if "DJTVirtualDisplayDriver" is there and has a checkmark next to it. Then disconnect and reconnect the device after.

Once these steps have been completed, you should now see the desktop background and the display should now be ready to use!

I two have two external monitors with my MacBook Pro 2020.

All was fine with Catalina/Catastropha but since BigSur I have to make sure to fully boot with the MBP open until I get both screens fine.

Looks like there is a problem in detecting screens under Big Sur

I used to be able to turn my MBP on and immediately close the lid until HighSierra.

It would switch to the login prompt on the external monitors.

Not possible anymore Catalina/BigSur. You have to login on the built-in screen.

Now if you log into the builtin screen and close the lid right away, hoping that the MBP would then switch to your external screens you get scrambled screens like this one (attached picture)

If you go all the way: login, wait for full boot and all screens detected, then you can hopefully start working and close the lid if required.

Looks like Catastropha/BigSur delay screen detection to a later phase. That's why it also tends to reset background wallpapers now and then to the default one without retaining what you set.

Also do not use any kind of converters.

I have one USB-C/HDMI cable connected directly to the MBP (recommended) and one HDMI/HDMI cable hooked to a USB hub and this seems to work, but I got lucky.

Steve J

I'm having issues with both of my monitors which are no longer functioning after the upgrade with Big Sur (Sur is short for = SURPRISE). Apparently, the monitor adapters from j5create all need new drivers to function and their small company was not prepared or able to make make this type of change.

I contacted j5 support and their solution was to "downgrade my computer. to Catalina"

I contacted apple support and they informed me that no compatible monitor adapters exist so that I can be able to use both of my home office Dell U2415 monitors with my MacBook Air, which is thankfully compatible with the Big Sur.

My external Dell monitors no longer work following the Big Sur update. I'm using a j5create USB to Dual HDMI Adapter. The following is posted on their site:

"Attention macOS® 11 Big Sur users: j5create USB™ Display and USB™ Ethernet adapters are not currently compatible with macOS® Big Sur 11. To avoid loss of functionality with the j5create USB™ Display and USB™ Ethernet adapters, we advise all Mac® users to delay updating to macOS® Big Sur 11"

Obviously, I was not aware of this issue prior to updating.

Does anyone know if the Insignia adapter is compatible?

Nothing yet.

But for those of you who still can't detect external monitor, one last try could be to order a USB-C to HDMI (or DisplayPort) cable directly from Apple, not another brand saying it's compatible.

If that doesn't fix the problem, then you can return it for a refund and you would know that the issue is with Big Sur and not the cable. Because I suspect that Apple would reply they can't help you with unsupported hardware.

If it works though, then we know that there is something hardware-related and your issue is gone.

I remember that some Kindle eReaders didn't work with standard USB-A cables but did only with their original ones. Who knows about Apple?

Steve

Big Sur 11.2 still doesn't help. Still a total disaster

Just for history:

all versions up to High Sierra

It was possible to open a Macbook Pro to turn it on, then immediately close the lid.

Then the apple logo switched to the external monitor(s) as well as the login prompt

Then Catastropha arrived

You had to wait for the login prompt on the Macbook Pro built-in screen to be able to then close the lid and it would switch to external monitors. Closing the lid right away never brought you to the Apple Logo and the login prompt. Never.

Then Big Sur.

You have to wait for the entire process to end as it seems that the external monitors are detected very late. If you close the lid while the progress bar is still displayed you end up with scrambled screens and have to force a hard shut down and start over

FIX THE **** EXTERNAL MONITOR DETECTION AT BOOT TIME. You knew how to do this up to High Sierra !

This is crazy.

Big Sur renders the MacbookPro as a toy rather than a tool.

It's worse than that.

Even you wait for the login, when you close your screen the monitor simultaneously goes black. Then you wait 20 seconds and it appears; only to go away again after 10 seconds to black screen. Black screen for about a minute. Then another 10 seconds of screen time. As far as I can tell, it's an infinity loop. Just download Slurring 11.2.3 - maybe that will fix it?

This has always been the case. Clamshell without power always shut down.

You need a tool like Cafein to keep it open.

The external monitors problems has nothing to do with that. It's a Big Sur problem that started with Catalina, but not that painful.

All older versions than Catalina let you turn the MacbookPro on and immediately close the lid. Then external screens were detected right away and the computer booted to them, showing the Apple logo and then presenting the login screen.

This is not possible anymore.

In Catalina you have to keep the lid open until you have the login prompt. Once you type in the password you can close it. The prompt switches to the monitors.

In Big Sur, this doesn't work, you have to log in with the lid open and wait until it fully boots and shows on all screens before closing the Macbook lid

It's really screwed.

I have two external monitors and I place my Mac underneath them, at the center, using it as a desktop, and it's a pain to keep the lid open and try to see where the boot process is as I don't have room to open it. So i have to pull it out, turn it on, wait for all screen to show the background picture, close it, and then push it back under the screen. We're used to this kind of design non-sense on Windows laptops, not on Macs.

I have a Mac desktop running Catalina (it can't be updated anymore) - it's a 27" and I used to be able to use it as an external monitor with my MacBook Pro until yesterday. Connected with Apple's USB/USBC connector. The lid is open, I'm signed into both computers. Opening/closing the lid - doesn't seem to matter. Hubby's computer - same desktop, older MacBook - it's a 2014 air - his connects but he can't sign into the desktop for it to work.

I'm soooo frustrated and very upset with Apple. Big Sur needs to fall into the CA pacific ocean like the Hwy 1 in Big Sur did.

Still the same problem NOT FIXED in macOS 11.3

Come on Apple, are you Dell? Can't you fix this problems?

External monitors should be detected during the very early stages of the boot process.

One should be able to start the Macbook and immediately close the lid and still have our external monitors.

After hooking up my old LG monitor - which both my apple laptops recognize immediately, seeing that the quality is pretty much the same as the Apple Mac monitor; I have none of the CTRL-Command F2 BS problems I have with one older laptop and a different connection procedure for the newer laptop, the entire thing is ridiculous. I didn't have to buy any special connections to hook up the LG, either.

Macs are supposed to be integrated and comparable with each other - once they lose that, they will be like Windows.

So now I have two 2012 desktops - well it's been 9 years, I got my use out of them and they still work well. So not a huge loss. But still, Apple has been slipping the past few years IMHO. Not the same company since Jobs passed.

My external monitor (an ONN) wouldn't display after I updated to Big Sur on my 16" macbook pro.

How can do you downgrade the software update? My system worked fine before I updated to Big Sur. Now I can't find my external monitor. This makes working at home much more difficult using my MBA.