I am thinking about getting a new M1 Mac Mini to replace an older 2013 iMac. I also have a 2 27 inch Thunderbolt display. My question is can I use both the Thunderbolt displays with the following setup:
Mac Mini -> Apple Thunderbolt 3 to 2 Adapter -> Thunderbolt Display 1 -> Thunderbolt Display 2
So basically daisy chain the Thunderbolt displays by plugging 1 into the other. Nothing I read says I cannot do this but want to double check.
You can hook up one thunderbolt 2 monitor with converter to a M1 Mini period.
you can’t run an additional display VIA Thunderbolt from an M1 regardless of it being Apple or not.
M1 only accepts one Thunder Bolt 3 6k max and another HDMI 4K max.
Thunderbolt evolved out of Firewire. So initially it was seen as an improvement over USB. The TB1 spec allowed for a max throughput of 10gb/sec. The Thunderbolt display is TB1. It was released in 2011 with the initial Thunderbolt spec.
The adapters built into the cable as well as the port used the Mini Display Port (MDP) adapter, but a thunderbolt cable is not compatible with MDP cables, as Thunderbolt includes other protocols and different wiring.
For the most part TB2 cables work with TB1 devices, and the MDP connector was retained when TB2 was released in 2013.
When TB3 was released in 2015, apple changed the port to a USB-C connector. For this reason, to use your thunderbolt 1/2 device with current Apple computers that come withe the USB-C ports, you need an adapter to adapt the Thunderbolt MDP.
This is the Thunderbolt2 to 3 adapter I'm sure you've seen mentioned.
Previously, it was not a problem to daisy chain multiple Apple Thunderbolt displays with various mac laptops, imac's etc., but with the new M1 chip, the hardware/firmware apparently doesn't support more than 1 Thunderbolt display, so this thread is basically serving to point out this limitation to a lot of disappointed people. I have a Thunderbolt display myself, but only 1, so this is not a personal concern to me, as I always used it as a 2nd display with a macbook pro, but I understand that this engineering limitation is frustrating to a lot of people who were attracted to the advertised price/performance benefit of the M1 based mini.
What does work with the m1 mini's, is to use a thunderbolt display and an hdmi display so that's a viable path to have 2 displays, and one I am considering. My biggest issue with purchasing an M1 mini is that apple is upcharging $200 to go from 256gb SSD to a 512gb SSD, as I know that 256g isn't going to work for me, given what I do as a developer and occassional 4k video editor -- but that is another story.
I have two Apple 27" Thunderbolt Displays connected to my 2020 MacBook Air, Display 1 is plugged into the MBA via a Thunderbolt to USB-C (TB4) adapter and the second 27" TB Display is plugged into the first. As you would expect, that works fine.
Today, I received my M1 MacBook Air, 16GB/512GB. Same configuration as above but only 1 display works. However, hard drives plugged into the display work, USB and FIreWire 400. Haven't tried a TB hard drive yet. Ethernet is also working. From what I've read, the only thing that MIGHT work, is getting a USB-C dock, and and adapter to convert the 2nd TB display to HDMI. That should/might work, but I'm sure none of the USB/FW/EtherNet/TB ports on the 2nd display will work. It would be really interesting to hear Apple's justification for what seems like a backward step. I've been running the 2 TB displays off several MBAs for probably 6 or 7 years. Now the latest and greatest MBA doesn't support this. Don't really want to buy a new display. Hopefully, a solution comes along soon that will allow this to work and all the ports to work as always.
Share te video with us. Unfortunately, at this point all evidence point to the fact that 2 thunderbolt displays are not possible with any Big Sur update. I’d advise you to wait until more info on the subject is available. I shared a video back in this thread of Luke Miani who used an iMac display to convert it to hdmi input in order to work with the regular hdmi port on the mac mini, but the process involves some tinkering with aftermarket custom made component, which is not something I’d do with such expensive hardware. Best option is to use a regular HDMI or usb-c monitor as your second monitor and be done with it.
No, I plugged it all in, like I did with my intel MBA for the last 10 years, nothing happened on the second screen. So I'm down to the new MBA and the one 27" TB Display. Bummer, but I'll manage:)
I am mostly shocked that people are still shocked by this.
The M1 Macs *still* only allow a single Thunderbolt display. If you have a M1-MacMini, you also get one additional HDMI display.
OR - you can connect an external display adapter by way of USB-3 and get more displays.
So please, let's all relax and enjoy our M1 Macs. If one Thunderbolt display isn't enough for you, wait a few months and when the new M1+ or M2 Macs come out, you can get more displays.
The connection with a single 27 inch Thunderbolt display works great. The problem is, that you cannot connect two of them.
So the number of monitors seems to be hard-wired into the Mac minis. Of course, since the HDMI port is more limited than 
, your expansion options via the TB Display is limited (if that was part of your intent). You could try a Dock at macsales.com, among many others. eGPU-s are also not [yet] compatible.
There is further information via the link provided.
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-mini/connect-a-display-apd8e4fbbb97/mac
From Mac mini Essentials:
The Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and the HDMI 2.0 port both support video output, so you can connect an external display, a projector, or an HDTV.
I tried hooking up two monitors using DisplayPort over UCB-C while not using the built in HDMI port on my M1 Mac Mini and I could only get one monitor to work a time which seems to confirm the Apple spec that you can connect one monitor to the USB-C ports and one to the HDMI port. I can see reading the spec and wondering if it means that it is a limitation or a suggested setup of two monitors but it appears to be a limitation. That being said I have not tried daisy chaining Thunderbolt displays but it seems unlikely to me that it would be any different.
my ticket has been escalated to engineering to see if they have a work around. But it’s completely absurd that you can’t use two thunderbolt displays on the new M1. We have tried...
-Both old and new Apple supported belkin HDMI - Lighting converters
-Also while doing this connecting the monitor into thunderbolt 3 port via Apple lighting 2-3 converter
there seems to be no work around so far the tech spec only indicates the HDMI out can only convert DVI or straight connection. This is truly a horrible situation, my 2014 iMac bridges perfectly off of the host computer.
This is me: 2020 Mac Mini M1. Thunderbolt daisy-chained to second Thunderbolt. Doesn't work.
Worked fine for years with 2012 Mac mini and two daisy-chained Thunderbolts...but then it didn't. Got new M1, still doesn't work.
This is so not cool. Own 2 perfectly fine Thunderbolt monitors and can only use one. M1 is going back to BB tomorrow.
I have bought the Mac Mini M1 and I have a Cinema Display and a Thunderbolt Display. I have them hooked up just fine thanx to this thread. To sum it up:
Apple Thunderbolt Display --> Apple Thunderbolt Display to USB-C adapter --> Mac Mini M1 = 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz 👍🏻
Apple Cinema Display --> Mini DP female to DP male adapter by Cable Matters --> Delock Adapter HDMI-A male to DisplayPort female 4K 60 Hz (hint, the sell directly from the website, just click Buy Now) ps, this one is active and need usb power --> Mac Mini M1 = 2560 x 1440 @ 60.00Hz 👍🏻
While waiting for the Cable Matters cable I found another solution myself since I didn't have the patience to wait. So this is a alternative solution that also worked 100%.
Apple Cinema Display --> Mini DP double female --> Mini DP to DP cable --> Delock Adapter HDMI-A male to DisplayPort female 4K 60 Hz
I think the solution that made the differnce was the Delock cable. It didn't work until I hooked up the usb cable that was in the box (didn't know what it was for). Now everything works 100% all the time.
Good luck!
Christian Schneider
//Wonderbird - Webbyrå Stockholm
I believe the original Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter is what you need for this case. You basically need thunderbolt connectivity for your Thunderbolt Display and not display port only. Thunderbolt display works only with Thunderbolt technology.
No, you can’t
M1 Mac Mini and Thunderbolt Display
