Application menu bar is not responding on MI Mini

I’ve went through all the notes and this is what I noticed. Using my thunderbolt cable was the problem. I switched back to my usb-c 4 and the menu is active and working. Looks like the same ongoing issue with 4K monitors or monitors connected using thunderbolt?

I had my Mac mini M1 to the Genius Bar over the weekend for this issue. They erased the disk and reinstalled macOS 11.2.3. I got it back and simply set it up, no restoring anything from backup. The problem is still present. I have another appointment at the Apple Store later this week to delve deeper. I believe this is a software bug or a hardware flaw related to dual monitor support. I'm somewhat on the software side because I got my system in mid-January and did not have any issues for several weeks during which I did a macOS update. I'd be curious about this issue before 11.2.2 because that release fixed an issue with DVI to HDMI support on M1 Mac minis. I use DVI to HDMI and DVI to USB-C connectors. In any case, for me this issue only occurs (in three different but clearly related forms) when two monitors are connected and the issue clears when one of the monitors is disconnected.

After a second round with a genius and two days of them testing with nothing found, I did some A-B testing with my displays and I found that by switching which display is on DVI to HDMI and which is on DVI to USB-C seems to have solved my problem. The release notes for 11.2.2 mention fixing something related to DVI to HDMI connections. Perhaps there are more related problems in the driver. It may be unique to my configuration, but the release of 11.2.2 was about the time I started getting problems. In any case, I seem to be fixed.

I have this issue on a Mac mini M1 with dual monitors. Disconnecting either monitor clears the issue. FWIW I have a seemingly different issue where the Photos app goes into a state where it crashes every time I try to move a photo, however this is 100% correlated to the application menu issue. Disconnecting a monitor clears all the issues (until they occur again).

This happens on my M1 MacBook Air periodically. Unplugging the MacBook from my dock and plugging it back in seems to resolve it. Maybe unplugging the monitor for a few seconds and then plugging it back in would have the same effect on a Mini? Restarting it also resolves it. It would be great if there was a permanent fix.

I had several trouble-shooting visits with the Apple Store genius bar on this issue. I had discovered a predictable way to cause the fault in about 60 seconds (sleep then wake the system in a specific display configuration) which was great for the trouble-shooting, and second I have a reliable work-around that never faults (I just don't use the offending display configuration). So, yay for that. The last genius I was with thinks it is something in the display support drivers on the new M1 systems (he kept emphasizing "new"). The genius said he would write up a report and send it to the devs. He said the devs listen. Hopefully 11.2.4 will have a fix. That's me talking, not the genius.

Hello Jay in Bear Creek,

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. We understand that you're experiencing some unresponsive behavior with your Mac mini. Since noticing this was occurring, have you tried restarting your Mac? If not, that's always a good place to start.

Log out, sleep, wake, restart, or shut down your Mac

Another good option is to force quit the applications, and reopen them while holding the shift key.

How to force an app to quit on your Mac

Prevent apps and windows from reopening

Let us know if these steps help.

Best wishes.

A trick that seems to work with the mini M1 is merely to shut the power to the monitor off and then put it back on. Better than hard booting the mini.

What an amazing deadening silence from Apple on this.

I wonder if it is related to using an external monitor - if I unplug the monitor and use the MacBook screen the menu works, when I plug the monitor back in, the menu continues to work.

@apple Same problem to me from time to time. Must be an M1-problem, never had it before on Intel. - Not acceptable!

Solution: Logout with SHIFT+CMD+Q an relogin again

This is totally not a solution and should be fixed soon BUT going to the login screen from the icon on the right side of the menu bar allowed me to get the left side functional without having to restart the whole thing!

Navigating to the Login Window > fixed my unresponsive menu bar.

The genius says --- erase the drive and reinstall macOS (wiping out everything else in the process). It's their only option other than give me a new computer ;) They are doing this for me tonight. I'm time-machined so not a big deal, however I bet this does not fix the issue but I'm willing to try. We'll see.

I have similar behavior on an M1 MBP 13", Just the left side of the menu bar dies. In my case, I'm running with a single external monitor. I've just found that changing the resolution of the monitor from Display settings 'fixes' the menu bar, and then I can switch back to my original resolution. Very strange, but better than rebooting (which is what I was doing before.) This is not really a solution, but maybe helpful

I have been having the same problem with my new 13" M1 MBP. It 'seems' to occur after the unit has gone to sleep at some point. I am using the MBP in clamshell with an 32" LG monitor with a Mokin dock. At first I suspected it was the dock, so I ordered an HDMI adapter (Anker) and experienced the same problem. I had been being forced to Cmd-Cntl-Eject on y bluetooth keyboard to force a restart at least daily. Today I tried MrToney's solution (Thanks, MrToney) using the user icon on the right side of the menu bar and selecting "Login Menu". This is a much better solution - but shouldn't be necessary.

I can't believe this issue has been marked as solved (recommending a restart). The problem still exists in 11.2.3.

Hopefully, Apple will still investigate and provide a fix for this recurring and aggravating malfunction. Thanks.

Had not thought of changing display settings. I have found that shutting off the monitor and the putting it back on also does the trick. The silence from Apple is inexcusable but typical.