Big Sur 11.1 External Display Issues!

The way it has been working for me is as follows:

1. Leave the monitor on
2. Shut Down the computer
3. Disconnect the monitor for a minute (in reality should be some seconds but not sure how many).
4. Turn on the monitor.
5. Turn the computer on again

In this sequence, the monitor starts ok for me

Here's my temporary workaround for the external display issue that no one wants to hear (and what I just have to do until Apple gets their S#%T together).

1. Get all my displays working. For me if the computer is asleep this involves: waking computer, then unplugging/replugging my 2 external displays (fun!) to get them recognized. Then arranging them the way I want in Settings>Displays>Arrangement.
2. Go to Settings > Energy Saver. Slide the display-off slider to "Never" (How's that for saving energy Apple?)
3. Also check "Prevent Computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off"
4. When I'm done with my Mac for the day, I manually off the displays with their own power buttons (or don't, that's just to save energy like Apple should be doing)
5. Next time I need to use my Mac, I manually turn displays back on. They should be connected and arranged properly bc the Mac never went to sleep.
6. Fight for world peace and happiness.

Anyhow, that's what I'm doing right now as a dumb workaround. Hopefully ol' Timmy C and Apple hears the fury and fixes this issue fast. 🤙

I have the LG HDR 4K monitor and after upgrading to 11.2.3 I lost the hires settings.

I fixed it with insight from one of the replies that said to drop from DisplayPort 11.4 to 11.2.

In my monitors settings, I disabled DisplayPort 11.2. There were no other versions listed. I am connected via USB-C.

Disabling the DisplayPort fixed the issue and all resolutions are available in System Preferences.

Hi everyone, so, with all due respect to previous posters, I wanted to try and refocus the conversation. Rather than slagging off apple or posting negative comments, let's try and make sure apple see this thread and understand the issues at hand.

The post is about the issues caused by the update to Big Sur 11.1 and the way it broke display connections that previous worked correctly.

For example, my issues are:

I have a 20" Apple Cinema Display LCD, connected to a MacBook Pro (4 thunderbolt 3 ports). It is connected with a Comsol brand USB C - DVI adaptor. I have a second identical display at another location, connected with a genuine apple USB C - DVI adaptor.

• Prior to the update, my display worked fine.

• Post update, if my laptop goes to sleep, when I wake it up my display flashes on and off like a strobe light, but only ONCE you log in.. if you leave the MacBook sat at the log in screen, the external display runs fine. Once you log in, you have to restart the laptop to get the external display to function correctly.

• Prior to the update I was able to control the sleep/wake of the laptop using the power button on the monitor. Post update, nothing.

• The MacBook Pro does not recognise the full functionality of the display under its settings.

Installing SwitchRES X has given me back recognition of the display as a Apple Cinema Display and a full range of resolutions, including recommended, experimental and above the reported resolution of the display, all of which work. I still have the flashing issue.

Lots of other users have similar problems. The issues seem universal and do not only apply to M1 machines. It appears any MacBook capable of running Big Sur 11.1 has the same issues. I have not seen a single MacBook Pro with USB C Thunderbolt 3 etc ports that is not effected.

it is CLEARLY a software issue, as on MacBooks that have the display issues with Big Sur, the display is recognised and works perfectly with bootcamp or Virtual Machines. If you downgrade to a previous OS the display works perfectly.

While my displays are old, they are still excellent screens. other people are in the same situation. The have excellent displays that cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars and now are, effectively, useless.

Many people have displays that do not have HDMI, USB or USB-C ports that can have their internal firmware adjusted to run on older/slower protocols.

Apple needs to either fix the problem or revert back to the display drivers and software that was used in Big Sur 11.0

If you are going to post your issue, please list the hardware you are using, ie the type of display, the adaptor and the connection. and what you have done to try and fix the problem.

Hi, I hope this solution finds you well. I just experienced this issue. I’m sure you’ve found a solution nearly a year later. I found my solution in it being having to purchase Apple’s $39 type c usb cable. Meaning the type c usb cable from my ASUS ZenScreen no longer worked after the update to Big Sur. Despite updating all of the drivers for my ASUS monitor. Prior to the update to Big Sur, my ASUS monitor worked without any issues. Thanks apple. You’re like the printer industry now.

I didn't have your issues as I said a while back--but I fixed the issue I had (for now) of non-HDMI port recognition of external display--by resetting the SMC--a tip from MacRumors discussion. I thought I had tried this before but gave it another shot. Shut down the Mac, pushed the start button for 10 seconds (I think it chimes) keep it pressed down, then release, then press to start. I left the tv connected to the HDMI on throughout for this try. When the Mac Mini restarted it now recognized my third display.

When I tested by doing a simple restart the recognition held.

So maybe resetting your SMC will fix the issues you are having too.

I'm now in Big Sur 11.3.1 and I'm still having the same problem with my external display (Dell U2715h, 2560x1440, 60 Hz) and my 2017 27" iMac 5K.

The display is connected to the iMac with a USB C to DisplayPort cable and it only works if the display is powered on before I start the computer. If I switch off the display while the computer is running, when I try to switch it on again the display doesn't shown any image. I could see that it's recognized by macOS in System Preferences, but for some reason the display doesn't detect any video signal.

I can get signal again in the external display only if I restart the computer with the display powered on.

Reseting pram, SMC or using different lower resolutions (1080p) didn't work for me.

Never had this problem before with the same display on different older operating systems. I've been using it since macOS 10.12.4 to all Mojave versions in the same computer and I could switch on and switch off the display with the computer running without problems.

I downloaded the driver for the J5Create Adapter, and until I updated to 11.5.2 the Adapter status window kept telling me it saw my monitor, but there was some kind of "space" issue with a code I have never seen before. When I did the update, it then told me it saw the monitor and it should work - but it didn't, until I unplugged the adapter again, replugged it all in, then it showed me the mirrored monitor, and only after I did ONE MORE restart did the Displays status show the monitor and the Gather Windows button, and get it to work properly as an extension and NOT mirror. Now it is working as it was before I did the Big Sur update, maybe a little faster, which is probably the new J5Create adapter...

Good luck!

This issue has only impacted me since 11.6. It was fine on 11.5.

5K iMac 27" connected via USB-C to a 49" LG 5120 x 1440 display.

After 11.6 update the LG monitor only supports 1920 x 1080 in the middle of the screen.

Spoke with Apple support and tried:

SMC reset - no change

PRAM reset - no change

Deleting 2 plist files in the Library - no change

Altering the monitor USB-C version from 1.4 to 1.1 has solved the issue

I hope that helps anyone else with this problem.

Upgraded to 11.2 Beta (20D5042d) just now, seems issue resolved, for my MacBookPro16,1 - BenQ PD2700U, connected via type-C - Display Port.

I had the exact same issue. I have tried all kind of cables/adapters/monitors/pram smc reset/fresh user/fresh install ... and ended up installing Catalina again. Then everything worked again.

Upgraded to macOS 11.2 (20D53) today, type-C - DisplayPort with BenQ PD2700U works properly.

Let's see next Monday when I go to work.

Big Sur 11.2 is available for download today, Monday, February 1, 2021.

It's a Big Sur issue since 11.1 update. Please report it here: https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

Just tried EasyRes (free) from the App Store and all resolutions came back. I cannot get 60Hz but at 30Hz it is still ok. I am on BigSur v11.2.1with a MSI 34 inch ultra wide monitor!