Mac Air M1 dropdown menu not responding.

Hey WormEapple,

We see that you're unable to use the dropdown menu on your Mac, and we'd like to help!

To help us further isolate the issue, let's try booting your Mac in safe mode and log in to a new user account. Please follow the steps from the articles below and let us know how it goes:

• How to use safe mode on your Mac

• Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

Best regards.

I had a similar problem using my MacBook Air M1, sys 11.1, with an LG 5K external monitor. In clamshell mode I had non-responsive dropdown menus too. Using WormEapple's suggestion I changed the monitor resolution from the current setting (in my case I was at the default resolution) to a higher resolution then back again. The menus then responded as normal.

Because the menus were non-responsive it was tricky to get to the system preferences to change the monitor setting. To get there I used the control settings next to the time and date in the upper right corner of the screen (not sure of the proper name for that little control center). When you roll over the Display Brightness setting a caret is exposed that provides access to the display settings control panel.

I have the same issue as everyone else in this thread:

• brand new 13" M1 MacBook Pro
• I am unable to click on the top left menu bar (Apple icon, menu icon, etc) when plugged in to an external monitor
• Everything works when I use the laptop without the monitor

I've had this laptop for like 2 weeks and it's never happened before and now all of a sudden I can't get any work done. Apple computers have gone to sh*t

Hey WormEapple,

Thanks for getting back to us with the results. We appreciate it!

We're glad that the issue didn't come back. If it does, please don't hesitate to let us know.

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities, and have a great day!

This happens to me, too, and it's almost always after waking the computer up in clamshell mode with an external monitor. First, it takes several minutes for it to even wake up the monitor. Then, when it does, the monitor colors are inverted. Unplug/replug the monitor connection usually fixes that, but then the menu bar is not clickable. The icon tray on the upper right still works fine, the dock works fine, apps work fine, but the menus aren't clickable. They do update as you change apps, though.

Restarting fixes it for a while, but something about waking up throws the M1 MacBooks for a loop, especially it seems when in clamshell mode.

Getting the menus to work again has been pretty simple to work around. What I have struggled with is getting the monitor colors to be correct. So far the only reliable way is to reboot, though unplugging the cable a few times sometimes works. I installed 11.2 beta yesterday and [knock on wood] it hasn't happened since, so maybe they fixed it. I heard rumors that 11.2 fixed the sleep problem so I thought I'd give it a try. Otherwise I was rapidly becoming disillusioned with my MacBook and irritated at Apple for poor quality control.

I'm not sure if there is a real fix in the pipeline yet. I upgraded to the 11.2 beta, and it definitely reduced the frequency with which the problem occurs, but it still happens to me at least once a week. Unplugging/replugging sometimes fixes it, though I usually reboot it so as to not put so much wear and tear on the USB-C plug. They don't seem nearly as robust as USB-A or lightning, and they get loose alarmingly fast if you use them a lot.

I also have an intermittent problem with my M1 MacBook not recognizing that I've got the charger plugged in, when it is connected to the Apple multiport adapter (which definitely supports PD pass-thru). Changing to the other USB-C port or rebooting fixes that, but it's another annoyance. The reality is that MacBooks are pretty great as mobile devices (the battery life on this M1 is remarkable), but as a docked workstation they are a little rough around the edges.

Apologies for the saltiness of my previous reply. I had a brain cramp and thought you worked for Apple for some reason (I blame my quarantine brain).

I haven' t had the issue with the charger so fingers crossed my luck holds up. This is all pretty unfortunate but it has helped me realize that I am not the kind of person who can be an early adopter. :)

The issue happens to me about once every week or so. Here is a loom video showing the issue. There is NO WAY AROUND IT except to reboot which isn't very helpful if you're in the middle of a meeting. PLEASE Apple fix this https://www.loom.com/share/4de30399384649cbbb94e0dc5dc29115

One trick I have found which is helpful is to define a hot corner (in the screen saver settings) that puts the display to sleep.

When you try to get the mac to wake up, but it does not wake up the screen, assume that it is actually awake and log in. That is, type your password blind and hit enter. If it wakes up the screen then, great. If not, move to the hot corner with the mouse, wait a second or two, and then move the mouse out of the hot corner. A lot of times this will wake up the screen for me.

If the screen comes up with the yellow/inverted/whatever color scheme, use the hot corner to sleep the screen, then wake it up again with the mouse. This is just as effective as unplugging/replugging the monitor cord, but without the wear and tear on the USB-C port.

I haven't really run into a situation where I actually had to reboot to fix it. Sleeping & waking the screen a few times has always worked.

Good luck, and along with everyone else I sincerely hope Apple has a fix for this in the pipeline.

I just ran into the same issue, but on my M1 Mac mini. A reboot fixed it. In my case, I'd gone out for a couple of days and when I came back the menu wasn't working. The Mini did go to sleep during that time.