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Dead MacBook M1 after Using USB-C Multiport Hub Adapters/Docks

Is it safe to use USB-C multiport hub adapters/docks with the M1 MacBooks? There appear to be several users who have dead MacBooks after plugging them in to these adapters/docks. Thank you!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.1

Posted on Dec 30, 2020 7:45 AM

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Posted on Jan 23, 2021 12:49 PM

Yes, there seems to be an issue with MacBook M1s and USB-C hubs with PD (power delivery). You can go to MacRumors Forums and search for a thread called "M1 MacBook Air won’t power on".


Mine died and is now in the shop awaiting for a new main board replacement.


I really hope that Apple acknowledges the issue and ensures it is resolved. I have a total of 3 MacBook Air M1s and it is really worrisome.


84 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 23, 2021 12:49 PM in response to Melvin-Z

Yes, there seems to be an issue with MacBook M1s and USB-C hubs with PD (power delivery). You can go to MacRumors Forums and search for a thread called "M1 MacBook Air won’t power on".


Mine died and is now in the shop awaiting for a new main board replacement.


I really hope that Apple acknowledges the issue and ensures it is resolved. I have a total of 3 MacBook Air M1s and it is really worrisome.


Feb 21, 2021 5:26 PM in response to Sir Lancaster

Too risky to spend $2000+ on the MBA I ordered and have it die or be constantly paranoid about plugging whatever into whatever, so I canceled my order. I also am dismayed that you can't have two, high efficency/low power external SSDs connected at once due toMBA power weakness, even though there are separate Thunderbolt buses. Maybe it's related. I'll hang back with my old-timey late 2012 MacBook Pro and hope to buy an M1 sometime in the future.

Apr 27, 2021 3:09 PM in response to callaway

My partner had her MBP M1 fail probably because of this Anker Dongle above. Problems charging, freezing and having to reinstall OS 3 times, because of boot loop after login.

Replacement logic board and usb board carried out by Apple under warranty. After only using an Apple HDMI dongle for a couple of weeks she seems to be now having freezing issues, won’t now charge from the standard MacBook charger - diagnostic codes PPP007 and PPP008, also problems with the track pad NDR005, NDR006.


It’s only 4 months old and Apple refuse to replace it with a new one. At the ‘genius bar’ the day we took it in I saw at least 3 other M1’s in for repair.


Apple have seriously messed up somewhere in design or production.

Dec 30, 2020 10:03 AM in response to tmac3life

A large group of those were the cheap, made by one company and

sold with lots of different names stamped on the case.


If you want something reliable, I would get one of the docks

from OWC which is a "Mac centric" company that thoroughly

tests their products for Mac compatibility.

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/docks

They have both Thunderbolt and USB-C docks.




Jan 19, 2021 3:36 PM in response to tmac3life

This happened to me. MacBook Air M1 was connected to USB-C hub with HDMI and Power Delivery (PD) using the original MacBook power adapter. Went for a cup of tea and when I returned, the MacBook was powered off and never came back to life. It is not at the Apple Authorized Service Center here in Panama.


I'm really worried because I have other 2 MacBook Air M1s and don't know if they are going to fail. For now, I will not connect them to USB-C hubs until this is cleared up.

Feb 11, 2021 7:38 AM in response to callaway

Not sure. I don't know whether this issue is only for Caldigit Soho USB-C dock or not. But, I saw several people complaining about the same issue for M1 macbook with various kind of USB-C hub in reddit, macrumor, youtube. So, be carefull using the adapter. If you do not use it, unplug it. My daughter just plugged it from the beginning to end.

Feb 11, 2021 8:02 AM in response to tmac3life

FWIW, it is not happening with all MacBook Airs connecting via USB-C

hubs. There are many more that are not having any problems. This

leads me to believe that there are more than normal flaws with

USB-C ports. As a matter of fact, there have been a whole variety

of "flaws" with the USB-C ports across all M1 devices. There have

been several reports on the MacMini community of TB/USB-C ports

that have become non-functional. Several have been noted to

have various USB-C docks used with the port failure.


I guess this is what can happen when you try to have a single

interface support 4 different standards with 3-6 different variations

of each one and literal thousands of different devices from

a myriad of manufacturers with varying degrees of quality control

that plug into that port.

Feb 15, 2021 4:41 AM in response to FritsFlow

My MacBook Air M1 died when using it with an Aukey USB-C hub with power delivery. It just turned off when I unplugged the power cable and made clicking noises. Apple replaced the logic board and display but I'm afraid to use the USB-C ports now.


When the Mac was returned to me, I bought the official Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, hoping that I'd be safe with that but then I read of people with that adapter having their MacBooks bricked too. So, I don't know what to do other than not using any hub at all.

Dead MacBook M1 after Using USB-C Multiport Hub Adapters/Docks

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