How can I get 2 monitors to work with my new M1 Mac Mini?

Hi Colin_Cygnet,

I'm no expert, so sorry I don't have the know-how myself, however Apple support has info available:

Use external monitors with your Mac:

https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202351

Hope this helps!

Colin_Cygnet wrote:

How can I get 2 monitors to work with my new M1 Mac Mini?

I have read that I can run dual monitors on this new Mac Mini, but I cannot get it to work. I have an old Apple LED Cinema Display hooked up to one of the Thunderbolt ports (through a mDP adapter). The other monitor I am trying to get hooked up is an even older PC VGA. I have tried both an HDMI to VGA cable as well as an adapter.

The most luck happens with the HDMI to VGA cable. With that, the OS seems to recognize the monitor (it shows it is the Displays area in Settings). But, no picture shows on the monitor, just a black screen. And then, after a bit, the VGA monitor says no signal.

Official support according to the M1 tech specs— is one external monitor.

Mac computers with Apple silicon:

MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020)

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Mac mini (M1, 2020)

See:

Machine specs for video Support says one external monitor is supported—M1 MacBookPro 13”

https://www.apple.com/ca/macbook-pro-13/specs/

There is only one available hardware rasterizer display generator in the M1 Macs 2020

You can not create a second hardware accelerated display.

*You can create a simulated display with Display Link hardware & software, but this is not a full motion video display.

You can read more— see Grant Bennet-Alder

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252104391?answerId=254018643022#254018643022

Colin_Cygnet wrote:

HDMI to VGA cable.

Is it the old monitor that is the problem?

As I said in the post, I am using a Mac Mini. Not a Macbook Pro. M1 Mac Minis support 2 displays:

Ah yes— I see now the M1 mac Mini does support 2 external displays as you indicate—

From your tech spec snipped you posted—ref:

DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (sold separately)

https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/specs/

Sorry you didn't find all that info. helpful, Colin Cygnet.

I notice it confirmed the HDMI port is the one to use for the connection.

Perhaps the online Mac Mini User Guide for your particular model may provide more help ?

(The guide doesn't come in the box with a purchase.)

You can find it here: https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201894

All the best

I am pretty sure that part of the problem is that the HDMI port will not output the analog signal.

Quite likely you won’t be able to use THOSE two displays simultaneously, because each of them would have to be attached to a Thunderbolt port (with an appropriate adapter).

As far as I can tell no HDMI port in a mac has supported attaching a VGA display. The HDMI standard does allow that, but it won’t because there is no signal sent over the relevant pins.

And as a small addition: it probably won’t work on the two Thunderbolt ports as the documentation explicitly says two displays, one on Thunderbolt, one on HDMI.

There are workarounds using “displaylink” docks over TB.

Luis Sequeira1 wrote:

I am pretty sure that part of the problem is that the HDMI port will not output the analog signal.

Quite likely you won’t be able to use THOSE two displays simultaneously, because each of them would have to be attached to a Thunderbolt port (with an appropriate adapter).

As far as I can tell no HDMI port in a mac has supported attaching a VGA display. The HDMI standard does allow that, but it won’t because there is no signal sent over the relevant pins.

Yes I see this as the problem—HDMI to VGA cable.

I am researching on buying a mac mini. so this is just a thought

the hdmi port may need to run to a monitor/tv/projector that has HDMI port on it.

from my research the signal is different between HDMI and VGA. it is easier to change vga to hdmi, just a connector then it hdmi to vga, need to add a electronic device into the loop

this would mean to older monitors will not work, but a tv with hdmi would