What is SOCD report detected: (AP watchdog expired)?

Just got this error recently. Doesn't happen often, maybe one every 3-5 days if my Mini is left on. Problem is, resetting the SMC on the M1 isn't something you can do. It functionally reset the SMC every time you power it off. It's not a troubleshooting step that can be taken. I've heard it can be related to using a USB hub, which is necessary for myself and well as many others as two USB-A and two USB-C (Assuming you don't use a second monitor) is hardly enough. If I get it a third time I'm going to submit a support ticket about it. We'll see what happens with the next update.

Hi circatee,

Thanks for coming to Apple Support Communities for help today with the error message on your M1 Mac mini.

We'd like to look into this a bit further with you. Please be sure the Mac mini is fully updated and visit: Get Support.

Have a fantastic day!

That has not actually been established. sajal101 was speculating based on a misunderstanding of what a watchdog timer is. This could very well be a software issue. For some folks it's cleared up due to software updates, while for others it hasn't. It's possible that there's issues with third-party drivers causing issues, like if people have VPN clients installed or are using slightly-out-of-spec USB devices.

What other devices do you have connected to your computer? Also, maybe in System Information you can find something about a bad kext, like by going to Software > Extensions and then sorting the list by 'obtained from' to see if there's any non-Apple extensions which are loaded.

Yep, same here. I had a nice stretch of a few weeks without it happening, then yesterday hit. My computer restarted on its own 17 time in a row. Comp would restart and within 15-20 seconds each time it would restart. Just did it again today.

Same here every day I get back to my Mac mini M1 it got restarted and shows this error message. Wonder if it's not also related to the Bluetooth issues everyone is experiencing... I do have a USB hub maybe you are right... but not using that is not an option!

I am also experiencing this with an M1 barely 6 months old. However, this issue is fairly new. I don't recall when exactly, but it started perhaps two macOS updates ago. And it has been happening more frequently now.

M1 Mac mini, macOS 11.3.1; Watch, series 5 GPS/cellular, watchOS 7.4.1; iPad Pro 2nd Gen, iPadOS 14.5.1; iPad Air 2, iPadOS 14.5.1; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 14.5.1; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 14.5  HomePods, audioOS 14.5 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

I narrowed this down to the USB-A ports and older USB devices.

I had a USB 4-port hub with a few USB devices attached and it would do it. I took out the hub and just had a 10-year-old USB drive I was using for my TimeMachine backup and it still did it, but less often. I disconnected the USB drive and it hasn't done it for three weeks straight.

I now just hook up the backup drive abou3 times a week just long enough to do a backup and then disconnect it.

same problem,here.

Mine just did same a few minutes ago. Not sure what to do. It restarted but, this is like something on a Mac from the 1980s!

APPLE?!!!!!!

Same here, this happens to my M1 Mac mini at least once a week

same here - MacBook Air M1, just bought a week ago ...

BOOM. "SOCD report detected: (AP watchdog expired)" While using Carbon Copy Cloner, doing nothing else. My external monitor got a slight greenish tint (I think), then rebooted. Filed a report, too.