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Bug: External monitors with multiple users on the same MacBook

When having more than one User account (e.g. Agata and Barbara) on a MacBook:

The MacBook, logged as User A connects to an external screen
The User is changed to User B.
The User B disconnects from the external screen.
The User is changed to User A.
Now the MacBook screen will have screen bugs and the menu bar won't be displayed properly.

The bug is resolved when User A re-connects and then disconnects from the external monitor again (thus prompting a screen refresh).

A feature that would solve the bug would be to add a screen refresh for User A, so it doesn't need to connect again to the external screen.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.2

Posted on Feb 27, 2024 4:47 AM

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3 replies

Feb 27, 2024 7:18 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Sorry if the description was too short, I'll try to explain it in more detail:

MacBook is active on User A, with an external screen that extends the MacBook from the top (not sure if positioning is related but inserted here for completeness)
Using the "Fast User Switching" functionality in the menu bar, we can change user from A to B
Once the MacBook in connected and active on User B, we disconnect the external screen
If now we use the "Fast User Switching" functionality again, to go back to User A, this will create an error in the visualisation of the menu bar, that will not be usable anymore.

This "menu bar displacement" resolves if we connect back the MacBook to the external screen and we disconnect it again, "also" when in User A.

The desired behaviour is the lack of this bug with the menu bar, and avoid the need to re-connect the MacBook to an external screen when switched to User A

Feb 27, 2024 6:25 AM in response to giovanni-manfredi

I don't understand your detailed description. Your description as posted is too terse to follow.

What steps are you talking to change to a different user?

When you say the screen disconnects or connects you do not make clear when that happens spontaneously, and when it is caused by user action, and what action that might be. Stop 3 is especially confusing.

Feb 27, 2024 7:22 AM in response to giovanni-manfredi

Another remark I didn't add:

Connection and disconnection to an external screen is done via HDMI cable. With "connect" and "disconnect" I mean, plugging and unplugging the cable from the MacBook device.

I hope this clears the issue out.

Bug: External monitors with multiple users on the same MacBook