Can MacBook Air M4 work in Clamshell mode with any monitor?

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Can MacBook Air M4 work in Clamshell mode with any monitor?

Hello, I haven't quite been able to confirm the answer to this. I need to replace my very old iMac (2016) and Macbook Air (2015). I'm living on social security and savings and I don't really want to buy replacements for both, so I am considering an Airbook M4 with an external monitor (not Apple, too expensive). I want to be sure that the M4 will work in clamshell mode with a non-Apple external monitor, that I'll be able to use my Apple wireless keypad and Logitech trackball, and that I can put everything to sleep and wake again from the wireless keyboard while the M4 is in clamshell mode. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Howard

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MacBook Air (M4, 2025)

Posted on May 13, 2025 11:46 AM

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Answer 1

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Tesserax

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May 13, 2025 12:12 PM in response to htpetrie

Yes, the MacBook Air M4 can operate in clamshell mode with a non-Apple monitor, and this has been a well-supported feature of macOS for years now. The key things you need for clamshell mode to work are:

An external display connected via USB-C, Thunderbolt, or using an adapter (USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort, depending on your monitor).
An external keyboard and pointing device, which in your case are the Apple wireless keyboard and Logitech trackball — both should work just fine via Bluetooth.
The laptop must be plugged into power — AFAIK, clamshell mode won’t activate if it’s running on battery alone.

Once everything is connected, you simply close the lid, and the external display should wake and become the primary screen.

That said, there are a couple of gotchas to be aware of:

Bluetooth sometimes goes to sleep when the lid is closed, which can make waking from sleep using a wireless keyboard a little unreliable — especially with third-party devices.
Apple’s Magic Keyboard is more likely to successfully wake the Mac, but even then it can be finicky. A workaround that works well is to tap a key or move the trackball before closing the lid, so macOS knows to stay connected to them.
Some users also keep a simple wired mouse around just in case the system needs a nudge to wake up.

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