Studio Display won't wake from sleep with MacBook Pro

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Level 1

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Studio Display won't wake from sleep with MacBook Pro

I have a 16inch 2021 MacBook Pro (M1) with 64GB memory and 2TB storage running macOS Tahoe 26.3.1. Connected to the MacBook are 2 Studio Displays with Firmware Version 17.0 (Build 21A329) connected via Apple Thunderbolt cables (direct not daisy chained). Both monitors are connected to the USB-C ports on the left side of the MacBook (nearest the MagSafe power connector). When connected to the displays, the MacBook is almost always in clamshell configuration,

When the MacBook does to sleep for an extended period (overnight), when I wake it up, using either the mouse or the keyboard, often one of the monitors (usually the one connected to the USB-C port furthest from the power connector) does not wake up with the laptop and needs to be disconnected and reconnected to the MacBook in order to wake up and for the MacBook to see it in the Displays configuration. This also happened regularly with my previous MacBook Pro (Mid 2014) and happens across all versions and updates of the operating systems as well as with both Apple (I used to have 27" Apple Displays) and 3rd Party (I've also had both LG and Dell 4K monitors). Just wondering if anybody has seen this and maybe has a fix or workaround. Daisy chain configuration is even less reliable.

MacBook Pro (M1 Max, 2021)

Posted on Mar 7, 2026 5:34 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

143,619 points

Mar 8, 2026 9:03 AM in response to stepmahu

The Mac does not rely on Windows-like side-loaded "Drivers" which are actually packages of resolutions and settings for a specific display. Instead, it goes straight to the immutable source -- it asks the display itself.

To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.

This query is only sent at certain times:

• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)

so try doing some of those things and see if the display comes alive.

especially that last one -- if one display comes up, use it to 'detect displays' to pick up the reluctant one.

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Answer 2

Mar 8, 2026 9:07 AM in response to stepmahu

One issue that users complain about that might be related:

if a display is not "ready to go" when the Mac looks around for displays, it Geta declared "not available". (this is reflected by all open windows moving to the nearest edge of remaining display, which is what users post here about.)

anything you can do to make the troublesome display more ready when the Mac is deciding which are still available will improve its uptake.

since you pointed out the two are in adjacent ThunderBolt ports. Do you get different results when you use the Thunderbolt port on the other side?

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Answer 3

Mar 9, 2026 7:49 AM in response to stepmahu

Any difference if the Mac is powered by its power adapter via MagSafe?

Maybe there is a bug in the convoluted logic behind deciding which display's Power delivery to use as the power source.

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Answer 4

stepmahu Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 8, 2026 10:45 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hey Grant,

So both monitors are plugged into the same power outlet and come on simultaneously. The MacBook is powered via the displays (naturally it chooses one of them). Once the displays are on, have gone through their startup (waiting for the 3 dots to disappear and for the screens to go back to total black), the MacBook has indicated that it has power and 10-15 seconds have passed, the clicking the mouse or pressing a key on the keyboard to wake the system up generally produces the issue. Waking up while the whole system still has power (ie. nothing has been disconnected from power or switched off) generally (but not always) both screens will wake up with the MacBook. Occasionally the latter will also produce the issue, but far less frequently. However, since installing Tahoe, my MacBook never seems to go to sleep properly either and that has not had any effect on the problem.

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Answer 5

stepmahu Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 8, 2026 10:49 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hey Grant,

Unfortunately, it makes no difference which port the displays are plugged into. I can plug one into the port on the right side of the MacBook, daisy chain them, swap the ports they are in etc. and the problem still occurs. At the moment they have their ports reversed from my usual setup and still one display isn't detected. It also doesn't seem to make much difference how long I wait after turning everything on before waking the system up.

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Studio Display won't wake from sleep with MacBook Pro

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