USB-C external monitor black screen after sleep

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USB-C external monitor black screen after sleep

I directly connect my MacBook to an external monitor (Lenovo X1) via a USB-C cable. Since I updated my MacBook to macOS Sierra both the external screen and the macbook screen turn black after the macbook wakes up from sleep modus. The only solution is to force quite my macbook (press power button for long time) and reboot. I have to do this every time the macbook falls into sleep modus. Any help would be highly appreciated.

MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016)

Posted on Oct 7, 2016 3:25 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 5, 2017 4:33 PM in response to forestforger

Similar issue for me. Using 2017 13" MacBook Pro. 2 Displayport Dell Displays connected via USB-C to Displayport Cables. I use these in addition to my internal display. Everything works great, except when I wake from sleep. The built-in display comes up when I wake the machine, but the external displays stay black even though the system still sees them (if I open display preferences then all 3 displays are still shown and I some of my app windows still reside on the dark monitors).

It takes an unplug and re-connect of the cables to get everything back working again.

I'm still on Sierra (10.12.6) because of requirements at work.

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Answer 2

CarlAVII

Community Specialist

Oct 7, 2016 7:56 PM in response to forestforger

Hey forestforger,

Thanks for being a part of Apple Support Communities.

If I understand your post correctly, when you have an external display attached to your MacBook, it will not wake from sleep. If this is correct, then I'd like you to please start with the troubleshooting outlined below:

Reset the SMC.

Reset NVRAM.

Disconnect external devices other than your Apple keyboard, mouse, and display. If that resolves the issue, gradually reconnect your devices, testing each time, until you find the device that is interfering with sleep. Then check the documentation that came with the device, or contact the device manufacturer.

Start up in Safe Mode to see if the issue is related to non-Apple startup items, login items, or kernel extensions.

Try to isolate the issue by using another user account.

If your Mac doesn‘t sleep or wake when expected

Take care.

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Answer 3

Mar 20, 2018 1:36 AM in response to forestforger

Same issue here with my MBP 15" 2017... I'm using a Dell 23" 1080p monitor, and there is a black screen on it, even if I pull out and reconnect the usb c hub. I forced once to work, when multiply times turned on / off the mac and the monitor, at some point it started to work, but next they the same issue appeared.

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Answer 4

Sep 18, 2017 11:49 AM in response to forestforger

Did you ever solve this? I still have this issue almost every time. Super annoying. Though I can usually get one of the monitors to come after a bit of fiddling (without powering down).

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