2018 Mac Mini monitor wake from sleep and power light

I had a related issue with my brand-new Mac mini 2018 (Mojave 14.1). During the boot-up, it lost connection to the monitor. Wasn't the monitor or the HDMI cable, as it behaved the same at the Genius Bar in the Apple store. Had to exchange the machine, but the replacement had the identical problem. Gave up and returned for a refund. See details here: . Mac mini 2018: no start up (terminates signal to monitor)

Same here.

I got my 2018 Mac mini a couple weeks ago (10.14.3) and I'm using a Wacom 27" Cintiq (no touch) as my primary monitor (drivers are up to date). To connect the Cintiq I had to use an off-brand adapter to convert the display port to USB-C/thunderbolt.

But, as other have implied, I don't think this issue is with the monitor or connection. I think it's something to do with the OS/video signal not waking.

This had been happening since the very first day. My monitor wouldn't wake after the computer went to sleep. My first instinct was to turn the monitor off with it's power button, and turn it back on. The Cintiq will boot up with a "WACOM" logo when the signal is established, and I usually have to do turn it off and on twice to get it to "shake hands"

Before turning it off, I inevitably press keys and click 'n' wiggle the mouse in an attempt to wake the monitor. When the monitor finally wakes, I have noticed my windows may have been dragged out of place. This reinforces that the computer itself is waking fine, and you can do things (my random clicking) but the video signal just hasn't reconnected for some reason. As one commenter suggested, type your password "blindfolded."

Now one thing I've noticed: in my energy display settings, I have:

• "turn display off after 10 minutes" (on the slider)
• "prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off" UNCHECKED.
• "put hard disks to sleep when possible" CHECKED
• "wake for network access" CHECKED
• "start up automatically after a power failure" UNCHECKED
• "enable power nap" CHECKED

I also have a screen saver set to go off after 20min.

I wonder if one of these is causing a problem. Like a specific "feature" of the OS is causing a problem. Or could there be a conflict between multiple features.

What I expect to happen when I'm away from my computer:

After 10 minutes, my Cintiq display should turn off as specified. The computer should sleep whenever possible. No need for the screen saver.

What actually happens:

The screen saver kicks in after 20 minutes and it stays like that. If I see it like this, I turn off the monitor with its power button as I don't mean to waste energy. So the above mentioned timer for the monitor isn't working. It should also be noted that when the screen saver is on, there's no problem waking the monitor.

So, I wonder if the computer gets confused when I turn the monitor off myself. I've manually killed the signal and when I turn it back on it has a hard time reconnecting it? So it takes me a couple on and offs to get it to register? Because it wasn't slept correctly via the OS settings?

Another thought: I could disable the screensaver all together and see what happens. I want the monitor to go to sleep on its own if possible. The screen saver is only a backup (10 minutes later) to prevent burn in since I know the monitor isn't sleeping on it's own. Again, maybe there's some sorta conflict between the various system settings? Or I could just be happy with the screen saver working and the monitor waking fine - I'd just rather not waste energy overnight or for days at a time if possible.

I might try testing some settings. If I find out anything more I'll post. Just sharing my story 🙂

Alas, installing the DisplayLink Kext did not work for me :(

• BENQ G2420HDBL;
• Mojave 10.14.5;
• USB-C (computer) to VGA (monitor) adapter.

Still need to unplug/re-plug the monitor video cable to bring the monitor back to life.

Brand new 2018 Mac mini, replacing a 2012 Mac mini, and the same annoying problem with the monitor waking from sleep but not displaying any picture. Mojave 10.14.4 update installed, no difference. Unbelievable.

I tried remote desk topping in to the Mac mini and when I check the display in About This Mac, guess what? It thinks it has an INTERNAL BUILT-IN display! Really - see attached pic.

I've been coming back to this thread repeatedly for months to read updates. I finally found a solution which was buried in a nearly identical thread. I wanted to share my success here for future Mac OS users.

Problem first noticed: Early November 2018

Resolution date: Late May 2019

Resolution provided by: Apple-Identified Developer

Device: 2018 i7 Mac Mini (from launch day).

OS: 10.14

Monitor: BenQ EW327OU.

Video connection method: Direct, Thunderbolt 3 (Mac Mini) to USB Type C (monitor)

Cable type: Thunderbolt certified, Active USB C, USB 3.1 - Gen 2, 40Gbps rated, 3ft long.

Issue: Monitor won't wake with Mac Mini during Apple magic mouse input or Apple wired USB keyboard input.

Prior to fix: Only way to wake monitor was to disconnect and reconnect thunderbolt 3 cable.

Solution: Install Display Link Kext regardless if you use their auxiliary external display equipment; be sure to grant system access for Display Link in the privacy panel immediately after install, reboot Mac when complete.

After installing Display Link Kext and granting the extension permission: Apple magic mouse input and / or Apple wired USB keyboard input will now wake 2018 Mac Mini AND BenQ monitor at the same time; no more physically disconnecting and reconnecting thunderbolt 3 required, YAY!

Images for reference:

I have a very similar issue...

What warranty is there that another Mac mini would not have the same issue?

Also, as this one of mine is a BTO model, I would have to wait 20+ days for a replacement.

Unacceptable... I have 3-years of AppleCare and will use it to the last drop if it is not solved!

Hello,

same problem of you.

it happened that i cannot wake it up at all.

Not with keyboard, phone, mouse, trackpad, button on the back...

whatever, sounds crazy to me.

it’s coming for hdmi management i am sure, i am using a double screen, one in hdmi direct and the other one in display port with apple adapter to hdmi.

also, i have a problem which might be connected. Screen goes black sometimes or green like we are losing signal.

i am using macbook pro since 2 »years.

never had a problem like that.

all cable have been checked, high quality and adaptater apple.

please anybody knows what’s going on?

I have this issue also (2018 Mac Mini with an LG UHD 27UK850-W monitor). Unfortunately this software does not support my monitor. I have installed the LG OnScreen Control software, however, it doesn't seem to make any difference.

Followup (see my post above): the problem is most predictable after the Mini has been sleeping overnight, not so much if the machine has only been sleeping for an hour. I've found that if I wake the monitor and give the power button on the Mac a couple of presses, the computer will wake itself after a couple of minutes. So I now do that and go get coffee—basically, what I did 30+ years ago when booting an XL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_XL. A pain then; a pain now.

I was noticing similar behavior. Recently I reset the PRAM, SMC, ran the Apple Hardware Test, and switched back to the USB-C cable AND (I think this is the most significant step) I disabled the Mac from sleeping, I only allow the display to sleep. Since doing this I'm able to wake the display easily (even after my computer sits over night).

If I shutdown the Mac, let the display go to sleep, and then try to restart the Mac, the display will never wake. What I find interesting is if I shutdown the mac and then reboot it before the display goes to sleep (due to no signal), the display will wake and function normally.

After a shutdown, it seems I'm forced to do an SMC reset to get the display back.

I agree, this is a pain and I hope it is related to a software/firmware issue so that it can be corrected with an update in the future with an update.

My Mac Mini 2018 does the same thing with the ASUS PA329Q. I have found that if I click the power button on Mac Mini twice, move the mouse, click a key or two on keyboard and turn monitor off, then on. It works. Ridiculous, but I am not going to return and go through all the setups I have.

Is Apple going to acknowledge this ridiculous problem or not?

The Mac Mini REQUIRES an external display. I personally know three other people having this exact problem, and nothing. It's a problem specific to Mac - no other machine has trouble waking up a monitor.

I have two LG 27UK650's, connected with Moshi DisplayPort to USB-C cables I bought FROM Apple. No, I am not open to suggestions of lugging my whole setup to the "Genius Bar" to get this resolved, as it's a software problem that's endemic.

The only way I can get the monitors to wake up after the machine's been asleep for more than a few hours is to juggle power buttons and cables until it starts up in recovery mode, or reset the SMC every time.

Is there any recourse here? Or is this going to be like typical Apple niche problems where it takes months of people complaining before it's considered not our fault?

There are other posts documenting this issue all over the web. I literally have to spend 30 minutes every morning getting the monitors on my Mac Mini to respond. Absolutely unacceptable.

Holy crap, that worked! Same problem - Bought a Mac Mini on Wednesday, and have been struggling to figure out a way for it to wake the display consistently. Is there a way to upvote this post? There has to be a dozen different forums around the internet right now filled with 2018 Mac Mini owners trying to solve this same problem.