Recently, MacBook Pro users have reported crashes when using external displays via HDMI or Thunderbolt. The issue happens mostly with Apple Silicon models, though some Intel MacBooks experience it too.
The main symptom is that the screen connects normally, but the MacBook Pro freezes with any keyboard or cursor activity. That may involve typing, using one of the function keys, moving a mouse or touching the trackpad.
Below, there are a few possible ways to fix these crashes. Since it has multiple causes, you might need some trial and error to find which one works.
What Makes MacBook Pros Crash With External Displays?
Right now, there hasn’t been a specific culprit identified. Some users reported MacBooks crashing immediately upon any input, while others say the computers work for a while before freezing. The issue is known to happen while playing videos with QuickTime and VLC, and also on web browsers.
Workaround: Use AirPlay
If you just want a quick solution for the issue, the best workaround is using AirPlay. Most present-day TVs, and even some monitors and projectors, support it. Therefore, this may be faster than trying to nail down which of the below fixes work for you.
How to Fix MacBooks Crashing With External Displays
1. Disconnect and Reconnect the Cable
This may seem silly, but it’s a valid solution. At least one user reported the issue went away if they simply removed the cable and reconnected it. Their MacBook Pro crashes again, still connected to an external display, after a while. Disconnecting and reinserting the cable another time does the trick.
2. Disable Bluetooth
A few users reported that disabling Bluetooth before connecting to an external display keeps their MacBooks from crashing. This may help even if you don’t have any Bluetooth devices connected.
3. Choose a Different HDMI Port on Your Display
Sometimes, using different HDMI ports may help because not all of them are the same. Some support features like CEC (controlling multiple devices with a single remote) and ARC (bidirectional audio via HDMI).
However, macOS may not deal well with the different internal pins used by these connectors. Switching to a regular port may be enough to fix the issue.
4. Use a Different Display
This may go without saying, but, if you have a different TV, monitor or projector available, try using it. It may help nail down whether the issue is with your MacBook or with the display you were trying to use at first.
5. Try Different Cables
Similarly, trying a different cable may help solve the issue quickly. Older cables may lack the required bandwidth for your display or simply have damaged internal wiring.
6. Check for Different Connections
macOS is known for having issues with specific screens, like refusing to properly display ultrawide resolutions. In that case, one of the solutions is using a DisplayPort connection instead of HDMI. For MacBooks crashing with external displays, some users reported the issue happened with HDMI but not with Thunderbolt.
7. If Your MacBook Crashes Playing Videos on External Displays, Try a Different Player
If your MacBook only freezes when playing videos, try using a different app for that. Moving from QuickTime to VLC, which natively supports Apple Silicon since 2021, is one alternative.
8. Change The External Display’s Refresh Rate
Usually, the Operating System (OS) and the display automatically negotiate the best possible resolution/refresh rate. This is done based on the connection speeds supported by both devices. However, this may be done incorrectly, and you may need to tweak this manually.
To do that, go to System Settings > Displays, select the external screen, and choose a refresh rate on the drop-down menu. You can try tinkering with resolutions and enabling/disabling HDR as well.
9. Change Your MacBook’s Refresh Rate
Another possibility is that your MacBook crashes when trying to display high refresh rates on both the external and built-in screens. For the most part, recent MacBooks have GPUs that should be powerful enough for this task, but there’s an exception if you’re using a very high refresh rate on an external monitor, say, 240Hz, plus the built-in 120Hz.
In this case, your Mac may have a hard time showing all that pixels at all that speed. If you don’t want to lower your external display’s refresh rate, lowering the built-in screen’s may help.
10. Disable Screen Mirroring
Many users reported the issue is solved by disabling mirroring and using a main + extended display combination. To do that, go to System Settings > Displays, select which screen you want to use as the main one, and choose “Main display” on the “Use as” drop-down menu. The other screen will be used as an extended display.
11. Use Your MacBook in Clamshell Mode
Using the MacBook in clamshell mode helped some people prevent crashes when connected to external displays. Also known as closed lid mode, this means using your MacBook shut with an external screen, keyboard and mouse.
You need to enable that, or else your MacBook will sleep when you close the lid. On System Settings > Battery > Options, activate the “Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off” toggle.
12. Change Your Audio Settings
A few users were able to fix the issue by adjusting audio settings. That’s because HDMI sends audio signals alongside video, but the default macOS settings may not work with some displays.
On Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup, select the HDMI output. Change the “Format” drop-down menu to “2ch 16-bit Integer” under the “44.1KHz” section.
13. Test With Adapters/Docks
If you have an HDMI or DisplayPort adapter or dock lying around, try connecting to your external screen using it. USB to HDMI DisplayLink adapters may do the trick as well. This won’t prevent your MacBook from crashing when using external displays via the HDMI port, but it’s a workaround.
14. Update macOS
During my research, I found users having this issue since the first macOS Sonoma release up until version 14.5. No reports on versions 14.6 or later have appeared yet, though previous updates didn’t help much either. In any case, it’s always a good idea to keep your Mac up-to-date.
15. Downgrade macOS
Lastly, the issue has only been reported in macOS Sonoma. Therefore, using an earlier version can be a solution if none of the above works. Bear in mind, though, that it involves some risks and takes time.
To do that, make a bootable USB installer of macOS Ventura and restart your Mac by holding the Option key. If you have ever reinstalled macOS from Recovery Mode, this is very similar. However, you’ll need to use Disk Utility to format your MacBook’s internal storage before selecting “Install macOS.”
It’s important to note that this will wipe all your data. Have a Time Machine backup ready to restore — in most cases, Ventura restores Sonoma backups without issues.
The crashes caused by external displays on MacBook Pros seem to be a very widespread issue. Since Apple hasn’t officially recognised the issue yet, your best bet is to try one of the unofficial solutions. As you can see, there are over a dozen of them.