MacBook Air only supports one display per port

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Level 1

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MacBook Air only supports one display per port

I have a MacBook Air 15", and I have tried everything: An external dongle. A full blown Thunderbolt docking station. Display Port. HDMI. Adapters. I keep coming to the same conclusion (and I would be grateful if someone proved me wrong):

The MacBook Air 15" does support two external displays when the lid is closed. But you will need to use both Thunderbolt 4 ports. You cannot connect a dongle or even a TB docking station to one of the ports and use their two or even three display connectors to connect two. If you do that, the displays will always mirror, never extend. If you want to use two displays next to each other, then you will need to connect each one of them to its own TB port. Be that directly, via a dongle or via a TB docking station.

Which means that Apple did something really lame here. They declare they support two monitors. But nowhere do they say that using two external monitors will block both TB ports.

There is a note on the support page, something like "if your display only mirrors, connect it to its own port" bla bla. But no one says that this is a fact, and it will not work any other way.

Let me know if you got it to run in a different config.

MacBook Air (M3, 2024)

Posted on Nov 4, 2024 6:57 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

146,222 points

Nov 4, 2024 12:16 PM in response to Misschief

You really need to read though what people write, with all your enthusiasm :)

You really need to read through what Apple wrote, and not what you would like them to write instead. Nowhere do they say a docking station will somehow magically increase the number of displays a Mac supports.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

146,222 points

Nov 4, 2024 9:32 AM in response to Misschief

Excerpted from Use an external display with your MacBook Air - Apple Support:

The primary display can support up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz or 4K resolution at 144 Hz, and the secondary display can support up to 5K resolution at 60 Hz or 4K resolution at 100 Hz. Connect the second external display to the second Thunderbolt / USB 4 port.

Nowhere do they say using a dongle or TB docking station will increase the number of external displays it can support.

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Answer 3

Misschief Author

Level 1

27 points

Nov 4, 2024 11:08 AM in response to John Galt

That is helpful and wrong in the same post :) So thanks, yes, it actually says to connect it to the second USB-C port. It does not say that this is the only way, but still.

In my original post, I never said that I wanted even more displays though. All I wanted is to connect a TB docking station to one TB port, and connect the two displays to that. I wanted to have the second TB port free, because it is a hassle to connect to TB ports every time, it gives me more flexibility, there is a ton of reasons.

So, I am still missing something like "Every display has to be connected to its own TB port on the MacBook Air". But I give you that you are correct with the quote.

You really need to read though what people write, with all your enthusiasm :)

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Answer 4

varjak paw

Level 10

176,830 points

Nov 4, 2024 12:46 PM in response to John Galt

John, I think that Misschief isn't trying to use more than two displays. I think, unless I'm misreading, he/she only wants to use two displays total, but wants them to work via a Thunderbolt dock so that both Thunderbolt ports aren't taken up.

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Answer 5

Nov 4, 2024 3:19 PM in response to Misschief

On most Macs that have Thunderbolt 3 / 4 / 5 ports, and that support two or more USB-C or Thunderbolt displays, you can use a Thunderbolt dock to connect two displays (with resolutions of 4K @ 60 Hz or less) to the same host port. (Thunderbolt 5 may allow for more elaborate configurations.)

What's special about your M3 MacBook Air is that it only supports a second external display when the lid is closed. I do not know how that is going to affect the normal rules for using displays with Thunderbolt docks.

Does it mean that you might have to do a bit of extra work to establish which display you want to be the main one, but that after that, you can leave the displays attached all the time – just "losing" the use of the second one when the lid is open, and regaining it when the lid is closed?

Or are you always going to need to attach the second display after closing the lid?

I would suggest that, for starters, you try leaving the second display turned OFF except when the lid is closed. If it is only turned ON when the lid is closed, maybe that will get the sequencing "correct" enough (as far as the Mac is concerned) that you won't actually have to unplug and replug the second display.

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Answer 6

varjak paw

Level 10

176,830 points

Nov 4, 2024 12:47 PM in response to Misschief

Misschief, what Thunderbolt dock (brand and model) are you trying to use?

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