Studio Display won’t wake until Thunderbolt cable is reconnected (macOS 26.1)

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Level 1

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Studio Display won’t wake until Thunderbolt cable is reconnected (macOS 26.1)

I’m using a MacBook Air M1 connected to an Apple Studio Display with the lid closed. I use an external Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a Magic Mouse.

Before macOS Tahoe 26.x.x (macOS Sequoia), I could simply power on my UPS, and the login screen would appear on the Studio Display — I could then log in using Touch ID or my password.

Since updating to macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 (and still in 26.1), the login screen no longer appears when I power on the setup. The Studio Display stays black until I unplug and reconnect the Thunderbolt/USB-C cable to the MacBook. Only then does the login screen show up.

When I tap a key on the keyboard, I can hear the input sound from the MacBook’s speakers, indicating the system is awake. If I open the MacBook lid, the login screen is visible there — but the Studio Display remains dark until I reconnect the Thunderbolt cable.

Is anyone else experiencing this issue or found a workaround?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.1

Posted on Nov 10, 2025 11:06 AM

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Answer 1

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neuroanatomist

Level 9

55,887 points

Nov 10, 2025 11:19 AM in response to yashworks

Clarifying question – login screen or lock screen? The difference is important because Tahoe enabled FileVault by default, so if you're logged out then you need to log in before your Mac can decrypt your data fully start up (because FileVault incorporates your login password into the decryption key). So if you do mean the login screen, then you can try disabling FileVault in System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault.

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Answer 2

yashworks Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 10, 2025 6:10 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Just to clarify - I usually stay logged in to my Mac. At the end of the day, I simply turn off the UPS (which powers off both the MacBook and the Studio Display) without logging out. So in this case, it must be the lock screen, I assume.

The next time I power on the UPS, the Mac and Studio Display start up, but the Studio Display stays black. It doesn’t wake until I unplug and reconnect the Thunderbolt cable.

For reference, FileVault has always been enabled - even on macOS Sonoma - but this issue only started after upgrading to macOS Tahoe (26.0.1 and 26.1).

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