Macbook Pro apparently thinks external display is internal display
MacBook M3 Pro 14" from Nov 2023, Sequoia 15.5.
I've been using the MBP with two external displays and the lid open (to have three displays total) without any issues.
Yesterday, without any warning, it's like the power on my internal display was turned off. Of course, immediate thought, hardware failure.
BUT
The screen is grey, not black, and when I reboot I can see it go from black to dark grey.
If I play with display settings, my Mac sees that I have three displays but behaves as if I have only two. If I set the internal display as the main display, the settings apply to the external display.
I shut down as normal last night. This morning, I had forgotten about the issue, opened the lid, and my internal display was working. But soon as the MBP finished waking up and registered the other two displays, it went dark again. I have tried disconnecting everything and rebooting, still get the dark screen. Plug in the external displays and I'm asked to log in on one of them when the main display with the log in should be the internal.
I haven't been able to get into disk utility because of the lack of internal display function.
I do have Apple Care, but I'm in Mexico and it can take 2 weeks to get a diagnostic, never mind a repair. This is my work computer (self-employed) and I will have to wait until my next vacation this fall to be able to take it in.
Help? :)
Thanks,
Rae
MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 15.5
