Thunderbolt display not working with MacBook M3 Pro

Question

Level 1

8 points

Thunderbolt display not working with MacBook M3 Pro

Hello team, I bought a pre-owned Apple Thunderbolt Display to use for work with my MacBook Pro M3 Pro 16".

First time I connected it using original Apple Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 4 converter it works great for 4/5 hours then suddenly turn to black.

I left it disconnected for couple of days and after reconnecting again, same story.. It worked for 4/5 hours and then stopped. I tried to use also another Apple thunderbolt 2 to 4 adapter but it is the same. I tried even with a new "external" thunderbolt cable from Amazon but it is not working at all.

I bring it to an Apple Authorized shop and they tried to used it with an Apple MacBook Pro with thunderbolt 2 and works perfectly for 5/6 days without a single issue. The shop opened also it to check the cable and the power supplier but everything works great.

I bring there my laptop and with it go in black, reconnecting the mac of the shop turn on perfectly.

I asked at the office to have a temporary MacBook M2 and it is not working like mine.

Now I bring back the monitor to the shop to try to understand where the issue is.

I'm just wondering if it is not a problem of compatibility between new MacBook with Apple Silicon and the old screen. Do you have any experience of these Thunderbolt monitors with recent apple MacBook?

thanks!

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 15.5

Posted on Aug 1, 2025 08:20 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 1, 2025 08:47 AM in response to martignoni.a

<< I asked at the office to have a temporary MacBook M2 and it is not working like mine. >>

¿Exactly what does it do or not do?

By far the biggest issue when a display works for a while, then stops, is caused by cables that are too long.

For Thunderbolt cables connected to displays, the maximum length is 0.5 meters for ordinary cables.

¿Are you using ONLY the ThunderBolt adapter and the captive lead-in cord on the display?

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Answer 2

samtenor

Level 4

2,074 points

Aug 1, 2025 06:13 PM in response to martignoni.a

The most common problem for the TB display - is the aging issues from the TB 1/2 connector.

You mentioned, when the TB display, connected to TB 2 MacBook Pro -- would work BUT not with M3 MacBook Pro.

The reason is - new MacOS is very stringent with any data loss - any fluctuation of data (from the aging old connector) will result in "non function" TB display.

new "external" thunderbolt cable from Amazon - from your statement: I have wondered the quality of this cable.

Most of users here - purchased Apple manufactored TB 1/2 cables (either 0.5 M or 2M) - and use additional female port at TB display + adapter -- that would solve the problem.

Issues will be: these Apple TB 1/2 cables are becoming very expensive.

With all considered, TB display's specs can not compete with newer displays (resolution and old web cam), even though I still have a few and still enjoy using them.

But the cost of spared parts (one time, I have ordered 5 logic boards to get a "funcitonal one") that I have been phasing these out for newer ones.

Best

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Answer 3

martignoni.a Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 2, 2025 10:01 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

G rant Bennet-Alder wrote:

<< I asked at the office to have a temporary MacBook M2 and it is not working like mine. >>

¿Exactly what does it do or not do?

By far the biggest issue when a display works for a while, then stops, is caused by cables that are too long.

For Thunderbolt cables connected to displays, the maximum length is 0.5 meters for ordinary cables.

¿Are you using ONLY the ThunderBolt adapter and the captive lead-in cord on the display?

yes I'm using the original cable coming from the monitor with a bran new Apple Thunderbolt adapter.

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Answer 4

martignoni.a Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 2, 2025 10:00 AM in response to samtenor

samtenor wrote:

The most common problem for the TB display - is the aging issues from the TB 1/2 connector.

You mentioned, when the TB display, connected to TB 2 MacBook Pro -- would work BUT not with M3 MacBook Pro.

The reason is - new MacOS is very stringent with any data loss - any fluctuation of data (from the aging old connector) will result in "non function" TB display.

new "external" thunderbolt cable from Amazon - from your statement: I have wondered the quality of this cable.

Most of users here - purchased Apple manufactored TB 1/2 cables (either 0.5 M or 2M) - and use additional female port at TB display + adapter -- that would solve the problem.

Issues will be: these Apple TB 1/2 cables are becoming very expensive.

With all considered, TB display's specs can not compete with newer displays (resolution and old web cam), even though I still have a few and still enjoy using them.

But the cost of spared parts (one time, I have ordered 5 logic boards to get a "funcitonal one") that I have been phasing these out for newer ones.

Best

Thanks. Maybe as you said is the built-in cable.

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Answer 5

Aug 2, 2025 01:03 PM in response to martignoni.a

Readers have used a discrete cable plugged into the separate Thunderbolt port on some displays (if yours has such a port) to bypass a damaged captive lead-in cord with good success.

Yours appears to have such a port.

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