MacBook Pro M1 Sequoia vs Apple 23" Display - Off, Black, On - Any Success?

Numerous threads describing this problem have been closed, so I'm starting over.

This has been affecting hundreds of users, described here, and on Reddit, for months.


Short version:

External display goes black/off, then on again, every few minutes.

Longer version:

MBP M1 2020

Just installed 15.6, but problem started as soon as I upgraded to Sequoia (15.3.2 at the time).

Apple 23" external display (my M1 2020 MacBookPro calls it a "Play").

Benfei (but also tried a Kanex) DVI to USB-C adapter

Never happened with any OS prior to Sequoia; nothing else has changed.


In addition to applying each Sequoia upgrade as it was released ...

I have tried many suggestions that were offered, including ...

• Different resolutions on the external.

• Mirroring the internal to the external, or not.

• Caffeine app (to prevent sleep).

• Turning the desktops black.

• Booting into safe mode and back.

• Removing USB hub from the setup.

• Using wireless external keyboard and mouse instead of USB.


Things I have not tried:

• Wiping my MBP drive and starting over from a Time Machine backup

• Resetting NVRAM from terminal [sudo nvram -c] (does this fix it?)

• Trading up to a MBP M2/M3/M4 (until I know for certain that will fix it)


Question: If you had this problem, and fixed it, what did you do?

I really need someone who can say "I did this, and it worked for me: ..."


Mac user since 1984, many different models, all system versions!


[Re-Titled by Moderator]


MacBook Pro (M1, 2020)

Posted on Aug 7, 2025 12:20 PM

Reply
3 replies

Aug 21, 2025 11:33 AM in response to BDAqua

Well, I did this via Terminal. It asked for my password, which I entered, and it came back to prompt right away. I was not sure anything changed (I'm used to the days of a chime after a Option-Command-P-R). I shut down and restarted and ... it did not blink for the rest of the day. The next day blinking returned, so I restarted, and it was stable again for the day. OK the next day too. I took the MBP with me to use in another location; when I came home and re-attached, blinking returned. Restarted and it was stable the rest of the day. Last night it updated to 15.6.1, and it's been stable so far today. So, the bottom line is, while NVRAM reset probably helped, there's still something odd going on, but after many months, the 23" is usable, albeit with an occasional restart. Thanks!

MacBook Pro M1 Sequoia vs Apple 23" Display - Off, Black, On - Any Success?

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