Macbook HDMI Port Not Working? [How To Fix]

If you have any issue with the settings of video & audio quality that mac is providing on the HDMI port to the device you have connected it to, here are the methods to reset those settings.

Resetting Video Settings

If you have any problem with the video on the HDMI device here are some common areas that you should check.

Display Section

  • From the Apple menu select System Preference.
  • Click on Display or press Shift + A, then go to the System Preference followed by Display.
  • Select Detect Display and a new window will appear.

1. RESOLUTION– Under the Display section, you can change the resolution according to your choice(Which connected device can support). 

2. ROTATION– Under the same Display section you can also rotate the screen display on your device by setting the rotation as you desire.

3. REFRESH RATE– You can set the refresh rate also according to the type of performance you need to see.

4. UNDERSCAN– Under the display section, you can slide the Underscan scale to make the display even better by setting the width of the screen according to the screen of the device you are using as the original sizes of both devices may not be the same. So it fits the display on the HDMI device.

Arrangement Section

As you opened the display section the process of opening the arrangement section is also the same.

  • Go to the Apple menu -> System Preferences.
  • Select Display or press shift + A to open applications then select System Preferences and click on Display.
  • Choose Detect display.

Here in this section, you can adjust the position of the screen where it is supposed to be by moving the squares shown on the screen. If you select the mirror display option, exact things will display on the screen as you perform on the mac. 

Color Section

To open the color section

  • Head towards the Apple menu and select System preferences and then choose Display or press shift + A to open applications.
  • Select System Preferences then click on Display.
  • Tap on Detect Display and a new screen will appear.

In this section, you can also set the color profiles according to your taste or choice.

Resetting Audio Settings

If your HDMI device has any issues with the sound it is getting it from the mac and here is the way to reset it.

  • Select System Preference from the Apple menu.
  • Select the Sound Application.
  • Here in the appearing window, input and output pane will appear.
  • Since we have to work on the HDMI device we will choose the output pane only, because the input pane will show results for other ports.
  • Select your HDMI device for sound output.
  • Balance the sound coming on the HDMI device on the scale provided.
  • Also, you can set the volume you want in the HDMI device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1.What if any problem with audio or video persists after resetting the HDMI settings?

1. Check if the cable is connecting properly or not. In addition to this perform these steps also:

  • Turn off the HDMI device while keeping the Mac device connected.
  • Remove the cable from Mac.
  • Reconnect the Mac.
  • Turn on the HDMI device.

2. Go and check the Audio and video settings properly again as explained above.

3. Make sure that you pair the HDMI Device correctly. For example:

If you are connecting to an HDMI TV then the mirroring should be proper. Because sometimes wrong settings of HDMI devices led to poor results.

4. Check the Quality or supportability of the cable and Adapter (if used). Since HDMI ports of Apple devices only support a good quality cable and Adapter.

5. Restart your Mac device. This may help to recognize your devices.

Q2. What if your Mac sleeps while playing a particular video, how to resolve the HDCP error?

Quit the App in which you are playing the video and reopen it, or go to the Apple menu and select System Preferences then choose the energy saver option and change the settings there.

Q3. Which type of ports we should use with Mac systems?

1.HDMI port: HDMI devices can directly connect through cables.

2.USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 port: Mac Connects to HDMI using an adapter. 

3.Mini DisplayPort: Mac Connects to HDMI using a Mini Display Port which connects via an adapter.

Q4. Which type of cable should I use with mac?

Mac supports any type of cable after 1.4 HDMI generation like 2.0 or 2.1 HDMI cables.

Q5. What type of sound and video quality do cables provide that mac supports by the Mac system to the HDMI device?

These cables provide high definition and 4K resolution videos with at least 1080p resolution over the HDMI with a great Dolby sound with traditional stereos. You can see some slight changes here due to the change in the frequency. Higher generation cables like 2.0 & 2.1 HDMI cables provide better frequency video in 120-144 hertz with the same high definition video quality.

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I am Steven S. Martin, the person behind HDMITechnologies. Personally, I run my tech hub in Texas and used almost thousands of devices for my hub for the last 15 years. I put all my experiences and knowledge to make your decision better and valuable.

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