16‑inch MacBook Pro: New Apple Sound‑Check with a Side of Frustration
Apple’s latest 16‑inch MacBook Pro is riding the wave of M1 Pro and M1 Max chips—sleek performance and absolutely gorgeous. But with every great feature comes a snag. Users are quietly complaining about two baffling issues: the laptop just won’t charge when it’s turned off, and it struggles to get back to life from sleep when the Mac is locked in clamshell mode.
Charging Troubleshoot: The Orange Light Tale
At the heart of the problem is Apple’s much‑lauded MagSafe connectors, back on the scene for a 16‑inch upgrade. A Reddit user got hands‑on and shared a short clip that blew tech socks off: the MagSafe port lights up with a steady orange glow, a sign that the charger isn’t being acknowledged despite the laptop being switched off.
- Only on the big 16‑inch models
- Happens whether you’re using the M1 Pro or the M1 Max
- The orange light persists even after resetting the port
Sleep Mode Slips in the Clamshell Command
Worse still for some folks: the Mac won’t breeze back into action from sleep when kind of hugging a display, a mode people call “clamshell.” Fingers get tingled when the laptop’s supposed to wake up and simply refuses. It’s as if the Mac has developed a small, stubborn bout of apathy.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Apple’s adding the magnetic charm of MagSafe back to a 16‑inch pro‑grade device—and while it sounds cool, a small fraction of users are seeing a hiccup that lets the charger look like a ghost. If you’re experiencing the orange light, the best first steps are to:
- Try a different MagSafe cable (or the old favourite)
- Reset the System Management Controller (SMSC) on the MacBook Pro
- Check for firmware updates that could patch the port’s behavior
And if your Mac’s sleeping like a stubborn cat, make sure the laptop is closing properly and that you’re not tampering with sleep settings that can throw a wrench in the works.
Takeaway
Apple’s 16‑inch MacBook Pro definitely delivers a hard‑hitting slate of power and style. But, as with all new tech, it’s got a glitch or two. Charging when off and waking up from clamshell are the current headaches, so keep a backup charger handy, stay patient, and hope that Apple’s next update smooths things out. In the meantime, enjoy that sleek new machine, just don’t let the orange light keep you from the guffaws of a fully charged machine.
Apple Support team comes to the rescue
Apple’s Charging Chaos: What’s Happening and How to Deal
Why the 16‑inch M1 Max MacBook Pro is Struggling with MagSafe
Folks are reporting that when you plug your 16‑inch M1 Max MacBook Pro into the MagSafe port, the charger just won’t do its job. Interestingly, the USB‑C ports are happy to keep your device powered, so it’s clearly not the computer’s battery capacity that’s at fault.
At the moment, Apple Support is on a mission to pinpoint whether this is a software glitch that a future macOS update can fix, or a hardware hiccup that might require swapping out the MagSafe charger or the entire 2021 16‑inch MacBook Pro.
How To Keep the Power Coming While the Issue Is Investigated
Here are a few quick tricks to keep your laptop humming until Apple finally delivers a proper fix:
- Charge while the machine is in sleep mode. Put it to sleep, plug it in, and let it charge under the hood.
- Charge with the lid open. Keep your MacBook Pro out of clamshell mode and power it up that way.
- Attach the MagSafe cable before shutting down. Let the charger touch the device first, then switch off the laptop for safety.
Other Oddities: The Clamshell Display Dilemma
Some users have noticed a less obvious glitch—when they place their M1 Max MacBook Pro in clamshell mode, the external display can act up. They’re debating whether it’s a macOS Monterey bug or another hardware flaw. Either way, it’s another puzzle Apple will need to solve.
What’s Next? Stay Tuned
Keep an eye on Apple’s official channels for updates. Until then, use those USB‑C ports or the handy temporary fixes above to keep your MacBook Pro alive and well. If you’re feeling brave, try the “MagSafe before shutting down” trick—just don’t expect it to be a permanent solution.
