USB ports are an extremely popular way of connecting devices, from which users expect stable operation. It seems that this is not the case with the new Apple Mac mini.
For quite a long time, Mac mini M4 users have been reporting instability with USB Type-C devices. Among the issues are the inability to connect, sudden disconnections, particularly during heavy loads, and lack of connection after waking up from sleep, etc. User reports, discovered during an investigation by Appleinsider, cover the period since the release of the M4 Mac mini in October 2024.
In one of the posts on Reddit, published on January 15, the author talks about a USB-C keyboard that periodically turns off and requires physical disconnection and reconnection to the M4 Mac mini to continue working. Meanwhile, this keyboard works perfectly fine with other Macs owned by the user.
Other respondents complain about issues when using docking stations, which also stop working until they are physically reconnected. There are also mentions of problems with powering USB-C devices from the M4 Mac mini. In at least one of the cases, an external hard drive disconnected during intensive data transfer.
Some note that only the rear connectors malfunction, as the same devices work normally with the front ones, although other users’ experiences contradict this. Hubs and devices connected to them also malfunction. One user had issues with a hub that used an external power source, meaning it was independent of power through USB-C from the Mac mini.
One user says that USB-C devices did not connect automatically on their Mac mini with M4, unlike models with the M1 Mac mini processor. Again, it was necessary to physically reconnect the devices for them to work.
The problem did not bypass the Apple support forum. In one publication from November 23, it is stated that the front USB-C ports worked normally, but the rear ports did not work reliably, essentially being useless. The post also received responses from other users with a similar problem.
On the MacResource forum, a user reported a similar problem with an extended Apple keyboard, which did not work when connected to the rear panel through an adapter, but a Logitech mouse connected directly worked fine. The front ports apparently worked normally in this case.
From the list of complaints, identifying the cause of the failures is difficult due to a huge number of variables. Many users say that devices turn off when the Mac mini is in sleep mode. The problem may be software-related, and thus may be resolved over time. Universal advice includes using the most reliable cables and accessories, but it seems that the problem is not in them — the same user devices work normally with other Apple systems.
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