Display configuration resets / monitor forgets the original resolution/display mode it was set

[brypwn]

Whenever my MBA M1 goes to sleep (or disconnected and connected again), the Mac forgets the display arrangement and resets to whatever default configuration it was. The resolution is also reset to the native resolution of the monitor. Not sure what is the issue.

Not sure what logs I need to pull or how to get them, any advice would be appreciated!

[raminxp]

Same. It started after upgrading to the latest verion

[waydabber]

Are you on Sonoma? Do you have this enabled?

https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay/wiki/Fully-scalable-HiDPI-desktop#display-configurationcustom-resolutions-bug-with-macos-sonoma--fix

Related: #2960

[raminxp]

On Sonoma. Still the same issue after enabling "reinitialise external display...". When I wake the laptop up, it starts by turning the laptop screen on, then turning it off (correctly) and switching to the external display. But it doesn't remember the 137% brightness and HDR enabled settings. On 2.3.3.

Yesterday I downgraded to 2.3.1, and it was slightly better; the laptop screen doesn't come on and then off. But the HDR and brightness settings are still not remembered.

[raminxp]

Same issue on 2.3.0. But downgrading to 2.2.6 solved all the issues.

[waydabber]

For some problem displays it helps to increase the config or wake delay.

This option is not in 2.3.3 if I remember correctly, but you can download a pre-release of v2.3.4 here:

https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay/releases/tag/v2.0.0-pre-release

(open Assets and download the latest version at the bottom)

[raminxp]

That's the other problem. It takes much longer now to wake up than it was before upgrading the app/Sonoma 14.5. I'm a little lost to be honest, thought 2.2.6 solved the problem, but it hasn't. Is there a way to enforce the app to always enable HDR? I just don't understand why it "forgets" the setting (& brightness, but that may be linked)

I'll give the pre release a go

[brypwn]

Yup i am on Sonoma, and i use flexible scaling. I dont see this option in my settings. I am on BetterDisplay v2.3.3.

Manually reinitalising the display doesn't seem to help too.

[brypwn]

nvm, I found the setting, it was in a different location than the screenshot. will test it out and see if it works.

I tried unplugging and replugging the mac from the monitor and it does seem to remember the layout... I think the Mac "forgets" the layout and even the monitor's chosen resolution after X period of time..

[waydabber]

Yes, I moved the setting a bit.

The next app version will have a comprehensive layout protection feature, part of display groups. That lets you define locations of a display relative to an other display (with more displays you can chain them up) using anchor points (the goal is to have the arrangement preserved even when resolutions change).

#1836

Here is a pre-release with this, but the feature is not fully tested yet. https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay/releases/download/v2.0.0-pre-release/BetterDisplay-v2.3.4-b30347-pre.zip

[brypwn]

I just tried the pre-release version, and did some testing.

I think what is happening is that after an unspecified amount of time (not necessarily when the Mac goes to sleep or I disconnect it from the monitor), Macos seems to identify the same monitor as a new monitor (see screenshot)

There are multiple instances of my LG monitor, as if I am connecting a new monitor for the first time. I suspect this is why all my previous configurations, configuration prorection, and setting the monitor positions don't work.

Appreciate any advice on this.

Thank you!

[raminxp]

I am not sure if that is possible.

because the external screen has wake issues

I'm not sure if those are true: if I downgrade to 2.2.6, the mac's screen stays off when I wake the mac. It seems to have something to do with BetterDisplay 3.x

[waydabber]

It might be. 3.x uses a much shorter configuration time so if the display has trouble waking up in time, it might lead to this issue. You can change configuration and wake delays here. The value in v2.2.6 was 2.0 instead of the current 0.2 sec if I recall correctly.

[raminxp]

Changing the Configuration delay to 2 has made some differences. It now doesn't wake the mac screen, but the external one takes a good few seconds, turns on and off, and then turn on again: https://www.mediafire.com/file/6p9lvvj55aggr46/IMG_5962.MOV/file

Does this shed any light on what might be the issue?

[waydabber]

Probably it seemingly turns off/on when it switches from non-HDR to HDR by the protection feature.

[raminxp]

Like I said it doesn't do that on 2.2.6, with protection feature on. Anyhow, it seems like I'm on my own with this issue. Thanks for helping anyway.