Troubleshoot HDMI projection on Macs (Ventura, Sequoia & Tahoe OS)

This article is designed to help you troubleshoot any issues that may arise when trying to project on a MacBook. Problems involve not seeing any images or getting a blurry image.  Sometimes HDMI connectivity problems arise because the default resolution or display settings configured on the Mac aren’t compatible with the external display. For example, an Ultra HD 4K display may not work properly with a Mac set to a lower 1080p resolution. Or the refresh rate might not match between devices. Adjusting display resolutions and settings on the Mac usually resolves these types of issues.

Things to make note of when connecting HDMI to MacBooks:

  • Turn on computer first before connecting HDMI cable
  • Make sure HDMI cable is properly connected to the correct port on computer
  • Make sure HDMI is connected firmly to the wall (not loosely connected)

Troubleshooting steps

  1. Navigate to System Preferences.
  2. Click on Displays.
Depicts steps 1-2
  1. Try lowering the resolution from the resolution list above and ensuring the color profile is set to Extron HDMI.  Make sure to click on the second display and not on Build-in display. This ensures that you’re not changing the resolution on the Mac itself.
Depicts step 3
  1. If you are using the mirror option instead of extended display, ensure the display settings match the example below.
Depicts step 4
  1. Verify your username (name of your machine) is selected next to optimize for using the dropdown menu. If there is no display or the image is blurry on the secondary display, adjust the resolution on the secondary display.
Depicts step 5
  • If none of these steps work, try a fresh restart of the computer and connect the HDMI again
  • Check for any software updates