{"id":1725015,"date":"2022-09-12T14:11:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-12T14:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/?post_type=articles&p=1725015"},"modified":"2022-09-22T14:24:25","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T14:24:25","slug":"my-mac-wont-recognize-my-thunderbolt-device","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/www.sweetwater.com\/sweetcare\/articles\/my-mac-wont-recognize-my-thunderbolt-device\/","title":{"rendered":"My Mac won’t recognize my Thunderbolt device."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If your Mac or Windows PC won\u2019t recognize your Thunderbolt device, it may be that you are using the wrong kind of cable. What\u2019s confusing is that the type of plug connector on the end of the cable doesn\u2019t tell you everything you need to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thunderbolt 3 and 4: USB-C Connector Cables<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Does your device have this kind of port? It\u2019s a USB-C connector.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Thunderbolt symbol on a Thunderbolt 3 cable, a Thunderbolt 3 audio interface, and Thunderbolt 3 ports on an Apple iMac<\/em>. All use the USB-C connector.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newer Thunderbolt 3 and 4 devices require special Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables<\/strong> that have the Thunderbolt symbol <\/strong>printed on both ends ofthe cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, all sorts of USB devices also have a USB-C connector, and the kind of cable you need for that is wired completely differently than a Thunderbolt cable. If you have a cable with USB-C connectors and it doesn\u2019t <\/em><\/strong>have the Thunderbolt symbols printed on it, you have a regular USB cable. A Thunderbolt device will not work when connected with one of these cables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So check your cables and look for the Thunderbolt symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thunderbolt 1 and 2: Mini DisplayPort Connector<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Does your device have this kind of port? It\u2019s a Mini DisplayPort connector.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Thunderbolt symbol on a Thunderbolt 2 cable and a Thunderbolt 2 audio interface. They use the Mini DisplayPort connector.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Older Thunderbolt 1 and 2 devices require special Thunderbolt 1 and 2 cables that have the Thunderbolt symbol<\/strong> printed on both ends of the cable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, many computer display monitors have a Mini DisplayPort connector, and the kind of cable you need for that is wired completely differently than a Thunderbolt cable. If you have a cable with Mini DisplayPort connectors and it doesn\u2019t<\/em><\/strong> have the Thunderbolt symbols printed on it, you have a regular computer display monitor cable. And a Thunderbolt device will not work when connected with one of these cables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So check your cables and look for the Thunderbolt symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, check out this article, “Thunderbolt Connections Demystified.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>

Thunderbolt Connections Demystified<\/p>

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