Apple’s macOS 12.1 update fixes this major 2021 MacBook Pro problem
Owners of 2021 MacBook Pros pay attention now, as Apple’s upcoming macOS 12.1 update is one you’ll want to download right away.
As first spotted by MacRumours, macOS 12.1 is still in beta but has now reached developers for testing as part of its release candidate stage – meaning a fix for one of the main problems plauging new MacBook Pros is just around the corner.
Specifically, macOS 12.1 addresses an issue where menu bar icons (or “extras” in Apple speak) get obscured behind the notch at the top of the screen of these devices if too many are open.
It’s not an overly common bug, but it is a big one and definitely not what you want to encounter when you’ve shelled out (at least) £1,900 for a new Apple laptop.
It’s not the only fix being promised by the update, either. New MacBook Pro users may also find it helps with YouTube HDR playback problems, as well as an annoying MagSafe charging issue reported on 16-inch models of the 2021 laptop.
According to Apple’s release notes, macOS 12.1 fixes the following issues:
- Desktop and Screen Saver may appear blank after selecting photos from the Photos library
- Trackpad could become unresponsive to taps or clicks
- External displays may not charge some MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers when connected using Thunderbolt or USB-C
- HDR video playback on YouTube.com could cause 2021 MacBook Pro computers to panic
- Menu bar extras may be obscured by the camera housing on 2021 MacBook Pro computers
- MagSafe may stop charging on 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro computers when lid is closed and system is shut down
An exact macOS 12.1 release date hasn’t been announced, but provided nothing untoward is found in the release candidate version of the software, you can expect to see the update become available in the next week or two.
Related: read our full MacBook Pro 2021 review
James Laird
Contributing Editor 
