2020 Mac Mini M1 Update

It has been a while since I wrote about my experience with the 2020 Mac Mini M1 computer. It has been about six months of owning this machine. The best part of it is the performance. Unfortunately, I have run into a very annoying issue. Well, there are two significant flaws in the machine that has caused more than headaches. 

Bluetooth does not work.

I do not know what the deal is, but the Bluetooth just isn’t working for me. To use external speakers, I have to use an aux cable or corded headphones. I just brushed it off, thinking Apple would release an update to fix this issue only to find no solution in sight. 

Mac Mini keeps crashing every time I put her to sleep.

I usually set my machine to sleep at night with my work open to continue the next day. Everything worked fine until a few weeks after owning the device. That was when it first started crashing. It constantly crashes when set to sleep mode or inactive past 15 minutes now. I’ve sent over 50 debug reports to Apple regarding these crashes. Using the latest macOS Big Sur Version 11.3.1, it still crashes. Thoughts kept coming if I should return this device. That was until I found a solution that worked for me.

How to keep the 2020 Mac Mini M1 from crashing?

My workaround to keep my computer from crashing is simple. I am using an app I created for the App Store named, Stay Awake. I recommend you try it out. This app has made my experience with the Mac Mini so much better.

Enable the app and set it for “Infinity”. This will keep your Mac on 24/7. 

Here I can set my Mac into sleep mode and continue my work without it crashing upon waking up. I have not had one crash since.

I hope that Apple has a fix for this, and I do not have the same experience when I upgrade to the next MacBook Pro that is rocking the M1X chip.

Other than those two big annoyances, this machine is solid.