Apple Releases macOS Monterey 12.3.1 With Bluetooth and Display Fixes

Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.3.1, a minor update to the macOS Monterey operating system that launched in October. macOS Monterey 12.3.1 comes two weeks after the launch of macOS Monterey 12.3, an update that brought Universal Control.

macOS Monterey 2
The ‌‌‌‌‌macOS Monterey‌‌ 12.3‌‌.1 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.

According to Apple's release notes, macOS Monterey 12.3.1 introduces a fix that could cause Bluetooth controllers like game controllers to disconnect from the Mac after playing audio through some Beats headphones. It also addresses a bug that could cause USB-C or Thunderbolt external displays to not turn on when connected to the 2018 Mac mini as a secondary display.

This update fixes the following issues:
- USB-C or Thunderbolt external display does not turn on when connected to Mac mini (2018) as a second display
- Bluetooth devices, such as game controllers, may disconnect from your Mac after playing audio through some Beats headphones

macOS Monterey 12.3.1 also addresses two vulnerabilities, including an AppleAVD issue that could allow an application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges and an Intel Graphics Driver issue that could allow an application to read kernel memory.

Apple says these exploits may have been actively exploited, so it is a good idea for all users to update as soon as possible.

Today's macOS Monterey update was also accompanied by iOS 15.4.1, iPadOS 15.4.1, tvOS 15.4.1, watchOS 8.5.1, and new 15.4.1 software for the HomePod.

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

Low-Price 12.9-Inch MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Reportedly Launching Early This Year

Friday January 2, 2026 9:08 am PST by
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce. In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing." TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Clicks Communicator Feature

'Clicks Communicator' Unveiled — Will You Carry This With Your iPhone?

Friday January 2, 2026 6:35 am PST by
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator. The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...

Top Rated Comments

Station Grey Avatar
49 months ago
Bit alarming that the external display bug is referenced purely as a Mac mini 2018 issue, rather than on iMacs and MBPs too - either they haven't fixed the issue for all, or they don't know fully understand what the issue was.

Still, nearly download on my iMac 2017 with dual, borked external displays so will soon find out.

Edit: Yes, it fixed it.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tmoerel Avatar
49 months ago

At this point, can anyone tell me if there are still any memory leaks in Monterey? Or have been fixed all of them?

Any other major bug on Monterey? Or is this a safe release to jump from Big Sur?
An operating system contains millions of lines of code. It will never be perfect and there will always be some memory leak somewhere. But the major ones seem to be under control.
I work in software Quality Assurance and I can guarantee you that perfect software does not exist!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFin Avatar
49 months ago
I hope this also fixes the issue with Quick Previews. After a while, hitting the space bar only shows a tiny thumbnail instead of previewing the file as it should. The only way to fix this is to restart Finder which is frustrating since it will usually close all Finder windows.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
49 months ago
Yay! More bugs are being squashed.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Populus Avatar
49 months ago
At this point, can anyone tell me if there are still any memory leaks in Monterey? Or have been fixed all of them?

Any other major bug on Monterey? Or is this a safe release to jump from Big Sur?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
VictorTango777 Avatar
49 months ago

An operating system contains millions of lines of code. It will never be perfect and there will always be some memory leak somewhere. But the major ones seem to be under control.
I work in software Quality Assurance and I can guarantee you that perfect software does not exist!
Before any problem can be fixed, the company first has to admit that there is a problem, not ignore it or claim ”it’s a feature, not a bug”.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)