Linux takes one step closer to working perfectly on your Mac with a patch for USB4 and Thunderbolt ports

Published Aug 31, 2026, 12:13 PM EDT Simon is a Computer Science BSc graduate who has been writing about technology since 2014, and using Windows machines since 3.1. After working for an indie game studio and acting as the family's go-to technician for all computer issues, he found his passion for writing and decided to use his skill set to write about all things tech. Since beginning his writing career, he has written for many different publications such as WorldStart, Listverse, and MakeTechEasier. However, after finding his home at MakeUseOf in February 2019, he would eventually move on to its sister site, XDA, to bring the latest and greatest in Windows, Linux, and DIY electronics. Sign in to your XDA account Summary New kernel patch adds initial USB4/Thunderbolt support for Apple M1, M2, M3 SoCs. Supports XDomain and USB3-over-USB4 tunnels; PCIe/DisplayPort and suspend are not ready yet. Patch is under testing for mainline merge; could land before Linux 7.4 but not guaranteed. While Linux has been making headlines due to distros taking stances on AI code implementations and what's new with Linux 7.3, there has been something genuinely very interesting bubbling away with the kernel. Slowly, but surely, we're seeing people getting Linux working on Apple devices. It hasn't been a rapid process (we saw trackpads get added in June, for instance), but it has been progress, and a steady amount at that. Now, a new patch to the Linux kernel would add compatibility for USB4 and Thunderbolt support for Apple Silicon M1, M2 and M3 devices, and while it's not quite perfect yet, it's a solid start. A new Linux patch adds support for USB4 and Thunderbolt ports on Apple devices We're slowly making progress toward making MacBooks a daily driver As spotted by Phoronix, a new patch has appeared on the Linux mailing list. Titled "[PATCH 00/19] Initial USB4/Thunderbolt support for Apple M1/M2/M3 SoCs," it describes an initial effort to get Linux paired up with Apple's ports. And while it's not working perfectly right now, it's still an amazing start: "This series adds initial USB4/Thunderbolt support for Apple Silicon M1, M2 and M3 SoCs. Each USB4 capable Type-C port comes with an ACIO ("Apple Converged I/O") block which contains a Cortex-M3 co-processor and the hardware implementing the USB4 router." [...] "Right now only XDomain connections and USB3-via-USB4 tunnels are supported. Both PCIe and DisplayPort tunnels will come later since those require additional work and reverse engineering that is not done yet. Suspend is also not supported yet and we actually have to prevent suspending whenever an active connection is present because we would otherwise resume into an SError." It's yet to be seen if this patch will arrive in time for Linux 7.4; right now, it's being tested to see if it's worth merging into the main kernel. But it's a cool step forward for getting Linux working on Apple devices without major issues with its hardware.