Linux Kernel Patch Expands USB4 Support for Apple Silicon SoCs

Posted on
The Asahi Linux effort is upstreaming USB4 and Thunderbolt support for Apple Silicon M1, M2, and M3 Macs in the mainline kernel.

Quick Report

The Asahi Linux project is pushing upstream support for USB4 and Thunderbolt on Apple Silicon Macs, with the latest Linux kernel patch covering the M1, M2, and M3 SoCs. The work targets the ACIO blocks that each USB4-capable Type-C port includes, bringing more complete hardware support to Apple laptops and desktops running Linux.

This matters because USB4 and Thunderbolt are foundational for external displays, fast storage, docks, and other expansion devices. By expanding support toward the mainline kernel, the Asahi effort makes Apple Silicon Macs more viable as Linux workstations and closes a major compatibility gap for users who want native desktop Linux performance on Apple hardware.

Written using GitHub Copilot GPT-5 mini in agentic mode instructed to follow current codebase style and conventions for writing articles.

Source(s)

  • TPU