![]() ![]() 2011 – 2014 iMac: Can be used as an external display with any Mac that has a Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 port.Īny iMac built after 2014 starting with the Retina iMacs cannot be used as an external monitor.2009 – 2010 24-inch and 27-inch iMacs: Can be used an external monitor with any Mac that has a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 port.Specifically the following iMacs support Target Display Mode: If you have an iMac built between 2009 to 2014 with Target Display Mode, you an use it with your Intel Mac Mini, Intel MacBook Air or Intel MacBook Pro as an external monitor. Target Display Mode With An iMac (Intel Macs Only) With this in mind, here then are the best ways to use an iMac as an external display with a Mac including the latest Apple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs. Open Core Legacy Patcher (Intel Macs Only, Free): This only works on Intel Macs but allows you to patch macOS so that you can run macOS Ventura on an Intel Mac and restore Target Display Mode that Apple has now removed.However, it can be laggy and requires a monthly subscription to use. Duet Display ($2.09/month): This works on any iMac via the Cloud and supports up to 4K resolution.However, it’s not free and requires plugging the Luna Display device into a Thunderbolt port on your Mac. Luna Display ($119.99): This works on all Macs and supports 5K resolution when using an iMac as an external display with another Mac.It only supports a maximum resolution of 1080p with a 16:9 aspect ratio and can also be very laggy. AirPlay Mode in macOS (Free): This works with both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs that support AirPlay but does not support the maximum resolution of an iMac.It also only works when using an iMac as a monitor with an Intel Mac not the latest Apple Silicon M1 and M2 chip Macs. Target Display Mode (Intel Macs Only, Free): This supports the full resolution of an iMac display but only works with 24 or 27-inch 2009 or 2010 iMacs or any iMac from 2011 to mid-2014.How To Use An iMac As A Monitor With a Macĭepending on the age of the iMac you have, here are the best ways of using an iMac as a secondary display with a Mac: Watching video from a Mac using AirPlay can also be unreliable with lag a common a problem. Generally we wouldn’t recommend using an iMac as an external display on an M1 or M2 Mac if you’re using it for something like video editing due to lag unless you used Luna Display. Using Luna Display (Supports 5K – $119.99)Īll three methods aren’t quite as good as Target Display mode because there is usually some lag when using them and only Luna Display supports 5K resolution on the iMac as it works via Thunderbolt or Ethernet ports (although it’s not free).Using AirPlay mode in macOS Monterey or later (Free).However, there are other solutions that allow you to use any iMac as an external display with an M1 or M2 Mac. What To Look For In The Best Monitors For MacsĬan M1 & M2 Macs Use An iMac As A Monitor?Īpple Silicon M1 & M2 Macs such as the M1/M2 MacBook Pro, M1/M2 Mac Mini and Mac Studio can use an iMac as a monitor but not using Target Display Mode.Īpple Silicon M1 and M2 Macs cannot use iMacs that support Target Display Mode as an external display because M1 and M2 Macs do not support macOS Catalina which the Primary Mac needs in order to connect to a iMac with Target Display Mode.Best Alternatives To Apple Studio Display.We therefore strongly recommend checking out the following guides to the best external monitors for Mac instead trying to use an iMac as a long term external display solution. Since Apple has dropped Target Display Mode from both the latest iMacs and Apple Silicon Macs, you can use an iMac as a monitor either via AirPlay or using third party apps which don’t perform as well. This is because the latest M1 and M2 chip Macs do not support the old Target Display Mode available in Intel Macs which utilized the full resolution and capabilities of the iMac as a monitor. This is especially true when trying to use an iMac as an external display for video editing or graphic design with the Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Pro, M2 MacBook Pro, M1/M2 MacBook Air, M1/M2 Mac Mini, M1 Mac Studio or M2 Mac Studio. ![]() ![]() Open Core Legacy Patcher (Intel Only)įirstly, it’s important to be aware from the start that it’s far simpler and results in much better resolution to use a dedicated external display than an iMac as an external monitor with a Mac. How To Use An iMac As A Monitor With a Mac.Can M1 & M2 Macs Use An iMac As A Monitor?. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |