You have an old imac that has a perfectly good display. Use a 27inch imac with a mini displayport as an external display connect the mini displayport cable to the ports on each mac. If youre looking for a simple monitor for occasional use, the lg 29um69gb is the best budget macbook pro monitor that weve tested so far. Target display mode iswas a macos and osx system function that allowed an imac to become a display for another mac. Here are the imacs that can be used as a second monitor. I like connecting an external monitor to my imac for a variety of reasons, including a keeping my rockmelt browser on that screen, b playing movies on that screen, and c using the extra monitor as a clipboard location, where i can place notes. Mode isnt working to connect your imac as an external display, there are a few. Hot network questions 70s80s childrens book with a magic paint brush. So i turned off the macbook, put the hard drive back in, and then pressed power to turn. Oct 19, 2019 with your external display s connected, launch system preferences displays. Similar to target disk mode, where one macs internal hard drives can be mounted as external drives via firewire or thunderbolt to another system, target display mode allows an imacs display. On top of that, you can use target display mode to connect a macbook with a late 2009 or mid2010 imac. If you have an imac made in mid2011 or later, then one thing you can do with it is to use it as an external monitor. In some cases, you can also use target display mode to play the sound from your mac called the primary mac on the speakers of the external imac.
This gives you a bigger screen without needing to buy. Mar 24, 2020 when it comes time to purchase an external monitor for your macbook air, there are several things to keep in mind, including display performance, size, and price. Macbook pro how to use external monitor right from boot. Use a cable and adapter if necessary to connect your macbook to your external display. When it comes time to purchase an external monitor for your macbook air, there are several things to keep in mind, including display performance, size, and price. Jun 22, 2019 on top of that, you can use target display mode to connect a macbook with a late 2009 or mid2010 imac. How to best connect external displays to macs techrepublic. How to turn your imac into a secondary display the mac. Simple ways to connect a macbook to an imac with pictures. My concern is that sometimes the fans kick up pretty hard on the mbp.
With your external monitor turned off, connect the monitor to your macbook air with your new cables, and then turn your external monitor on. I have an macbook pro that i am running most of my programs on and wondered if i can hook it up to my 24 inch imac. If you want the imac to play audio as well as video from. Dells tried and tested u2718q is a featureladen monitor that supports hdr content playback. Mar 05, 2019 use an imac as an external monitor or extended display for your macbook pro. Use an imac as a monitor or extended display for your macbook pro. I have a 20 macbook air 4g ram, 128g and a 24 monitor. For example, if you have a macbook pro you could use an imac as the. This wikihow teaches you how to use your imac as a monitor for a macbook, as well as how to share files and printers between both computers. Its still, unfortunately, missing a usbc port, but it does have a usb 3. Hello excellent ifixit community, i recently diagnosed a clients imac as having a failed lcd panel. I have aperture running on my mbp and could use the extra screen on the imac. On the other hand, the apple ecosystem now lets you easily use newer.
Also, the 29 inch imac input if thunderbolt, so not even sure its possible to get a mini displayport to thunderbolt cable. If this fails you may have something deeper here than just a messed up lcd. Learn more how to use windows laptop as external monitor for macbook pro. It was a hassle having to keep track of multiple adapters for my office and for different clients but this victec mini displayport works great. Connecting surface pro to an imac as a monitor windows.
My 11 year old enjoys his monitor he used to play on tv so this monitor is kind of a upgrade. Feb 18, 2012 help me boot my macbook with a dead screen to an external monitor. How to use apple imac as external hd pc monitor target. Restart your system and then close the lid so the lid sensor acknowledges the lid is closed your external display should automatically become the primary display. Step 3 plug the other end of the cable to mini displayport or thunderbolt connector on your imac. Im a student who needs big screens for reading and writing papers. How to use an old imac as an secondary monitor for macbook. It still works on preretina imacs with thunderbolt. Macbook air 2018 or later imac 2016 or later, as well as imac 5k, 27inch, late 2015 imac pro mac mini 2018 or later mac pro 2019. How do i use my 27 inch imac as an external monitor. As you might have guessed, getting the correct external monitor adapter cable was the hard part, and connecting your external monitor to your macbook air is simple. Jan 31, 2020 an external monitor is a great asset if you consistently use your macbook pro at a single location or travel with it infrequently. Force macbook to boot with external monitor apple macos.
After reading a couple forums, i thought the answer was to buy a mini displayporttomini displayport cable and connect one end to the thunderbolt port on my macbook and the other to the mini displayport on the back of the imac. Now that target display mode is no more, are there. Based on this, we consider the lg 27uk850w the best monitor you can currently buy for the apple. Mirror your display or use your tv as a separate display. Its usually a lot easier to hook up an external monitor to a pc rather than a. If it doesnt enter this mode automatically, theres a few fixes you can try. Stack overflow for teams is a private, secure spot for you and your coworkers to find and share information. Its also practical because it allows you to work in detail without hunching over a small 12. I have a macbook pro and i bought this because i use hdmi for my external monitor but some of my clients still have vga connections for their projectors. But is it possible to use your mac as a pc monitor. At least with the 27 version, you can upgrade the memory if you want to. Connect my 2015 macbook pro to my 2019 imac as an external. Click and hold on a display to show a red outline on the corresponding monitor. Im using a new 16 mbp to drive a pair of external monitors one lg 4k ultrafine, and one lg 4k 27ul600w.
I use it with an external dell 24 ultra sharp display when im at my desk, although i could happily work only on the macbook display. Amazons choice for best external monitor for macbook acer sb220q bi 21. Mar 26, 2014 if you have an imac made in mid2011 or later, then one thing you can do with it is to use it as an external monitor. I hope this information on how to configure an imac external monitor imac dual monitor has been helpful. You can view the desktop of your mac on the display of some imac models using target display mode. Wouldnt it be great if you could use it as a second monitor with your new macbook air. To answer the question right away yes, it is possible to use your imac as a pc monitor. Step 2 plug one end of the compatible cable into the hdmi, display port. Connecting your macbook to an external monitor or tv is as simple as plugging in a cable between both devices. How to use an imac as an external monitor for a macbook macsx.
If you will never move the computer, go for the imac. Utiliser votre imac comme moniteur assistance apple apple support. Use your imac as a display with target display mode system requirements. Hi, anyone actually connected a surface pro to an imac to enable the imac to act as a monitor. Some newer imac models cannot be used as external monitor for another mac. You can make all of your displays mirror each other, or extend your workspace with different apps and windows on each display. The same mini displayport or thunderbolt port can be used as a video input that allows your imac to serve as a monitor for another mac.
Id consider buying one if i could use it as a monitor for my macbook pro. Press commandf2 on the keyboard of the external display imac. When i plugged the dvi cable back into the macbook, the external monitor turned on to a blank gray screen. Can i use a 2019 imac as a monitor for a macbook pro. With your external display s connected, launch system preferences displays. Use an imac as an external monitor or extended display for your macbook pro.
Using imac as an external monitor to my macbook pro. For example, a macbook pro could use a 27inch imac as the display and play its audio on the imac as well. As of this writing, the imac supports the use of the builtin display and one external monitor up to 30. Some imacs can pull double duty as a monitor for other macs. Well, its the biggest cousin that lets you use a macs hard drive like an external drive on. I mentioned to him he could use it only with an external display, and he accepted this solution, at which point i disconnected the lvds cable, backlight power cable, and vsync cable. How do i connect my macbook to an external monitor. After connecting the computers and turning on target display mode, the external display mac acts like any other external display. I am connecting 27 inch imac to my mac book pro which runs majave os using a thunderbolt 3 usbc connector. Aug 29, 2019 target monitor mode to use an imac as an external monitor target monitor mode is a feature introduced by apple in the latest versions of the operating system. Feb 25, 2015 if you will never move the computer, go for the imac. Use external monitors with your mac learn how to connect another display to your mac and choose how your displays work together.
Using imac in target display mode will enable you to send. Note that on most macs, the fkeys are assigned to a system function by default, so you will either have. It has a smaller, 29 inch screen, and a simpler 2560x1080 resolution, so it isnt as wellsuited as the lg 32ud99w or dell u3818dw for multitasking. The 27inch imac has a bidirectional mini displayport or a thunderbolt port depending on the model that can be used to drive a second monitor. Still, it can be quite compelling to see your mac mini making use of your older 27inch imac as a display, or for troubleshooting an imac having display issues. It is not possible to use a 2017 imac as a monitor for a macbook pro. To use imac as second monitor for pc, first you should make sure that your imac can be used as a display. Even if youre a huge macbook fan, from time to time you may still. Is it possible to use macbook as a display for mac pro. Each year at imore, we look at the newest monitors and put them through the paces. As i said, the easiest way to hook up an external monitor or a tv to your macbook would be to run an hdmi cable from either a monitor or tv directly to your mac. How to use a second screen with a mac, connect a monitor to.
Apr 14, 2020 dells tried and tested u2718q is a featureladen monitor that supports hdr content playback. The imac features one of the best displays on the market, and if you are lucky to have a 4k retina monitor, the vibrant screen is likely to make your workflow more pleasant. One of lgs latest monitors, the 4k 27uk850w sports usbc, hdr. Learn how to use target display mode to make your imac into a second monitor for your macbook, in a stepbystep process. How to add a second screen to your mac or macbook macworld. Target monitor mode to use an imac as an external monitor target monitor mode is a feature introduced by apple in the latest versions of the operating system. I know the mac supports target mode to connect mac to mac, but not sure if it will recognise a windows device in the same way. Can you use imac retina 5k as external monitor for a macbook pro. Get a 27 imac for desktop at home, and keep using the old mba for class.
How to connect a tv or external monitor to a macbook. Apr 24, 2020 use external monitors with your mac learn how to connect another display to your mac and choose how your displays work together. Dec 31, 2009 when i plugged the dvi cable back into the macbook, the external monitor turned on to a blank gray screen. At this point, your imac should recognise the digital video signal, and enter target display mode automatically. If youre just looking for an affordable, highquality display that you can use with a macbook or mac mini then the companys lcd monitor 245e1s is a good, basic option for around.
Connecting another mac to your imac the 27inch imac has a bidirectional mini displayport or a thunderbolt port depending on the model that can be used to drive a second monitor. With target monitor mode you can connect two macs together and use one as a second display. So i turned off the macbook, put the hard drive back in, and then pressed power to. With target display mode you can use the imac as a display for the macbook, or use an imac as a display for another imac. You can, but you may be underwhelmed by the results. If an airplay passcode appears on your tv screen, enter the passcode on your mac. Well i was in for a notsopleasant surprise, when i realized that this wasnt supported in apples most recent imac retina 5k. I normally run with the lid closed, just using those two larger monitors so i have room for a full sized kb, etc. How to use windows laptop as external monitor for macbook pro.