Yep, it works. I heard that before too and it's funny as I think they want people buying their Studio Displays. Anyhow thanks for watching and supporting the channel.
Hi @muniqueRossoni how is your experience with this? I just bought a iMac base model M3, because my LG Ultrafine is dead, and I think I can use this workaround and a little os the iMac. I have the MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro. Do noticed some latency? I work with Design and some video editing. I really curious. :)
This is not actually using the iMac as a display ... it's an AirPlay receiver. The iMac has to be fully booted, running an OS, and doing all things Mac. A display would just have power and accept the video signal. So, Apple is not wrong in saying that the iMac is not and can't be used as a standalone display.
Just fired up my Intel iMac 2020 (5k, 27”) that’s still on Ventura, found the AirPlay Receiver option, and got it working with my M3 MacBook. Wireless right now with very little lag, but I didn’t buy a cable to connect them. Thanks so much for posting this! I really wish more people knew about this option. I was going to sell my iMac but now have an awesome new reason for keeping it. YOU RULE!
I will try it. it seems it uses the airplay technique. that works with wifi and ethernet. software. Target display is more hardware. since the new Mac mini is so strong and cheap...it will bring my 2010 iMac 27 in the future.
I have a M2 Pro Mac mini hooked up to a Studio display and I also have a 24” M1 Imac .. when I’m doing color correction I use the 24 Imac as an extended monitor .. just go to Displays on the Mac mini and add the Imac .. change sound settings for preferable sound output .. no cables required, being doing this for more than 6 months with no problem .. for sound editing I look at the main monitor as there is a very slight delay on the Imac
I've just seen this 5 hours ago and downloaded OpenCore Legacy Patcher and installed Ventura on an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) and now I can use the iMac as extra screen for my Macbook Pro M2. IT WORKS :) No longer a theory :) Thank you :)
Welcome and I'm glad it helped you out. Might as well get use of of the screen. It's funny because Apple says it's not possible but I think we have proved them wrong.
I have been trying to figure out how to use my Mac as a second display for my Macbook Pro for months. Thank you so much for this tutorial. Now I don't have to go out and purchase a second monitor!!!!
I was looking for a video like this, thank you so much for that. Now my question is my 2017 iMac 27 inch 5k, has thunderbolt can I connect the 2017 as a monitor to a new Mac Mini M4? Also, switch from the Mac Mini to the IMac? My iMac still works well, I don’t want to put that computer away. Any suggestions, please! And thank you….
The 2017 5K won't work unless you are running Open Core Patcher and update to the newest OS level. I have not tested that but people said that doing that will make the 2017 to work and you can search the comments in the video for that and it should have some info.
This is great been thinking about upgrading to m4 from the m1 iMac. Been debating about going with Mac mini and getting a monitor or trading in the m1 iMac and getting the m4 iMac. Now will just use the IMac as a second display and save some money. Thanks this helped a lot.
It will work with older iMacs before 2019/2020 using OpenCore. I have accomplished this using a Mac Mini M1 and my 2015 / 27" Retina using a wired network connection. Fiddle around with the graphic settings until your are satisfied and presto. I would assume if one was to installed OpenCore on an older MacBook / Mac mini that enables Airplay Receiver, it would work as well.
Can you explain or point me in direction to use OpenCore? Non tech guy here but just got a MacBook Pro M3 pro and I would so much want to utilize my 2017 27" iMac display. I looked at Luna but this sounds more what I need/want. thanks!
This might help and be an alternative for your intel 27 inch iMac? I have used built in Screen Sharing over Ethernet or thunderbolt on a M1 Mac mini to 2011 iMac. A hdmi or USB C dummy can be used for gpu acceleration in the Mac mini. These help with applying different resolutions and as a second and extended screen, they cost around £5-10 on Amazon and has a frame rate of around 30fps. You can go full screen for me that is 1440p or have the screen in a window. It also shares mouse keyboard and clipboard for copy and paste. It’s accessible just the same as sharing a drive as long as it is ticked as active in system prefs -> Sharing. Hope that helps...
I'm Using a Macbook Pro M1 and did bought the Thunderbolt4 cable from Apple to connect to my Intel Imac 2020 (27 inch). At the begginning even connected with the thunderbolt cable it was working but still a bit laggy (note that the max resolution you can use is 4k) SOOOO, I discovered that changing my "sound options" killed the latency between the connection. I was outputing the sound to the Imac via Airplay, once I changed to use the sound from my macbook instead of airplay to the Imac, the connection Instantly killed the laggy. Thank you so much for your video, It changed my life 😅 My Setup is: Macbook Pro M1 Max 2021 Ethernet (internet cable) connected to the macbook and iMac. Thunderbolt 4 (or 3 since imac only support the old version) connected to the iMac iMac Intel 27 2020 as an extended display 4k (you'll notice the anti-alias is not perfect) but still better to have a bigger monitor. I was trying to sell my iMac but I would pay the same for a new monitor, so being able to make that connection is AWESOME, and I still have a machine if I'm not working :-)
@@singleseater3316 when you open the “system settings -> sound” you can choose what machine you’ll use to output the sound, don’t use the machine via airplay. But looks like 10s of lagging is too much. Are you using a cable? Or only via wifi? Is weird to have the connection so slow.
@@brunoferrari4795 Thanks for your reply. I'm using a Macbook Pro M3 Max and Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) cable to connect to an older iMac Pro 3,2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon (2017). I will try the sound options and play sound via the macbook. Airplay sounds like it's using wireless transfer anyway, but maybe i's just the name.
@@brunoferrari4795 As was to be expected, setting sound output via Macbook didn't get rid the lag. I've tried Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables. Lagging is about the same. Maybe the Macbook is either too new, or the iMac is too old.
I never comment but I had to! You Sir just saved me returning my new M3 air because an Apple rep told me my iMac 2021 wouldn’t support an external display! Thank you so much!!
I have a 2021 model iMac. I’m considering getting a Mac Mini with the M4 Pro chip. Have you tested this setup with the Mac Mini? It would be amazing if the Mac Mini could use the iMac directly as a display via a cable. That way, we wouldn’t need another monitor to set it up! :)
This definitely works. The only problem I'm having is that the MacBook mirror is not filling the entire iMac screen and I can't figure out why. Also doesn't work in reverse. The iMac screen gives me black bars at the top and bottom of the MacBook. Both are M Series chips (M4 iMac, M1 Pro MacBook). Don't know if this is a limitation of the M1 or I'm simply not seeing something that I need to switch on/off.
Great video man, I'm from Brazil, I have an Imac 2017, with OLCP, and a Macbook Air M1, and it worked, the only thing it needs to work is for the accounts' iCloud to be synchronized on both devices, and that's it. Your channel is TOP, thank you.
Hi Craig I've just tested your method on my 2011 iMac (which runs Sequoia through OpenCore Legacy Patcher) and it works great. Not only does it act like a monitor but it also becomes the audio interface. One question remains though, which cable should I order for my 2011 iMac in order to connect it to my 2020 MacBook Pro M1?
Thanks Craig, Definitely going to try this on my old 27" iMac that's sitting in a cupboard right now! I know I'll need to experiment with Opencore but the result I it works!
@@umityayla5051 Does it lag or something ? I have a 2020 MacBook Pro and a 2015 late IMac 27, and want to use the IMac as an extended monitor for the MacBook. I can only use it wirelessly because the IMac only have Thunderbolt 2 and not USB C or something.
I had the problem where I wouldn’t get the option to “Extend” the screen”, but simply mirror it. How I solved it was to open the window, where one can adjust the position of the screens. Press and hold Option to drag the displays apart. Then it should work
Hey first of all great video! Two follow up questions: 1. In theory I could use the iMac as the primary computer and extend to the MacBook right? If I prefer the iMac’s internals over the MacBooks for example 2. Do you notice if the iMac provides enough power to keep the MacBook powered? My plan is to set my wife up with using an M3 iMac and an M2 MacBook Pro and a single wire would be great
I think #1 should work as long as they are both newer devices (unless you load Open Core). The iMac appears to have enough power to charge the MacBook.
Then you must not be running it. It let's you put on the newest OS on older Macs. The 2017 is really only capable to run up to Monterey normally so you much have the 2017 iMac pro not the standard iMac.
Wow didn't know you could do this with the iMac tought it was only for iPads. This makes buying an imac more compelling than a studio display for us with limited budgets. I guess the biggest limitation is the non native resolution and probably narrower color gamut?
Great video, it is exactly what I was looking for to justify buying a Macbook for working away from home. My only follow-up would be does resolution take a hit when using a thunderbolt cable, and if so is the 2560 "low resolution" much worse than the native iMac resolution?
This is great. very helpful. One question from me. When I do this, and leave it unattended, both displays (Macbook Air and iMac) will not go to sleep, could be hours even. I've even played with the settings on the Macbook air, but no luck. Do you have the same issue, and do you know a way around it. So that both machines sleep when i step away, and then wake when i touch the keyboard or mouse?
I didn't notice that and will need to test it out. Right now I don't have it setup like this but will let you know when I do. If anybody else can test it then post here.
it would be interesting to see a video where you can provide solution to use 2016-17 imac as monitor for Windows PC, as I want to use my imac as monitor for work PC. Any tricks, seen alot on youtube but none are worth.
Would this work for a Mac mini? Or would it be possible to use an iPad as a display for a Mac mini? Would love to see both scenarios tested if possible.
Thanks a lot!!! Another tricky part is that, whether I cld link two iMacs as dual monitors for Mac mini/studio? Cause the theory here is use the airdrop but Mac mini/studio don’t have a monitor a setup at the first place. Or your theory is that setup cld be fixed after the first done.
Thank you Craig for the awesome video. I tried with my M1 MacBook Pro and M1 24"' iMac, and I had this issue: I can only mirror MBP on iMac, it didn't give the options that set iMac as the extended display or something in your video, so there is a obvious lag between 2 displays. By any chance do you know how to fix this?
I had no idea you could connect a Thunderbolt cable and it'd reduce the lag. I've always tried "airplaying" wirelessly for an extended display, but the 1-2 second lag made it completely unusable. And of course universal control doesn't let you extend a Macbook's display into the monitor, it only lets you use it as two separate machines. It seems like Apple doesn't want you to know you can do this. Thanks!
Thanks for this Craig - just one thing - how would one go about hooking my iMac (2020) to a new Mac Mini - and lastly would you be able to use a Thunderbolt 4 instead of 3 cable?
Yes, I think you would follow the same steps and Thunderbolt 4 should work. I would just test it out and see how it works for you. I know on early Macs you need to run Open Core for this to work but I think in the 2020 imacs it should work native as long as you have the settings I showed in the video.
Thanks for asking about the TB4 cable. I was wondering the same thing. It looks like they should be interchangeable so I’m going to go with 4 instead of 3. I’ll report back!
I tried hooking my M2 Macbook Air into the new M4 iMac with a thunderbolt cable while airplaying, but unfortunately there's still significant lag. Just to make sure I went back and forth from universal control and airplaying, and there is indeed still maybe 1-1.5 seconds of latency.
Excellent trick Craig! Just one question - can you easily switch the system between the macbook pro and the imac? For example, while using the imac as an external monitor most of the time, I still want to get back to the imac system now and then
Thanks for making this great video! I connected my M1 macbook to a 27" LG monitor, and then airplay to the 2020 iMac 27" Ventura. It works! The only problem is the Imac is a little lag, and its resolution is different from the LG monitor when I had both set up as 1920x1080. Graphics on iMac looks bigger and more yellow. Is there any way to fix the lag? I connected the LG and imac with a USBC to HDMI cable, it didn't fix the lag. lol.😄
Normally you need to use a Thunderbolt 4 cable and it should fix the lag - not the HDMI. Just make sure it's not connecting via wi-fi or it could be more laggy. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for sharing this. I searched online but everyone says that it isn’t possible with silicone macs as they dropped target display mode. It seems AirPlay over thunderbolt is possible and very usable.
Just do the research first as it's great but you don't get the full 4.5K resolution (slightly less) etc. It's worth it for sure if you have one but I'm not sure it's worth changing the entire setup unless you need it and then that is fine.
Can you use the Mac mini with this display? I have the 2021 iMac and I don’t wanna keep buying a new screen. Every time a new chip come out I’d rather just use the Mac mini. It’s a beautiful display.
thank you very much! i was looking for a video like this, i connected a Macbook M2 16“ with an Imac M1 27”, by airplay and had latency, i tried with the thunderbold cable, i felt it more fluid, i wanted to know that i was doing it right! with your video i checked it, thank you very much!
Hi, thank you for this! If I set it up this way, what do I do when I want to use the 24" mac as the computer? Is there an easy way to go back a forth between it being a main computer and and extension?
Hello Craig! This is very useful as I was thinking of picking up a second-hand iMac as an external monitor. I'm going to be editing high resolution (4K and up) videos and saw in this video that the resolution was best at lower than that. Should I just be looking at regular monitors then? Looking at some 4K ones. Thank you!
Yeah, this is good for people that already have them but it might be best to pick up a standard monitor if you would be buying this for that specific reason.
@@craigneidel I can use my Apple TV as a second monitor for my iPad so maybe. Yes, I do that sometimes but I'm thinking of leaving the MacBook and only going for the iMac and iPad in the future.
What happens if I plug in something into the usb hubs of the iMac, while using it as display? Does the MacBook recognize for example a ssd I plugged into the iMac?
How is the latency on this with the extension? When I do the other method of screen mirroring, I sometimes get a lag or a slight latency, which I don't like. I am thinking about trying this method you posted, Craig. Thanks! I wonder if this can be done via intel iMac 2020. Or through the Macbook Pro version, I wonder if you can do it with two monitors. I believe the air, it only allows one monitor.
The 2019 and 2020 5K imacs could work out of the box, but I know that on the older iMacs you might need to run that Legacy open core patcher but I haven't tested that. With wired connection the latency is super low and I really don't even think about it when using it (it's that good).
It will work with older iMacs before 2019/2020 using OpenCore. I have accomplished this using a Mac Mini M1 and my 2015 / 27" Retina using a wired network connection. Fiddle around with the graphic settings until your are satisfied and presto. I would assume if one was to installed OpenCore on an older MacBook / Mac mini that enables Airplay Receiver, it would work as well.
As soon as they ship Imac M3 with USB C accessories I plan on buying one. This will complete my transition to Apple ECO system from Windows/Android. Do you think it will work with a Windows laptop? My work laptop is windows based. Thanks, looking forward to more videos!
It's using Airplay so not sure. I'll need to do some more fooling around with all this but I wanted to showcase this first since it's fixed the issue of getting the 24" to work as a monitor. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for making the video Craig! Do you know what are the specs for charging a macbook pro with PD through the Thunderbolt connection? What power output is the iMac 24 capable of with PD?
Stopping by to give some updates: succesfully connected following the + button instructions from Craig completely wirelessly. So, it should also work without the thunderbolt
Im trying to use my 27" 2020 iMac to work. First attempt i didnt get the little plus icon but after turning some sharing stuff on I now get the option :) doing it wireless at moment got a cable coming today! I will post back if the cable helps.
Hey Craig- thanks for this, very helpful. I tried my 2019 iMAC 27" as extended display to my MacBook Pro M1. Unfortunately, I'm not getting the option for 5K resolution and only the lower resolution options that are fuzzy in comparison. Any suggestions on how to get the native 5K resolution for the extended display. Apologies if this has been tried and answered prior. Please point me to the answer if that's the case. Thanks
Mine toooo!!! Download the latest software with opencore And then you can go ahead and do this. After years of struggling for such an easy task it finally works for me
Hi Craig. Thanks for giving me some hope lol. I've worked with an iMac for most of my time as a graphic designer and now the company is getting me a 15 inch Macbook Air M2. It's gonna be a big adjustment for me, but if I can get this to work with my existing iMac then it will be a big help. Will it work though? They haven't purchased the Macbook yet so I'm just doing my own research in the meantime. Will your method work for a 21.5 inch late 2013 iMac to a 15 inch Macbook Air M2?
No, in the example I'm using an M1 24" iMac. If you installed Open Core on the 2013 it might work but that is something others have tried but I have not tested. If you are not installing Open Core then it won't work on that old of a machine.
I have a 27-inch 2020 iMac and a 2023 MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. I tried it, but the resolution is not good. I haven't connected the cable yet. Should I connect the cable like you did?
If people don’t want the faff of trynna make Open Core Legacy Patcher work on an older 5K iMac, I *think* you can connect the iMac (via a Thunderbolt2 adapter) WITH a Thunderbolt 3/4 cable TO a MacBook or Mac Mini. Use IP over Thunderbolt to connect the 2 computers (much faster than wifi) Then use Sharing to Remote Desktop FROM the iMac INTO the MacBook or Mini… so you’re using the 5K display to see & run the desktop of the MacBook or Mini
Wondering if you could post a video how to hook up a windows pc to use 24” Mac as a display . I have the thunderbolt tried those options on Mac but got nothing
Thanks for the video. I have a 2020 M1 MacBook Air connected with a Thunderbolt 4 cable to a 2017 27-inch Retina 5K iMac, which was updated to Sequoia 15.0.1 via OCLP. Everything seems to work ok with the iMac as an extended display with 4K resolution, but the iMac display is a bit laggy. As a result, even moving the pointer around precisely can be frustrating. It’s not horrible, but for much of the work I do anything other than seamless just won’t fly. Any idea what I can do to reduce the lag on the iMac display? Or perhaps I just need to buy a new monitor…
@ thanks for following up. The lag drove me nuts so I ended up getting one of the new BenQ MA320U monitors you reviewed in a different video. It’s really nice.
Can you connect 2 external displays? For my old macbook I used one VGA and one HDMI and it worked fine. I'm having some trouble connecting my 3rd display excluding my 2024 imac and my other acer monitor. I really need 3 monitors for work so is there any work around this?
I don't think you can do that using this method. You can get a dock like the Wavlink dock in one of my recent videos but keep in mind that then it won't work with the iMac.
I believe newer iMacs aren't compatible with ths technonlogy. I have a 2023 MBP and a 2021 iMac and it doesn't work it only lets me link the mouse and keyboard or use my MBP as the second display, which is the opposite if what i want to do.
@@KevinRodriguez-hw1mn He have tested it on an iMac M1 which is 2021 so it should work with any M1, M2, or M3 Macbook. Have you managed to make it work?
I have a 2012 IMAC with Catalina and my OS does not show "system settings" under the Mac Apple. I cannot upgrade to a more recent OS as it is a 2012. Looks like your IMac has Ventura OS (at least) on it and the OS was probably updated in 2023. (the system setting option came out with OS Ventura). Would love to try your option...kind of stuck.
In the video I had said that on much older Macs you would need to have Open Core Legacy Patcher installed but even with that I'm not sure a 2012 would work. As I didn't test that but some people in the comments said they got older Macs to work when they installed Open Core and upgraded the OS but I just can't verify any of that.
Sorry if this has been asked before and I missed it. Would this method with with a 5k imac and a mac studio? So using a 5k imac as a display for the Mac Studio??? Hopefully yes:)
I haven't tested that this myself but what others are telling me is yes and no. If you have a 2019 or 2020 5K is may work and people have told me it has. If you are running an older iMac 5K then the only way it works if you have Open Core running on the system to get the newer OS etc. I hope that helps.
I want to try on my 2015 5k iMac. I just upgraded to a M2 15in MacBook Air. I got a cheap 4k screen at the moment and it's ok but the IPS in the 5k iMac would be so much better. It does not have thunderbolt 3 ( USB-C) so do I need a Thunderbolt 3 to MiniDisplay Port Cable? Will that work? I really need the fast connection
What I showcase in the video is not a perfect solution as the resolutions are slightly less but it works good. But with a 2015 imac you would need to install Open Core and upgrade the OS to a newer version to get that to work. I'm not sure it's worth all that work etc. if you already have a 4K monitor.
thank you so much for showing this changes everything, i will no longer sell my imac if this is the case, first this saves me a ton of money, no need to buy keyboard or another external monitor from apple, i had no clue it worked on m1 devices, yes i seen previously imac showing on bluetooth when i was reseting my airpods max daily but when i click on it just did nothing, im gonna buy an thunderbolt 4 cable then since it is the lastest cable and imac supports both 3 and 4, i do have 3 questions though, first is will minisopuru nvme and docks work?, second can still imac ports charge devices and can it charge macbook device? , and lastly can you use external trackpad or keyboard on both macs at same time or you have to wire connect?
The dock won't work since you are now viewing the MacBook and not the imac but you can connect that to the MacBook if you want to. The MacBook will be charged when connected this way. Thanks.
Hey Craig! Two follow up questions - Is there a way to use imac's camera when it's used as an external monitor? It seems that there is some lag when using as an external display. Do you know any hack to bring up the refresh rate? Thanks a lot!
I'm not sure you can use the camera using this method and if I find a way then I'll let you know. Do you have the two connected using a Thunderbolt cable or are you using a wireless connection?
@@craigneidel I'm using a Thunderbolt 4 cable - hopefully there is a way! On the refresh rate, I feel like it's a system config issue since the cable we use definitely should support 60 Hertz but there is no config for the imac screen in the "display" settings😕
Good video but on both my iMac and MacBook Pro the option to add another display device does not appear. I mean the + sign you use to add another display device does not exist. Do you have any idea why this might be ?
Is this going to work if one device has one Apple ID signed in the other device has a different Apple ID signed in? Planning to use this way with my work MacBook Air with my iMac.
Hey 😊 Is it also possible to connect a Windows laptop to a new iMac so that everything that is on the Windows laptop can also be seen on the large iMac monitor? Is it also possible to work with the data on the Windows laptop with the iMac? Thank you very much for an answer.
I've got an iMac 24 M1. I want a secondary display and want to buy a second iMac 24 M1 as the display quality is mint. So you can connect two iMac 24 M1s using this method?
Hi Craig, this video is amazing, unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. I got iMac M1 24'' and macOS Sonoma 14,5. the iMac choice with airplay not appears. only able to use iPad or ATV. any idea? thank you!
I went to the Apple Store and they told me it couldn’t be done in a recent iMac, but I tried your method and it worked 🎉 🙌 thanks a lot!!!
Yep, it works. I heard that before too and it's funny as I think they want people buying their Studio Displays. Anyhow thanks for watching and supporting the channel.
Hi @muniqueRossoni how is your experience with this? I just bought a iMac base model M3, because my LG Ultrafine is dead, and I think I can use this workaround and a little os the iMac.
I have the MacBook Pro 14" M1 Pro. Do noticed some latency?
I work with Design and some video editing. I really curious. :)
Does it possible to connect imac display to tv
Will the Mac mini 4 work?
This is not actually using the iMac as a display ... it's an AirPlay receiver. The iMac has to be fully booted, running an OS, and doing all things Mac. A display would just have power and accept the video signal. So, Apple is not wrong in saying that the iMac is not and can't be used as a standalone display.
Just fired up my Intel iMac 2020 (5k, 27”) that’s still on Ventura, found the AirPlay Receiver option, and got it working with my M3 MacBook.
Wireless right now with very little lag, but I didn’t buy a cable to connect them.
Thanks so much for posting this! I really wish more people knew about this option. I was going to sell my iMac but now have an awesome new reason for keeping it. YOU RULE!
Glad it helped you out and thanks for the post and for watching the channel. Appreciate that.
hey @danwoolsey6411 - did you get the full 5K resolution on using your iMac as extended display? Thanks
Searched for an hour online for this solution, this is amazing!
Thanks for watching the channel.
I will try it. it seems it uses the airplay technique. that works with wifi and ethernet. software.
Target display is more hardware.
since the new Mac mini is so strong and cheap...it will bring my 2010 iMac 27 in the future.
@@susihormon7821please tell us how it went connecting your new Mac mini M4 to your iMac 2010.
Which cable did you use etc.
I have a M2 Pro Mac mini hooked up to a Studio display and I also have a 24” M1 Imac .. when I’m doing color correction I use the 24 Imac as an extended monitor .. just go to Displays on the Mac mini and add the Imac .. change sound settings for preferable sound output .. no cables required, being doing this for more than 6 months with no problem .. for sound editing I look at the main monitor as there is a very slight delay on the Imac
Yes, but that it the reason for the cable at it reduces latency etc. So it helps with that where you can use it more for main tasks.
I've just seen this 5 hours ago and downloaded OpenCore Legacy Patcher and installed Ventura on an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) and now I can use the iMac as extra screen for my Macbook Pro M2. IT WORKS :) No longer a theory :) Thank you :)
Welcome and I'm glad it helped you out. Might as well get use of of the screen. It's funny because Apple says it's not possible but I think we have proved them wrong.
Did you connect them using Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 cable?
@@volimsebee No
@@larsmorch What did you use to connect them?
@@volimsebee Wireless only - only wire is the network ethernet connection thru router - it may be faster using a cable - haven't tested
I have been trying to figure out how to use my Mac as a second display for my Macbook Pro for months. Thank you so much for this tutorial. Now I don't have to go out and purchase a second monitor!!!!
Thanks for watching the channel.
I was looking for a video like this, thank you so much for that. Now my question is my 2017 iMac 27 inch 5k, has thunderbolt can I connect the 2017 as a monitor to a new Mac Mini M4? Also, switch from the Mac Mini to the IMac? My iMac still works well, I don’t want to put that computer away. Any suggestions, please! And thank you….
The 2017 5K won't work unless you are running Open Core Patcher and update to the newest OS level. I have not tested that but people said that doing that will make the 2017 to work and you can search the comments in the video for that and it should have some info.
This is great been thinking about upgrading to m4 from the m1 iMac. Been debating about going with Mac mini and getting a monitor or trading in the m1 iMac and getting the m4 iMac. Now will just use the IMac as a second display and save some money. Thanks this helped a lot.
Thanks, note that the resolution is slightly less but looks great.
It will work with older iMacs before 2019/2020 using OpenCore. I have accomplished this using a Mac Mini M1 and my 2015 / 27" Retina using a wired network connection. Fiddle around with the graphic settings until your are satisfied and presto. I would assume if one was to installed OpenCore on an older MacBook / Mac mini that enables Airplay Receiver, it would work as well.
Thanks for the test Euardo. I suspected that but didn't know for sure. I think this could help quite a few people. Thank you.
Can you explain or point me in direction to use OpenCore? Non tech guy here but just got a MacBook Pro M3 pro and I would so much want to utilize my 2017 27" iMac display. I looked at Luna but this sounds more what I need/want. thanks!
So no need for a Thunderbolt cable? Only ethernet?
You are my Man!!!!!!!! You solved such a big problem!! You can call yourself a superhero!
Thanks for watching the channel and I'm glad the monitor fix worked.
This might help and be an alternative for your intel 27 inch iMac?
I have used built in Screen Sharing over Ethernet or thunderbolt on a M1 Mac mini to 2011 iMac. A hdmi or USB C dummy can be used for gpu acceleration in the Mac mini. These help with applying different resolutions and as a second and extended screen, they cost around £5-10 on Amazon and has a frame rate of around 30fps. You can go full screen for me that is 1440p or have the screen in a window. It also shares mouse keyboard and clipboard for copy and paste. It’s accessible just the same as sharing a drive as long as it is ticked as active in system prefs -> Sharing. Hope that helps...
Thanks for the info and for watching. I appreciate that for sure.
How responsive is Screen Sharing?
I'm Using a Macbook Pro M1 and did bought the Thunderbolt4 cable from Apple to connect to my Intel Imac 2020 (27 inch). At the begginning even connected with the thunderbolt cable it was working but still a bit laggy (note that the max resolution you can use is 4k) SOOOO, I discovered that changing my "sound options" killed the latency between the connection.
I was outputing the sound to the Imac via Airplay, once I changed to use the sound from my macbook instead of airplay to the Imac, the connection Instantly killed the laggy. Thank you so much for your video, It changed my life 😅
My Setup is:
Macbook Pro M1 Max 2021
Ethernet (internet cable) connected to the macbook and iMac.
Thunderbolt 4 (or 3 since imac only support the old version) connected to the iMac
iMac Intel 27 2020 as an extended display 4k (you'll notice the anti-alias is not perfect) but still better to have a bigger monitor.
I was trying to sell my iMac but I would pay the same for a new monitor, so being able to make that connection is AWESOME, and I still have a machine if I'm not working :-)
Thanks for the data and I'm glad I was able to help. And Apple said that this wasn't possible - you can't always trust what they say.
@brunoferrari4795 How did you change the sound options? I'm experiencing heavy lagging (10 sec or more)
@@singleseater3316 when you open the “system settings -> sound” you can choose what machine you’ll use to output the sound, don’t use the machine via airplay. But looks like 10s of lagging is too much. Are you using a cable? Or only via wifi? Is weird to have the connection so slow.
@@brunoferrari4795 Thanks for your reply. I'm using a Macbook Pro M3 Max and Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) cable to connect to an older iMac Pro 3,2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon (2017). I will try the sound options and play sound via the macbook. Airplay sounds like it's using wireless transfer anyway, but maybe i's just the name.
@@brunoferrari4795 As was to be expected, setting sound output via Macbook didn't get rid the lag. I've tried Thunderbolt 3 and 4 cables. Lagging is about the same. Maybe the Macbook is either too new, or the iMac is too old.
I never comment but I had to! You Sir just saved me returning my new M3 air because an Apple rep told me my iMac 2021 wouldn’t support an external display! Thank you so much!!
Wow, thanks for the post and for the feedback.
Neat trick Craig. I knew how to extend the display to a monitor or TV, but not to an iMac.
Yes, it works well for what it is. Nice to have that ability if you need it. Thanks
Excellent info Craig, thanks! My wife has a 27" iMac ( 2017 ), so will keep OCLP in mind.
Yes, I think that is the key but I didn't test it. But in the comments a few others did and claim it works.
Work fine?
I have a 2021 model iMac. I’m considering getting a Mac Mini with the M4 Pro chip. Have you tested this setup with the Mac Mini? It would be amazing if the Mac Mini could use the iMac directly as a display via a cable. That way, we wouldn’t need another monitor to set it up! :)
This definitely works. The only problem I'm having is that the MacBook mirror is not filling the entire iMac screen and I can't figure out why. Also doesn't work in reverse. The iMac screen gives me black bars at the top and bottom of the MacBook. Both are M Series chips (M4 iMac, M1 Pro MacBook). Don't know if this is a limitation of the M1 or I'm simply not seeing something that I need to switch on/off.
I have not seen that before but if I do I'll see. Maybe try some different resolutions on the MacBook Pro.
I used your video with A 2012 Macbook Pro & 2013 IMac both running Opencore & it worked perfectly after a few clicks
Nice and thanks for the data point on this. It's nice to see people are able to use it and get some use out of the screen.
Great video man, I'm from Brazil, I have an Imac 2017, with OLCP, and a Macbook Air M1, and it worked, the only thing it needs to work is for the accounts' iCloud to be synchronized on both devices, and that's it.
Your channel is TOP, thank you.
Appreciate that for sure and thanks for the follow up and information. It helps others trying to do this. Thank you.
@@craigneidel Dang. I don't have an iCloud account.
Did you connect them using Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 cable?
Oi! Como exatamente você conseguiu? Conectou os 2 computadores por cabo ou rede sem fio?
Sir... You're the best...hours long searches and a lot of reddit posts reading i found this.. thank you so much for posting this video 😍
Thanks and your welcome. Hope you can sub to channel.
Awesome! It worked! I didn't even have to purchase new cables or adaptors! Thanks for sharing.
@@JuraxBarPrep you got it
Hi Craig I've just tested your method on my 2011 iMac (which runs Sequoia through OpenCore Legacy Patcher) and it works great. Not only does it act like a monitor but it also becomes the audio interface. One question remains though, which cable should I order for my 2011 iMac in order to connect it to my 2020 MacBook Pro M1?
If it works use same cable
Craig please test m4 mini to M1 imac as only screen - Thanks.
Thanks Craig, Definitely going to try this on my old 27" iMac that's sitting in a cupboard right now! I know I'll need to experiment with Opencore but the result I it works!
Thanks, yes one person confirmed it works with Open Core and it could be a game changer for people looking to reuse the older 5K screens.
OCLP definitely works.
@@umityayla5051 thanks for verification
@@umityayla5051
Does it lag or something ? I have a 2020 MacBook Pro and a 2015 late IMac 27, and want to use the IMac as an extended monitor for the MacBook. I can only use it wirelessly because the IMac only have Thunderbolt 2 and not USB C or something.
I had the problem where I wouldn’t get the option to “Extend” the screen”, but simply mirror it. How I solved it was to open the window, where one can adjust the position of the screens. Press and hold Option to drag the displays apart. Then it should work
Thanks for posting the resolution.
Which cable do u used
Brilliant , i was so close to getting an asd for my m3 maxmbp , now i’m getting an imac instead, nice one !!!
Thanks for watching the channel. Check out some of my new content if you like Macs.
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing this. When I originally bought my iMac I was really disappointed when I thought this couldn't be done.
It's not perfect but it works.
Hi Craig, thank you for your quick reply, I solved issue you have to restart the mba and everything works pretty good and fast. Have a great day!
@@jeety13 ok thanks.
Hey first of all great video!
Two follow up questions:
1. In theory I could use the iMac as the primary computer and extend to the MacBook right? If I prefer the iMac’s internals over the MacBooks for example
2. Do you notice if the iMac provides enough power to keep the MacBook powered? My plan is to set my wife up with using an M3 iMac and an M2 MacBook Pro and a single wire would be great
I think #1 should work as long as they are both newer devices (unless you load Open Core). The iMac appears to have enough power to charge the MacBook.
My 27 inch imac 2017 OS Sonoma 14.2.1, connected without issue. this is an intel chip. followed your tutorial and was successful.
Great thanks. Do you run open core?
@ I’m not sure what open core is.
Then you must not be running it. It let's you put on the newest OS on older Macs. The 2017 is really only capable to run up to Monterey normally so you much have the 2017 iMac pro not the standard iMac.
@@craigneidel I’ve been needing to do this for 4 years… now I can, thanks to you. Apple folks were not helpful
Can you tell us your iMac model number? Begins with A…..
Wow didn't know you could do this with the iMac tought it was only for iPads. This makes buying an imac more compelling than a studio display for us with limited budgets. I guess the biggest limitation is the non native resolution and probably narrower color gamut?
I can say it does look good but yes, I can't really test the color gamut and items like that. But, it does make it a bit more valuable for sure.
Great video, it is exactly what I was looking for to justify buying a Macbook for working away from home. My only follow-up would be does resolution take a hit when using a thunderbolt cable, and if so is the 2560 "low resolution" much worse than the native iMac resolution?
It takes slight hit but still good in my opinion. But everybody is different so it's subjective.
worked beautifully, keyboard was an issue so I just use a separate one. still smooth as silk. thanks
Thanks for update
This is great. very helpful. One question from me. When I do this, and leave it unattended, both displays (Macbook Air and iMac) will not go to sleep, could be hours even. I've even played with the settings on the Macbook air, but no luck. Do you have the same issue, and do you know a way around it. So that both machines sleep when i step away, and then wake when i touch the keyboard or mouse?
I didn't notice that and will need to test it out. Right now I don't have it setup like this but will let you know when I do. If anybody else can test it then post here.
@@craigneidel thanks a million. If you can get a fix for that. That would be an awesome little addition to the video
I'll see what I can do.
it would be interesting to see a video where you can provide solution to use 2016-17 imac as monitor for Windows PC, as I want to use my imac as monitor for work PC. Any tricks, seen alot on youtube but none are worth.
I'm more of a Mac Channel but I'll let you know if I do create a video like that. Thanks for watching.
Thank you very much Craig 🙂
Two employees of Apple said to me it's not possible to use iMac 23 as external monitor 😠
Well, here is some proof it works at least this way. Thanks for watching.
Would this work for a Mac mini? Or would it be possible to use an iPad as a display for a Mac mini? Would love to see both scenarios tested if possible.
It should but I have not tested it yet.
Thanks a lot!!! Another tricky part is that, whether I cld link two iMacs as dual monitors for Mac mini/studio? Cause the theory here is use the airdrop but Mac mini/studio don’t have a monitor a setup at the first place. Or your theory is that setup cld be fixed after the first done.
I am not sure about dual iMacs since I only have one to test.
@ thanks anyway!!! Learnt a lot still.
Thank you Craig for the awesome video. I tried with my M1 MacBook Pro and M1 24"' iMac, and I had this issue: I can only mirror MBP on iMac, it didn't give the options that set iMac as the extended display or something in your video, so there is a obvious lag between 2 displays. By any chance do you know how to fix this?
Make sure it's a Thunderbolt 4 cable and you have Airplay receiver on for both systems.
I had no idea you could connect a Thunderbolt cable and it'd reduce the lag. I've always tried "airplaying" wirelessly for an extended display, but the 1-2 second lag made it completely unusable. And of course universal control doesn't let you extend a Macbook's display into the monitor, it only lets you use it as two separate machines. It seems like Apple doesn't want you to know you can do this. Thanks!
I think that is the case with Apple. Thanks for watching.
Thank Craig. Will you test the luna display connection? Airplay have big latency...
I didn't have much latency at all when connecting both with a cable.
Thanks for this Craig - just one thing - how would one go about hooking my iMac (2020) to a new Mac Mini - and lastly would you be able to use a Thunderbolt 4 instead of 3 cable?
Yes, I think you would follow the same steps and Thunderbolt 4 should work. I would just test it out and see how it works for you. I know on early Macs you need to run Open Core for this to work but I think in the 2020 imacs it should work native as long as you have the settings I showed in the video.
One more thing - will I be able to run 5k on my imac screen hooked up as per your video?
I have not tested it with the 5K yet but I think the 2020 should work and any earlier iMacs might need Open Core installed.
Thanks for asking about the TB4 cable. I was wondering the same thing. It looks like they should be interchangeable so I’m going to go with 4 instead of 3. I’ll report back!
I tried hooking my M2 Macbook Air into the new M4 iMac with a thunderbolt cable while airplaying, but unfortunately there's still significant lag. Just to make sure I went back and forth from universal control and airplaying, and there is indeed still maybe 1-1.5 seconds of latency.
I have not seen this. Make sure you are not going through wifi instead.
Excellent trick Craig! Just one question - can you easily switch the system between the macbook pro and the imac? For example, while using the imac as an external monitor most of the time, I still want to get back to the imac system now and then
You would need to log into the settings and just stop the other mac as a second screen and it reverts right back.
Thanks for making this great video! I connected my M1 macbook to a 27" LG monitor, and then airplay to the 2020 iMac 27" Ventura. It works! The only problem is the Imac is a little lag, and its resolution is different from the LG monitor when I had both set up as 1920x1080. Graphics on iMac looks bigger and more yellow. Is there any way to fix the lag? I connected the LG and imac with a USBC to HDMI cable, it didn't fix the lag. lol.😄
Normally you need to use a Thunderbolt 4 cable and it should fix the lag - not the HDMI. Just make sure it's not connecting via wi-fi or it could be more laggy. Thanks for watching.
Will the speakers, webcam and USB Ports on the iMac work when using it as external monitor like with the studio display? Thanks!!
I think think the speakers work but will need to try the webcam. If you have a iMac then just give it a try but I'll see if I can test it.
@kleinschmitt93 Did you manage to test if the speakers work on the iMac?
I’m not seeing the plus sign on my MacBook under displays. But I did what you said on my iMac and MacBook. Both airplay receivers are on
Are they M1 or higher. I would read the comments as good info in there to troubleshoot different things.
@ got it to work!!
Thanks for sharing this. I searched online but everyone says that it isn’t possible with silicone macs as they dropped target display mode. It seems AirPlay over thunderbolt is possible and very usable.
Yes, it worked for me and others.
Great video! Is there a way to connect an HP Elitebook with an imac for the imac to be a second monitor?
I think it only works with Mac to Mac.
2017 iMac 21 4k running open core and sequoia. m3 MacBook Pro hooks up perfectly with our any screen lag
Nice. Yes open core is key to getting this to work on older Macs.
You may have made me buy a new iMac and sell my MacBook Air just so I can do this with my work MacBook Pro 🎉 thank you for this!!! Amazing !!!
Just do the research first as it's great but you don't get the full 4.5K resolution (slightly less) etc. It's worth it for sure if you have one but I'm not sure it's worth changing the entire setup unless you need it and then that is fine.
Can you use the Mac mini with this display? I have the 2021 iMac and I don’t wanna keep buying a new screen. Every time a new chip come out I’d rather just use the Mac mini. It’s a beautiful display.
It should work if the mini is an M1 and the iMac is at least an M1 also but I only tested as in my configuration.
thank you very much! i was looking for a video like this, i connected a Macbook M2 16“ with an Imac M1 27”, by airplay and had latency, i tried with the thunderbold cable, i felt it more fluid, i wanted to know that i was doing it right! with your video i checked it, thank you very much!
Welcome and thanks for watching the channel. Glad it's working.
Man I would love to use 2017 iMac as a monitor… can’t beat the 5k res and sound on it
It's basically a studio display.
Hi, thank you for this! If I set it up this way, what do I do when I want to use the 24" mac as the computer? Is there an easy way to go back a forth between it being a main computer and and extension?
Just change in settings so it's not a receiver. Takes a few seconds but easy.
Hello Craig!
This is very useful as I was thinking of picking up a second-hand iMac as an external monitor. I'm going to be editing high resolution (4K and up) videos and saw in this video that the resolution was best at lower than that. Should I just be looking at regular monitors then? Looking at some 4K ones. Thank you!
Yeah, this is good for people that already have them but it might be best to pick up a standard monitor if you would be buying this for that specific reason.
@@craigneidel that makes sense, thank you!
Welcome.
Wish it works with PCs we would love to have it be a secondary monitor for working from home and then a personal computer after work
Yes that would be great if it worked that way.
It worked well with my m1 iMac and m3 air. thanks
You got it.
Hey, can you set up 2 iMac 24” M1s to each for dual screen? If so how do you do it? Would be a great video.
You would set them up the same way in the video.
Thank you very much, Graig! Do you happen to know if this still works if both macs are signed in to different Apple IDs?
I do think you need to be on the same ID. Thanks for watching the channel.
Great video. Any idea if its possible with an iPad instead of the MacBook?
I don't think so but you can use the iPad as a second screen for your Mac as I'm sure you know.
@@craigneidel I can use my Apple TV as a second monitor for my iPad so maybe. Yes, I do that sometimes but I'm thinking of leaving the MacBook and only going for the iMac and iPad in the future.
Ok, thanks and good luck with things.
What happens if I plug in something into the usb hubs of the iMac, while using it as display? Does the MacBook recognize for example a ssd I plugged into the iMac?
I'll need to test that and report back.
@@craigneidel Thanks! this would make the m1 Imac the perfect 24 inch studio display! in 2-3 years much cheapter than it.
Yes, but if you watch the video you need to use it at a slightly lower resolution.
I have an IMAC 2013 10.15.17 and a new Macbook Pro M4. Any advice?
Won't work on the 2013 iMac.
How is the latency on this with the extension? When I do the other method of screen mirroring, I sometimes get a lag or a slight latency, which I don't like. I am thinking about trying this method you posted, Craig. Thanks!
I wonder if this can be done via intel iMac 2020.
Or through the Macbook Pro version, I wonder if you can do it with two monitors. I believe the air, it only allows one monitor.
The 2019 and 2020 5K imacs could work out of the box, but I know that on the older iMacs you might need to run that Legacy open core patcher but I haven't tested that. With wired connection the latency is super low and I really don't even think about it when using it (it's that good).
It will work with older iMacs before 2019/2020 using OpenCore. I have accomplished this using a Mac Mini M1 and my 2015 / 27" Retina using a wired network connection. Fiddle around with the graphic settings until your are satisfied and presto. I would assume if one was to installed OpenCore on an older MacBook / Mac mini that enables Airplay Receiver, it would work as well.
Thanks again Eduardo for checking that.
Interesting, will the 24 inch work with the mini M4 by chance?
I need to test soon
@@craigneidel looking forward to this!
As soon as they ship Imac M3 with USB C accessories I plan on buying one. This will complete my transition to Apple ECO system from Windows/Android. Do you think it will work with a Windows laptop? My work laptop is windows based. Thanks, looking forward to more videos!
It's using Airplay so not sure. I'll need to do some more fooling around with all this but I wanted to showcase this first since it's fixed the issue of getting the 24" to work as a monitor. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for making the video Craig! Do you know what are the specs for charging a macbook pro with PD through the Thunderbolt connection? What power output is the iMac 24 capable of with PD?
I'm actually not sure on that but I'm guessing it's a reasonable power draw due to both being modern Macs.
Stopping by to give some updates: succesfully connected following the + button instructions from Craig completely wirelessly. So, it should also work without the thunderbolt
Yes, it can work wirelessly but for low latency use the Thunderbolt cable.
So if I'm grasping this right, are you able to use an M1 iMac as a display for a Mac Studio (M1 M2 or M3)? Great information btw!
Yes, that should work in the same manner as the video. Thanks for watching.
Im trying to use my 27" 2020 iMac to work. First attempt i didnt get the little plus icon but after turning some sharing stuff on I now get the option :) doing it wireless at moment got a cable coming today! I will post back if the cable helps.
Thanks and good luck with everything.
THIS IS GOD TIER! Thank you man! All this time I had no idea!
Welcome and thanks for watching.
Hey Craig- thanks for this, very helpful. I tried my 2019 iMAC 27" as extended display to my MacBook Pro M1. Unfortunately, I'm not getting the option for 5K resolution and only the lower resolution options that are fuzzy in comparison. Any suggestions on how to get the native 5K resolution for the extended display. Apologies if this has been tried and answered prior. Please point me to the answer if that's the case. Thanks
You won't get the full 5K resolution but I found some of the other options fine in most cases. Thanks for watching the channel.
Such a huge help! Thank you!
You got it
I think my iMAC is like a 2012. VERY old. But I don't have the option either. Great Video! Thank you!
Correction 2014... What cable did you say to get? Will it work with just a cable or do I have to have the ability to set that setting?
Mine toooo!!! Download the latest software with opencore
And then you can go ahead and do this.
After years of struggling for such an easy task it finally works for me
Nice, and thanks for the post.
I used a Thunderbolt 3 cable.
Hello Craig, is this cable compatible to connect a Mac Mini M4 to an iMac M1 to use the iMac as a monitor? Thank you and congratulations on the video.
I have not tested that yet but in therapy it should work.
@@craigneidel ok thanks / obrigado, a hug from Portugal
Thanks. Funny, I was just in Portugal 4 days ago for about 9 days. Just got back - flew TAP, small world.
@@craigneidel ;)
Hi Craig. Thanks for giving me some hope lol. I've worked with an iMac for most of my time as a graphic designer and now the company is getting me a 15 inch Macbook Air M2. It's gonna be a big adjustment for me, but if I can get this to work with my existing iMac then it will be a big help. Will it work though? They haven't purchased the Macbook yet so I'm just doing my own research in the meantime. Will your method work for a 21.5 inch late 2013 iMac to a 15 inch Macbook Air M2?
No, in the example I'm using an M1 24" iMac. If you installed Open Core on the 2013 it might work but that is something others have tried but I have not tested. If you are not installing Open Core then it won't work on that old of a machine.
@@craigneidel Thanks for your feedback Craig.
Thank you.
I have a 27-inch 2020 iMac and a 2023 MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. I tried it, but the resolution is not good. I haven't connected the cable yet. Should I connect the cable like you did?
Just give it a try. See if it works good for you.
If people don’t want the faff of trynna make Open Core Legacy Patcher work on an older 5K iMac,
I *think* you can connect the iMac (via a Thunderbolt2 adapter)
WITH a Thunderbolt 3/4 cable
TO a MacBook or Mac Mini.
Use IP over Thunderbolt to connect the 2 computers (much faster than wifi)
Then use Sharing to Remote Desktop FROM the iMac
INTO the MacBook or Mini…
so you’re using the 5K display to see & run the desktop of the MacBook or Mini
Thanks for the info
Hi Craig, I was just wondering if you could hook it up to a Mac Mini?
I should say I have a 2017 Intel. Version.
I just got one and can try that once I have a bit of time.
I would love to be able to use my 2019 iMac 27" as the monitor for an M4 Mac mini.......
I don't think so unless you installed open core on it. But I have not tested that and only going off what others said.
Wondering if you could post a video how to hook up a windows pc to use 24” Mac as a display . I have the thunderbolt tried those options on Mac but got nothing
I'm more of a Mac channel so I have not tested a Win PC but will post if I do in the future.
Thanks for the video. I have a 2020 M1 MacBook Air connected with a Thunderbolt 4 cable to a 2017 27-inch Retina 5K iMac, which was updated to Sequoia 15.0.1 via OCLP. Everything seems to work ok with the iMac as an extended display with 4K resolution, but the iMac display is a bit laggy. As a result, even moving the pointer around precisely can be frustrating. It’s not horrible, but for much of the work I do anything other than seamless just won’t fly. Any idea what I can do to reduce the lag on the iMac display? Or perhaps I just need to buy a new monitor…
With the Thunderbolt cable on mine it has no lag so not sure if it's connecting via wifi on your setup.
@ thanks for following up. The lag drove me nuts so I ended up getting one of the new BenQ MA320U monitors you reviewed in a different video. It’s really nice.
Hey Craig may I ask if u can use the iMac as a MAIN display with the native 4.5K resolution? Thanks
It's isn't the exact 4.5K display and I should show the resolutions in the video for that.
Can you connect 2 external displays? For my old macbook I used one VGA and one HDMI and it worked fine. I'm having some trouble connecting my 3rd display excluding my 2024 imac and my other acer monitor. I really need 3 monitors for work so is there any work around this?
I don't think you can do that using this method. You can get a dock like the Wavlink dock in one of my recent videos but keep in mind that then it won't work with the iMac.
I have an IMAC M3 2023, can I then use an M1 2021 as a second display? The Apple representative told me that it was not possible, I have that doubt
It should work based on our testing. I only tested it as I did in the video though since I don't have the M3.
I believe newer iMacs aren't compatible with ths technonlogy. I have a 2023 MBP and a 2021 iMac and it doesn't work it only lets me link the mouse and keyboard or use my MBP as the second display, which is the opposite if what i want to do.
@@KevinRodriguez-hw1mn He have tested it on an iMac M1 which is 2021 so it should work with any M1, M2, or M3 Macbook. Have you managed to make it work?
I have a 2012 IMAC with Catalina and my OS does not show "system settings" under the Mac Apple. I cannot upgrade to a more recent OS as it is a 2012. Looks like your IMac has Ventura OS (at least) on it and the OS was probably updated in 2023. (the system setting option came out with OS Ventura). Would love to try your option...kind of stuck.
In the video I had said that on much older Macs you would need to have Open Core Legacy Patcher installed but even with that I'm not sure a 2012 would work. As I didn't test that but some people in the comments said they got older Macs to work when they installed Open Core and upgraded the OS but I just can't verify any of that.
Sorry if this has been asked before and I missed it. Would this method with with a 5k imac and a mac studio? So using a 5k imac as a display for the Mac Studio??? Hopefully yes:)
I haven't tested that this myself but what others are telling me is yes and no. If you have a 2019 or 2020 5K is may work and people have told me it has. If you are running an older iMac 5K then the only way it works if you have Open Core running on the system to get the newer OS etc. I hope that helps.
Grabbing a Mac Mini M4 and have an iMac 24 M1 would this be possible even if I hard wired it? If so, would it be the same or are there other steps?
I have not tested the M4 mac mini on this method but will soon.
I want to try on my 2015 5k iMac. I just upgraded to a M2 15in MacBook Air. I got a cheap 4k screen at the moment and it's ok but the IPS in the 5k iMac would be so much better. It does not have thunderbolt 3 ( USB-C) so do I need a Thunderbolt 3 to MiniDisplay Port Cable? Will that work? I really need the fast connection
What I showcase in the video is not a perfect solution as the resolutions are slightly less but it works good. But with a 2015 imac you would need to install Open Core and upgrade the OS to a newer version to get that to work. I'm not sure it's worth all that work etc. if you already have a 4K monitor.
Can you suggest any way to use iMac as a display with Mac Mini.
It's in the video
I made it work on my 2019 27 inch iMac. There is no lag though the resolution on the iMac is not that sharp.
Did you try changing the resolution on the iMac. You should have many options for that.
Yes, I did. All resolutions produce the same fuzzy effect.@@craigneidel
I didn't see a fuzzy effect so not sure what that would be.
sadly I cannot make this work with a MacBook Pro M2 (2023) I can display the iMac 24" screen to the MacBook but not vice versa
Have you gotten this to work on the 27-inch? I have a 2019 model and want to use it as an extra monitor
I don't have that model but if somebody else here has done it please post. Also, you might need to install Open Core. Thank you.
thank you so much for showing this changes everything, i will no longer sell my imac if this is the case, first this saves me a ton of money, no need to buy keyboard or another external monitor from apple, i had no clue it worked on m1 devices, yes i seen previously imac showing on bluetooth when i was reseting my airpods max daily but when i click on it just did nothing, im gonna buy an thunderbolt 4 cable then since it is the lastest cable and imac supports both 3 and 4, i do have 3 questions though, first is will minisopuru nvme and docks work?, second can still imac ports charge devices and can it charge macbook device? , and lastly can you use external trackpad or keyboard on both macs at same time or you have to wire connect?
The dock won't work since you are now viewing the MacBook and not the imac but you can connect that to the MacBook if you want to. The MacBook will be charged when connected this way. Thanks.
Hey Craig! Two follow up questions -
Is there a way to use imac's camera when it's used as an external monitor?
It seems that there is some lag when using as an external display. Do you know any hack to bring up the refresh rate?
Thanks a lot!
I'm not sure you can use the camera using this method and if I find a way then I'll let you know. Do you have the two connected using a Thunderbolt cable or are you using a wireless connection?
@@craigneidel I'm using a Thunderbolt 4 cable - hopefully there is a way! On the refresh rate, I feel like it's a system config issue since the cable we use definitely should support 60 Hertz but there is no config for the imac screen in the "display" settings😕
Thanks.
Good video but on both my iMac and MacBook Pro the option to add another display device does not appear. I mean the + sign you use to add another display device does not exist. Do you have any idea why this might be ?
Look up on Google how to turn on Apple airplay receiver. I assume you are using a M1 or later iMac also. Thanks.
@@craigneidel Thanks Craig. Airplay receiver is on and both machines are M chips. It is just odd that the + sign does not appear on either computer
Is this going to work if one device has one Apple ID signed in the other device has a different Apple ID signed in? Planning to use this way with my work MacBook Air with my iMac.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to work with separate Apple IDs. But thanks for watching.
Hey 😊 Is it also possible to connect a Windows laptop to a new iMac so that everything that is on the Windows laptop can also be seen on the large iMac monitor? Is it also possible to work with the data on the Windows laptop with the iMac? Thank you very much for an answer.
I don't think you can connect a Windows system. This should be for Macs only I would think.
I've got an iMac 24 M1. I want a secondary display and want to buy a second iMac 24 M1 as the display quality is mint. So you can connect two iMac 24 M1s using this method?
I have only tried this with the setup I have but I assume that would work. If others have tried that then post here. Thanks for watching.
Hi Craig, this video is amazing, unfortunately, it doesn't work for me. I got iMac M1 24'' and macOS Sonoma 14,5. the iMac choice with airplay not appears. only able to use iPad or ATV. any idea? thank you!
Make sure you have turned on airplay receiver and you can find info on that on Google. Make sure you use quality thunderbolt 4 cable