Heres how to use a second screen with your mac or macbook, including finding the right adapter and cable. Youll learn how to use activity monitor and reduce cpu usage when you need more computer memory. 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. The usbc ports on your macbook air support video output.
Mar 16, 2020 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. Aug 29, 2019 in particular, we see how to use an old imac as an external monitor of a macbook. 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 display mode, it is possible to use some compatible imac, such as 27inch imac in late 2009, mid 2010, as monitor for macbook proair. Use a usbc vga multiport adapter to connect the display to a thunderbolt 3 usbc port on your macbook air. More specifically, youll need at least a 5thgeneration ipad, an ipad air 2, and ipad mini 4, or any ipad pro. My mom is looking to buy a macbook air, currently has a late 2012 21. Apr 19, 2019 because the macbook air and the imac use the same apple mini displayport technology to connect to external monitors, the process of connecting an external monitor to a macbook air is nearly the same as connecting a dual monitor to an imac. If you use an external display with your mac notebook, you can also use closed display mode. Jun 27, 2018 hi all, new imac user here, spec as per my signature. How to use a second screen with a mac, connect a monitor. Nov 21, 2018 i tried to use target display mode to use a late 20 27 imac as a second monitor for my new 2018 15 macbook pro. Want to show you my tech setup with the macbook air, which is great for editing videos, and show you.
Mar 27, 2020 since it can charge your macbook, macbook air, or inch macbook pro, and it also features two usba ports, two hdmi ports, a display port, and a headphone jack, making it not only a fantastic monitor but a whole hub for connectivity. Or, if you purchase an apple tv 4, you can stream your content wirelessly to your tv using a feature called airplay. Testing conducted by apple in february 2020 using preproduction 1. How to add a second screen to your mac or macbook macworld. The best usbc monitor for macbook pro and windows laptops. Simple ways to connect a macbook to an imac with pictures. The airplay mirror mode simply displaying the mirror image of the primary monitor to secondary monitor. 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. With target display mode, it is possible to use some compatible imac, such as 27inch imac in late 2009, mid 2010, as monitor for macbook pro air. Use the ipad air as a second monitor for mac and windows laptops. The best alternative i can suggest is to use your television as an external display for your macbook air. Simple ways to reduce memory usage on mac macbook pro, air.
Laptops are good rivals for the desktop, especially if you use the ipad air as an external monitor. Use an external display with your macbook air apple support. In extended mode, you can extend your mac screen to windows as a second monitor. 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. Use an imac as an external monitor or extended display for your macbook pro. How to turn your imac into a secondary display the mac. Make the most of your macbooks usbc port by pairing it with a usbc monitor.
How to extend airplay mac screen to windows computer. How to use an old imac as an secondary monitor for macbook. Its not well known, but, for example, a macbook pro air can connect to and drive a 27inch imac display either as an additional display or mirror mode using whats called target display mode tdm. Go to airplay menu use airplay display to select extend desktop. With a large and vibrant screen, imac can work as a great external monitor for pc and macbook. How to use my imac 2017 as a second monitor for my macbook. I prefer to run my inch macbook at 1440by900 resolution, and the ipad air 2 at 1280by800 resolution, which gives me roughly the same screen space. Thunderbolt cable on the assumption that from i could find on various mac support forums and site i could in some way use my older macbook air as a second monitor. Visit the apple site to learn, buy, and get support. The best monitor for the macbook pro digital trends.
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. You can airplay macbook screen in two different modes, mirror mode or extend mode. Consult the users manual or manufacturers website for your monitor to learn how to connect it to a wifi network. Can i use my macbooks monitor as an external display to a. If you need something more downtoearth that still offers fantastic performance without breaking the bank, these are the best monitors you can pair with your macbook pro. If you have a 27inch imac with a mini displayport, any other mac with a mini displayport or thunderbolt port can use it as a display. Make the most of your macbook s usbc port by pairing it with a usbc monitor. You can, but you may be underwhelmed by the results. You can use an external display, a projector, or an hdtv with your macbook air. Dec 16, 2019 maximize your workspace with extended desktop mode, which lets you enjoy fullscreen apps and windows on each monitor. Please note that his is not a workable solutions for anything that requires fast.
Illustration of a person using an imac as a second screen for their laptop. Buy the right type of displayport adapter cable for your. Hi all, new imac user here, spec as per my signature. 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. Note that on most macs, the fkeys are assigned to a system function by default, so you will either have to revert this in the keyboard system. If you want to try and maintain the same level of definition as your current display, here are the best 4k monitors for your mac. You can make all of your displays mirror each other, or extend your workspace with different apps and windows on each display. Use the ipad air as a second monitor for mac and windows. But is it possible to use your mac as a pc monitor. I need to use a dell laptop work purposes and i would really like to reduce my desk clutter and remove my old monitor. Use your ipad as a second display for your mac with. Check out macbook pro, imac pro, macbook air, imac, and more. Quickly find which os x versions are compatible with your mac model and year.
Connect a macbook to an imacs display with target display. Now that target display mode is no more, are there. 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. It still works on preretina imacs with thunderbolt. Attach an ipad to your macbook as a second display with. Similar to target disk mode, where one macs internal hard drives can be. When it comes to excellent 4k monitors, the dell u2718q is hard to beat, with excellent bang for your buck. Weve collected a few ways to reduce memory usage and instructions how to free up ram on the mac. Feb 17, 2020 heres the list of the top usbc monitors for macbook pro, macbook air, imac pro 1. 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. I have read so many forum pages with conflicting views that i am now pretty confused on hopefully a simple matter.
In order to use airplay to connect to your monitor, both the monitor and macbook must be connected to the same wireless network. Do you currently use an external monitor with your macbook pro. I need to use a dell laptop work purposes and i would really like to reduce my. If a macbook pro is your primary computer, youre probably going to want a bigscreen monitor for your desktop. How to set up multiple monitors with your mac cnet. Target display mode iswas a macos and osx system function that allowed an imac to become a display for another mac. This post will tell you which cable you need to use imac as monitor for.
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. These are some of the toprated options compatible with thunderbolt 3 or usbc, in. Jun 22, 2019 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. To mirror your mac display so that both screens show the same content, return to the airplay menu, which is a blue rectangle while using sidecar. Use your imac as a display with target display mode. For example, if you have a macbook pro you could use an imac as the display and for playing audio. 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. Based on this, we consider the lg 27uk850w the best. I add for free because i heard something about a program called screenrecycler or something like. Want to show you my tech setup with the macbook air, which is. Your mac or macbooks display is already gorgeous, but if youre in the market for a second display or even something larger than what you have, a 4k monitor is a massive step in the right direction. We need to connect a macbook air inch early 2015 to an imac 5k 27inch 2019, but cant figure out how.
I want to use my imac 2017 running mojave as a second monitor for my macbook pro mid 2012 running yosemite. This replaces a vizio 24 tv monitor on my mac mini and i like it much better, it provides a great picture without the glare that the vizio caused so if you want a monitor that isnt as harsh this is a great buy. Using a macbook air as a second monitor apple community. Can i use my macbooks monitor as an external display to a pc. How to connect an external display to your macbook, macbook. Apple reserves the right to refuse or limit the quantity of any device for any reason. You could probably use a tool like splashtop to extend your pcs desktop over onto the mac. 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. Your ipad should now show an extension of your mac desktop. On top of that, you can use target display mode to connect a macbook with a late 2009 or mid2010 imac. Target display mode is a feature thats designed specifically for those who own two or more macs, as it allows you to use your imac as the. Decent inexpensive additional office monitor for my imaci actually loved this monitor, its a great monitor, the only problem with it was that you cannot adjust the angle of the monitor, you just get 1 angle you cannot make it more inclined or declined which unfortunately was a deal breaker for me and i had to return it, i instead got the. Sep 04, 2016 you could probably use a tool like splashtop to extend your pcs desktop over onto the mac. Target display mode not working on imacmacbook, how to solve.
If your dock is on the bottom of your screen, it appears on any of your displays when you move your pointer to the bottom edge of your display. Nov 15, 2018 with a large and vibrant screen, imac can work as a great external monitor for pc and macbook. Its not well known, but, for example, a macbook proair can connect to and drive a 27inch imac display either as an additional display or mirror mode using whats called target display mode tdm. 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. Target display mode can turn your 2009 or later imac into a monitor for use with other macs. May 14, 2019 connect your monitor and macbook to the same wifi network. Maximize your workspace with extended desktop mode, which lets you enjoy fullscreen apps and windows on each monitor. So, im not really expecting this to actually work, but is anyone aware of any way i can use my 20 mid2007 imac as a secondary monitor for my mid2009 macbook pro without any wires and for free. There are several options but none as good as target d. Oct 20, 2014 how to set up multiple monitors with your mac. Then, use mission control to organize apps and windows across your displays. I have aperture running on my mbp and could use the extra screen on the imac. You can view the desktop of your mac on the display of some imac models using target display mode. My macbook air setup with the lg ultrafine monitor.
When i hit commandf2, it was not working with the screen remaining black, or showing the screen but with zigzag colors across it. The best external monitors for your thunderbolt 3 macbook pro. Using imac as an external monitor to my macbook pro. Wouldnt it be great if you could use it as a second monitor with your new macbook air. Because the macbook air and the imac use the same apple mini displayport technology to connect to external monitors, the process of connecting an external monitor to a macbook air is nearly the same as connecting a dual monitor to an imac.
The macbook air is apples thinnest and lightest laptop, while the ipad pros tablet status makes it easy to put in a bag and take wherever you go. In particular, we see how to use an old imac as an external monitor of a macbook. Jan 31, 2020 you can disconnect your macbook pro and travel with it at any time, but at home or work you can sit back and enjoy the comfort of a large screen with space for all your apps at once. Lg presents an ultra hd 4k led monitor for all the devices which support usb type c. Buy products related to macbook air dual monitor adapter products and see what customers say about macbook air dual monitor adapter products on free delivery possible on eligible purchases. If you have an old mac, especially an imac that you do not use because it is obsolete, that has a builtin monitor, maybe youre wondering how to give it new life and then if you can use it as a second screen for the macbook you just bought. How to turn your imac into a secondary display the.
What you can do is control the imac remotely via screen sharing. If you have no desire to get a separate mac desktop computer, but want to either supersize your laptops screen for gaming or need to get additional screen real estate while you work, then connecting your macbook, macbook air, or macbook pro to an external display is the right call. Buy products related to macbook air dual monitor adapter products and see what customers say about macbook air dual monitor adapter products on free delivery possible on. Kindly let us know which model you think is the best.
You can move windows to it and use it like any other display. You cant really use the macbook as display or keyboard. How to use a second screen with a mac, connect a monitor to. Each year at imore, we look at the newest monitors and put them through the paces. You have an old imac that has a perfectly good display. How to use an imac as a monitor for pc tech junkie.
571 903 175 465 1403 93 1254 594 330 30 967 620 1079 325 1332 633 645 1324 52 549 1013 664 547 151 443 101 1090 805 1287 404 1108 246