Maybe you have a macbook with a small screen or a mac mini connected to a tv or external monitor, and you feel like you could use a second screen or device to extend or mirror your current display. Whether you want a mechanical, usb, or bluetooth keyboard, here are tons of great options for you to use with your mac mini. Can you use a windows laptop as a monitor for a mac mini. Will the 2018 mac mini be able to use my 2011 imac in target. These little computers are proof of the old saying that the best things come in small packages. Mac mini features the apple t2 security chip secondgeneration custom mac silicon designed by apple to make mac mini even more secure. In theory this should work but im hesitant to say for sure without looking at your imac and the new minis.
By william gallagher friday, december 07, 2018, 10. Basically what youd do is connect the mini to the imac via a mini displayport cable. Brian stucki published a great list of ways to use your mac server the possibilities are endless. Use an imac as an external monitor or extended display for your macbook pro. My mac is a vintage, 8yearold, 29inch imac, which is used mostly for watching. Using an imac as a monitor for a mac mini ask different. Refurbished apple mac minis, mac mini refurbished, used. The vast majority of windows laptops have a graphics out port, but no graphics in port, so you cant just connect up your mac mini to the graphics port on the back of your laptop.
Can i mod an early 2009 24 imac to external monitor. On the other hand, newer imacs come with a thunderbolt port. How to add a second screen to your mac or macbook macworld. Using imac as monitor requires very specific cable cult. I have an old imac late 2009 which has a mini display port at the back. Use a 27inch imac with a mini displayport as an external display. I can get my hands on an old imac 2019 and do everything on an ipad pro but. Anyone with account on this mac can access it from the other computer. Both my imacs have mini display port so i am connecting them via mini display port but the f2 function to connect them duel display is not. How to use old imac as monitor for another mac unlockboot. Of course, you could send in your old mac mini for colocation at macstadium so all of these powerful. Even if youre a huge macbook fan, from time to time you may still miss the larger screen available to your typical desktop computer while you could purchase an external monitor and connect it to your mac, if you happen to have an old imac lying around, then why not save yourself some money, by repurposing your old imac instead in this article, ill show you how to setup. Can i use a 2011 imac as a screen with a new apple mac mini. Some imacs can pull double duty as a monitor for other macs.
In particular, we see how to use an old imac as an external monitor of a macbook. I have collected several high frequent scenes when imac screen turns black. Use an imac as a monitor or extended display for your macbook pro. The 5 best monitors for mac mini in 2020 by experts. On startup, the imac would put itself into target display mode, running as monitor for mini. By william gallagher thursday, february 07, 2019, 12. How to set up your new mac mini for use without a monitor.
If youre buying a mini or mac pro, using the pc display you already have can save you some money. You can follow our new mac mini setup guide if you need help with getting things started. Similar to target disk mode, where one mac s internal hard drives can be. Heres why the cheesegrater mac pro is still the best. The t2 security chip consolidates several controllers into one, and includes a secure enclave coprocessor that provides the foundation for encrypted storage and secure boot capabilities. 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. This is a demo video of how to use the apple 27 inch imac as a display for a macbook, macbook pro, mac pro, and mac mini. You can view the desktop of your mac on the display of some imac models using target display mode. How to upgrade the 2012 mac mini for use in 2020 imore. If you want the imac to play audio as well as video from. Because the targeted audience is former pc users, the mac mini is sold without a mouse, keyboard or screen. My goal is to make a switch to use the iternal hard core2duo or use the imac as external monitor with a dvi plug on the back. My question is if i just get a new mac mini, could i somehow use the existing imac as a monitor for it by using for instance screen sharing software. 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.
Looking at new mac minis they seem ideal to solve this problem being relatively low priced and able to do a few other things id find useful. To use the new 27inch imac as an external monitor requires a very specific cable to work. How to use an imac 2009, 2010 as a pc monitor youtube. Im trying to figure out how to use imac as a screen, but not actually use the computer i dont want work stuff on personal computer and its really old and slow. Even if youre a huge macbook fan, from time to time you may still miss the larger screen available to your typical desktop computer while you could purchase an external monitor and connect it to your mac, if you happen to have an old imac lying around, then why not save yourself some money, by repurposing your old imac instead in this article, ill show you how to setup your old imac. Repurposing an old imac as a monitor and server zdnet. How to use an inexpensive tv set as a monitor for your mac, and why you might not want to. Lifewire derek abella 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. Step 2 plug one end of the compatible cable into the hdmi, display port. The display looks like an oldfashioned terminal from the days of mainframes and timeshare computing systems, but its more akin to the startup sequence in.
It would appear so, search for apple article ht204592 on. How to fix a mac that stalls on gray screen at startup troubleshooting mac startup problems. If an airplay passcode appears on your tv screen, enter the passcode on your mac. The mac mini ships with a hdmitodvi adapter but its only really apple monitors which use dvi, so for a regular monitor you may need a hdmitovga or mini displayporttovga connector instead. With a large and vibrant screen, imac can work as a great external monitor for pc and macbook. Im currently using a 2015 macbook pro and using a thunderbolt cable to my 2010 27 inch imac as the screen in target display mode. You can use it as a secondary monitor for your mac with apples target display modebut the host mac needs to be pretty. Macs can use them as an extension to the desktop area, letting you drag an icon or window from one screen to the.
If you are looking for an allinone apple product, you may be interested in our imac computers. My question is if there is a chance to use it as an external monitor attaching a lcd controller to the screen. With apple tv, you can mirror the entire display of your mac to your tv, or use your tv as a separate display. To use target display mode, youll need to connect your imac and your mac, via the correct cable. However, you can run remote control software on your. In short, have your new mac mini set up like a regular desktop, ready to go so. For example, if you have a macbook pro you could use an imac as the display and for playing audio. Even if youre buying a mac with a builtin display, an extra display is handy. The more displays you use, the more of a performance hit your mac is going to take. The older imacs have a mini displayport, so youll need to either have a mac mini with a mini displayport or thunderbolt port. Using imac as display for mac mini macrumors forums. 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.
How to set up multiple monitors with your mac cnet. In order to set up the new mac mini for use without a monitor and keyboardmouse, youll actually need to have it connected to, you guessed it, a monitor and keyboardmouse. Using the right adapter, you can connect the mac mini to any computer screen with a vga port. Mac mini, the perfect time machine backup destination. How to use an old imac as an secondary monitor for macbook. A mac notebook or desktop with a mini displayport or thunderbolt port. 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. In this case, your mac mini must also have a thunderbolt port. Its a lot easier on your mac if you use an external, 1080p display 1920 x 1080 2,073,600 pixels, rather than an external, 4k display 3840 x 2160 8,294,400 pixels. Using mac mini fully, with imac as monitor apple community. I saw a refurbished mac mini below on amazon for pretty cheap. How to use old imac as secondary monitor for a new imac duration. Could i buy a 2020 mac mini and use my imac for a display.
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. While doing this i also plan to use my existing apple keyboard and mouse. But in the end, target display mode became an apple only technology that allowed mac users to drive an imac s display from another mac. Step 3 plug the other end of the cable to mini displayport or thunderbolt connector on your 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. How to use your ipad pro as a display for your mac mini.
I have not tested it, as what i wanted to do was use my mac and extend to external monitors wirelessly, but the hardware is too old to support airplay to an apple tv. Use a 27inch imac with a mini displayport as an external display connect the mini displayport cable to the ports on each mac. Finally, there is maxivista this one is oneway, only uses mac, windows or linux as a remote monitor for windows. How to pick the best monitor for your new mac mini. 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. In the coming weeks the adapter will be available to use it as a display.
The new mac mini doesnt come with a keyboard here are the best options as is the norm with mini computer desktops, apple gives you the freedom to bring your own display, keyboard, and mouse. Pc users can use all of their old accessories with their new mac mini while enjoying a new easytouse software package. The main requirements are a thunderbolt cable, and the imac must be booted into macos. Many mac professionals have transitioned to a workflow based around a more mobile flavor of mac, however, those with an older imac in the office. How to use an inexpensive tv set as a monitor for your mac. Instead of using as a monitor, what about an old 2007 imac connected to a new mac mini via screen sharing andor application sharing. Press commandf2 on the keyboard of the external display imac. Simple ways to connect a macbook to an imac with pictures. How to turn your imac into a secondary display the mac. Your mac only has so much processing power, particularly when it comes to graphics.