Target Display Mode not working 2020 MacBook Pro (Catalina)

Support for that feature was removed from MacBook Pro and others for the 2020 model year.

Maybe you old Mac was a 2019 model, or maybe a production error. But now, that feature is not supported in 2020 Macs and beyond, and it is not likely to be re-instated.

I have a 2010 27" iMac and it is working fine in target display mode with my new 2020 MacBook Pro 13". My 2013 27" iMac does not work in target display mode with my new 2020 MacBook Pro 13".

So, it seems to support display port, but not thunderbolt.

Both iMacs worked fine in target display mode as a dual setup with my 2017 MacBook Pro 13", but not the 2020.

This problem is beyond frustrating. I have a 2020 Macbook Pro and a 2019 iMac. Both have the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports (on MBP that's all it has) so I got the Thunderbolt 3/USB-C cable to connect the two together so I can use my iMac as display for the laptop. Nothing worked, including the old 'Command + F2/+FN and F2' and reading this thread, it looks like both the newer iMacs AND the newer MacBooks don't support Target Display Mode. What!? How am I supposed to use this in the office with other external monitors? Or even now just working from home? Ridiculous, this is such a basic computer feature and Apple took it away quietly, thanks a lot.

I have same issue Target display mode not working with set up an old iMac (mid-2011 running High Sierra) as an external monitor for my new 2020 MacBook Pro (big Sur).

I connect 2020 MacBook Pro with apple thunderbolt display with same cabling for IMAC 2011 and work fine

issue with 2020 MacBook Pro to iMac (mid-2011)

as stated in the article, as revised, the 2020 models are not supported.

All iMac models introduced in 2011, 2012, 2013, and mid 2014: Use a Thunderbolt cable to connect your iMac to a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port on the other Mac. If the other Mac uses Thunderbolt 3, you can use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter with your [genuine ThunderBolt] cable.

from:

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

That's a genuine ThunderBolt cable, right, not just a Mini DisplayPort cable?

Exactly the same problem here - 2013 iMac with 2020 MacBook Pro 13". I bought an external monitor which was awful so I then went and paid Euro100 for the cables needed for TDM (double checking that everything would work), sent the other monitor back (at a loss) and connected it all this morning to find that cmd+F2 does exactly nothing.

I'm fuming.

Apple, you need to sort this - we've spent money on the set up and now you've finally changed your info to say that MacBooks post-2019 not supported. Very poor form.

dnsolo - bought old Thunderbolt Display, it's absolutely amazing. Sold my iMac for nearly double the price of the display, just a thought. No time to wait for Apple to catch up :).

Good luck (I feel your pain)!

I did something similar that worked with very low latency attaching a PS4 to my iMac using an HDMI lead and gamers' video capture card. It was only 1080p but that could be workable and maybe modern capture devices can do better.

In any case I said it's just a theory. I would try it myself but I don't have an old iMac to test it with.

I have a mid-2014 iMac and a 2020 Macbook air. Apple told me to purchase a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port for the iMac and a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter to connect the two displays. The displays do not work and they still can't seem to help me, so I need to return the cable and adapter. No idea how else to connect them.

I ultimately went for Luna Display app... works like charm! https://shop.astropad.com/ Makes my 2009 iMAC a display for my13" Macbook Pro. Easypeasy! I gather that is why Apple won't bother to support it as there are others doing it better I guess? I tried unsuccessfully for over a year... had to move on.

2020 Macs are no longer said to be supported.

Considering selling my 2020 MacBook Pro & buying a pre 2020 to bring back support for display mode.

This is very frustrating. That page DID NOT say that at the point I ordered my new 2020 MacBook. It was very much one of the considerations I made when I bought it. I bought an Apple Thunderbolt cable and Thunderbolt 3 adapter specifically to support this after testing using an older Mac Mini. That's about $100 wasted. Now I have to spend several more $100 on a monitor that matches my mid 2011 27" iMac. Not happy...

Edit: I have confirmed that the thunderbolt cable and the mid 2011 27" iMac work in TDM with a Mac Mini and they work with the thunderbolt 3 adapter as a network connection to the 2020 MacBook. Also the cable and adapter work with a thunderbolt 3 dock plugged in to the iMac. Its JUST MacBook to iMac in TDM.

Will Target Display Mode feature be re-enabled? Obviously the user community is furious, and so am I – our brand new 2020 MacBook Pros are useless at the office with an existing iMac as a perfectly usable display. Can anyone more tech savvy from the Apple support chime in on the issue, please?