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Hi.
I have a late 2009 21.5inch iMac and an early 2015 Macbook Air and want to use the iMac as an additional screen. I think I need a miniDisplay cable from the iMac to the Macbook but I can't seem to find a miniDisplay-Thunderbolt adaptor anywhere to connect it to the MacBook. Both comps are running Sierra 10.12.6.
Can anyone please help?
Thanks
James
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.12
There where a few iMac models that supported being used as a display.
In 2009 only the 27” iMac model supported Target Display Mode.
see > Use your iMac as a display - Apple Support
Note: Target Display Mode isn’t supported on iMac models with Retina display. Only iMac (27-inch, Late 2009), iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010), and iMac (Mid 2011 to Mid 2014) support Target Display Mode.
There where a few iMac models that supported being used as a display.
In 2009 only the 27” iMac model supported Target Display Mode.
see > Use your iMac as a display - Apple Support
Note: Target Display Mode isn’t supported on iMac models with Retina display. Only iMac (27-inch, Late 2009), iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010), and iMac (Mid 2011 to Mid 2014) support Target Display Mode.
Hi and thanks for the reply.
I'm so confused as I've come across a couple of sources that say it can be done ..
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh30822/mac
https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/imac-secondary-display/
I've read somewhere that newer iMac's can't support this but the older ones can. Have I got this wrong?
Thanks again.
Yes you have it wrong. We get your question almost daily on these forums and the answer is always the same, in short you can quit wasting your time and possibly money researching it's a total waste of both.
Nope, never going to work. Your iMac is a computer not an external display for another computer of any type.
Thank you so much for your friendly and helpful answer @den.thed
You're welcome.
Using a late 2009 21.5inch iMac as an additional screen.
