Use iMac screen for 2020 M1 Mac mini?

depends on how you want to use your iMac. if you want to use it as essentially a display for a headless Mac mini then you just just share the Mac mini screen via finder on the iMac over wifi. if you want to use the iMac as a second display you hook an HDMI from the Mac mini to something like an Imogen HDMI to USB3 and then take the USB end into the iMac.

Ok, sorry to be stupid..... I just want to use the iMac screen as the sole display, to browse, watch movies, email, etc. I don't know if my iMac does screen sharing (2011) but if it does, is there a lag? Would it be annoying when streaming or browsing?

Ahh.....so if you want to use Big Sur (or future OS versions) it's not possible regardless. THANK YOU! Def. gonna have to buy a monitor then. So now I just have to wait for the bluetooth issues with the M1 to get resolved.

I don't know for sure because I'm doing it with an old Mac mini and using newer Mac (iMac and Mac book pro) for the display....that doesn't seem to be a problem though I also have that old Mac mini hooked up to a tv I also use for streaming. I'm guessing not a problem. People have been using headless Mac mini's for a long time.

but also the option to run the HDMi from the Mac mini through a HDMI to USB converter also would work if you found that to be a problem.

I'm using that HDMI to USB device right now for a new M1 Mac mini hooked up to a 2013 iMac. It works absolutely fine. Iv'e used target display in the past for two older iMacs, but as the various posters have said that is no longer an option for new machines.

Ooh...can you explain further? What HDMI to USB device are you using? You're going from HDMI on the M1 to USB on the iMac? I have USB 2.0 bus....would that matter? And you're not using Target Mode or you are?

Target Display Mode in order to work must be supported on both devices. 2020 Mac have zero support for Target Display Mode so even though the older Mac may work, it would need an earlier Mac to work with it. By the way, you can find decent external displays for $130 to $150, if you want something really elegant then yes you would pay more for the feature set you are looking for. If you have a Costco in your area check Costco.com or just go to your local Costco warehouse, that's just one suggestion there are many resellers that sell external displays in the price range I mentioned.

I am not using target display mode because you can’t. I’m using a device I bought to live stream from my good video camera through its HDMI to my iMac The Iogeni HDMI to USB 3. There are less expensive options out there but I needed it ASAP early in the pandemic. I’m now using it to go to a 2013 imac from an m1 Mac mini. Also hooked up an Ethernet cable between the two machines so I can easily get at the iMacs hard drive.

You can’t use an iMac as a display for MacMini using thunderbolt - as I discovered after ordering the thunderbolt lead and adapter to usb c. I have however successfully used the iMac as a display going via the screen sharing route which doesn’t involve purchasing any additional cables. That said, I am able to do the same with my MacBook Pro, rendering the MacMini now sitting redundant. Yes you can buy an external display screen for the MacMini - which ones are compatible I don’t know but I’ve managed to plug mine into every single tv going via HDMI and it works - which is ok if you want to watch films but not suitable for detailed work. Hope that helps, good luck!

Looks like it will be an M1 Mac Mini (hoping my bluetooth keyboard/trackpad let me set it up). And Costco has a pretty inexpensive LG 27" monitor that was running in my local store and looked good enough to me - for $159. It's HD 1080, and not quite as sharp as my 21.5" iMac screen (I guess smaller screen, same resolution, is better). But it's good enough and if I ever find a great deal in the future on a 4k or even 5k I can replace it. TY for all the info and advice; it cleared things up for me.

He says the iMac needs Thunderbolt 2, mine is "1". Oh, well. Also screen sharing requires a second screen at least at setup to turn on sharing on the mac mini - something I don't have. I've just decided to go M1 Mac Mini and 1080p display, but I'll wait until I hear the bluetooth issues with the Mini have been resolved. Hoping end of March to replace my iMac with this setup. With the M1, then upgrading my screen to 4k or 5k when prices start to drop will work just fine.

WOW! I guess you can't read the original posting. It sated I know how to do this, and it works fine with my old MacBook and 4 other Macs I have including a 2019 model MacBook Pro 16 I9 processor. HOWEVER IT WILL NOT WORK WITH THE NEW M1 processor Macs (Mac min M1, MacBook Air M1 and MacBook Pro M1).

The whole point of the mini is to access the power of the M1 chip - which looks as though it will considerably outperform my late-2014 iMac.

So to ask if I can continue to use my splendid iMac is a perfectly rational question

pete

I'm using my Iogeni Hdmi to usb 3 coverter to hook my M1 Mac mini up to my late 2013 iMac. The signal from the Mac mini then comes in looking a usb camera to the iMac and I use an app called Quick Camera to view the Mac mini screen on the iMac. I'm using the iMac in a two screen setup but I'm pretty sure you could use the iMac as your primary display, I should try that. I had this device anyway for other purposes but I think there are lower cost alternatives out there.

This solution provides full use of the iMac since the Mac mini is just another window on it. Here's a link to the device https://inogeni.com/product/4k-to-usb-3

Brilliant tutorial, fully illustrated, many thanks Trevor.

This should interest many here who have asked for just such a solution.

to quote Trevor: "Look on YouTube for a video called "MY M1 MAC MINI AND MY 2013 IMAC"

( unable to post URLs in this forum)

pete - stay well!