Use iMac screen for 2020 M1 Mac mini?

Well Interesting enough, I have a late 2013 iMac, and I got a Mac mini today. After watching several videos and consulting with them at the apple store I brought home a Thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 adapter and a .5 m Thunderbolt cable. So I plugged in the Mac mini set it up with monitor over HDMI and then tried to connect the new adaptor and cable to one of the two Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB-C type ports on the back of the Mac mini) nothing happened. I hit the Command + F2 key an still nothing. Tried Fn Command F2 and still nothing.

So then I pulled out my 2019 MacBook Pro and too the usb-c end of the adaptor out of the Mac mini and plugged into MacBook Pro. Then hit command + F2 and bingo it worked. Tried several times and it worked every time, yet when connected to the Mac mini doesn't work. Yet those ports not he Mac mini seem fin as I can run thunderbolt 3 hub out of them and use the HDMI from the hub to power a 4k tv as a monitor, so the ports on the Mac mini seem to be fine.

Bottom line on at least my 2013 iMac, it can be used for a 2nd display for a 2019 MacBook Pro, but not from a Mac mini. Why?

Your 2011 is compatible for Target Display Mode, but an M1 Mac Mini is not. If you find an Intel mini however, you can. You will need a separate keyboard/mouse as you can’t use your iMacs when the mini is running.

visit this how to video the dongles and steps needed once everything is in place

Use iMac as A Second Monitor.

https://youtu.be/O5SeG0_Vqy8

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!

Just to add, if you have an AirPlay capable TV you can mirror a Mac to that. I mirror my MacBook Air to my 55" TV. Much larger than my iMacs.

Use a Samsung 31" TV as a second or 1st. Monitor. This is working well for me. If you encounter overscan set the monitor screen on "FIT".

Pete, I provided a link to a video on YouTube but apparently that was against the rules. Look on YouTube for a video called "MY M1 MAC MINI AND MY 2013 IMAC" it will show you what I'm talking about.

I had TDM set up from my 2015 MBP (which had Thunderbolt 2 port) to 2011iMac via T2 cable for a couple of years. So, today I got my M1 Mac Mini, and just added an Apple T3 to T2 adapter and the same 2011 iMac - pressed Cmd-F2 just like I had for years and Nothing Happened. I will keep googling, but it doesn’t look promising. If no go, I’ll look at Screen Sharing or a new monitor. But not yet.

A suggestion.

I have a Late 2013 iMac with 32gb, i7 blah, blah blah.

I hope they find a work around to allow iMac users to make the most out of their older machines still in good condition and M1 TDM is welcome back anytime.

@juniorxo23, that's not absolutely true.

I have a late 2012 iMac with Catalina and a late 2018 MacBook Pro13 with Big Sur.

The MacBook is connected with the iMac with the original Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter and the target display is working great.

I can use the iMac as an external monitor.

The only thing missing is I can't use the iMac's audio as external speakers (I can see them in the option, but they don't work) , but it's no a big deal, the MacBook Pro's speakers are good enough.

Yeah, I already stated, that I have a 2019 MacBook Pro and it works fine with that. It will work work fine with all older model Macs from 2019 and before. However, it will not work with any new Macs going forward including the new Mac mini M1, or either of the acbook air M1 or the MacBook Pro M1 that were released in November.

Hey all,

I had the same thing, wanting to use my old 2013 iMac as a display for the new M1 Mac Mini. Tried the thunderbolt route and all the troubleshooting that followed, nothing happened. Came on here to get some help but couldn’t get the answers I needed. Was all ready to pack the M1 MacMini up and ship it back to Apple, but then I found a way! I used WiFi, a tv, a hdmi cable, 1 keyboard and two magic mice. I can now use my old Mac as a display for my new Mac mini and easily access my iMac if I need to. A big relief as I’ve had the M1 3 weeks and there’s nothing more frustrating than having new tech you can’t use!

Hi Can you give some details please ?

I have a late 2012 iMac currently ruining Catalina . Im aware I will need to be running a much older OS (happy to dual boot an older OS on an external drive) .

Im considering getting a M1 mini (or maybe the air) and would love to keep using the iMac screen . also for many of my applications the iMac is fine so im happy to stay running that and use the M1 mini mainly for Lightroom and Final Cut (which is where i'd mainly benefit from the m1 mini) .

I don't really want to pull the trigger unless i know I can get it to display on the iMac screen

Thanks

Okay, I am really confused, not quite a tech knowledgeable as some here. I have a mid 2011 iMac 21.5" running High Sierra.

If I buy a M1 Mac Mini, can I use the iMac as my display? It has one thunderbolt 1 port. If not, would it work if I bought

the Intel version still available? And what cables will I need? TYIA from a confused person, lol.

So even tho the iMac supports TDM (which requires high sierra), is it that the Mini can't support it? I just want to be sure before I consider spending a couple hundred bucks on a display when my iMac screen still looks great. thx.

Ah, so the Intel Mac Mini that Costco has on sale for $549 (base model) would work? I guess the question then becomes whether saving the cost of a new monitor balances out against the longevity of the intel version compared to the M1.