Looking for mini display port thunderbolt to usc-c thunderbolt cable for data transfer

I want to use target disk mode to transfer data from an old 2014 MacBook Air to a new 2020 MBP. I found several mini display port to thunderbolt 3 usb-c cables, but they all say one direction. And one that said bi-direction said it can only be used by a display. Very confusing. Checking the specs of the 2014 MBA, it says:

Thunderbolt digital video output

  • Native Mini DisplayPort output


Looking at the target disk mode it says I need to go from Thunderbolt to thunderbolt. Just need to figure out what cable to order. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

MacBook Air

Posted on Sep 26, 2021 3:31 PM

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2 replies

Sep 27, 2021 2:18 PM in response to Alfredo Jahn

Hi there Alfredo Jahn,


Excellent question, and one we'd like to help answer as best we can.


First, we wanted to explain something about the Mini DisplayPort. This is a video output port on your MacBook Air.


You also mentioned having a Thunderbolt connection on your MacBook Air, but we're unsure of what kind or if it's one that can be used to transfer data to your new MacBook Pro.


Which exact MacBook Air 2014 model do you have? You can find this information by clicking on the Apple logo at the top left corner of the screen, then on 'About This Mac'. Once you have those details, you can look up the exact tech specs for it.


Also, this link shows several methods to Move your content to a new Mac. One of the easiest methods would be to back up your Mac to an external hard drive using Time Machine, then restore your new Mac from that backup.


Take care!

Sep 27, 2021 3:47 PM in response to bruno75

Hi bruno75.

I was doing this research for my son who is getting a new MacBook Pro this week. Turns out, I set him up with CCC and an external drive that he uses to "clone" his MBA. Although I've heard that you can't boot off of an older OS (High Sierra), I assume he can connect that drive to the new Mac and drag and drop files from it. So, I guess he doesn't need to cable after all.


To answer your question, he actually has an early 2015 MacBook Air. Here are the specs I found online:


Connections and Expansion

  • Two USB 3 ports (up to 5 Gbps)
  • Thunderbolt 2 port (up to 20 Gbps)
  • MagSafe 2 power port
  • SDXC card slot
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack

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Looking for mini display port thunderbolt to usc-c thunderbolt cable for data transfer

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