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Currently, my main machine is a late 2012 27-inch iMac
running OS 10.13.6.
I plan on upgrading to a M1 machine running OS 11. However, because I have some legacy software
that I want to continue to use, I plan on keeping the iMac with 10.13.6. My question is – if I purchase a Mac Mini with 512GB + 2TB, can I use my iMac as the monitor, and also, when needed,
revert to the OS 10.13.6 system?
Thanks,
C. E. Ulrich
iMac 27″, macOS 10.13
CEU2 wrote:
... I would like to use my iMac as the monitor
for a new M1 MacMini, not screen sharing, ....
The only way you can use your iMac as a display with your Mini is via Screen Sharing.
The iMac Target Display Mode connection is not supported by any 2020 or newer Mac.
CEU2 wrote:
... I would like to use my iMac as the monitor
for a new M1 MacMini, not screen sharing, ....
The only way you can use your iMac as a display with your Mini is via Screen Sharing.
The iMac Target Display Mode connection is not supported by any 2020 or newer Mac.
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities.
No, you cannot use your iMac as a display for your new Mac mini.
And no, Mac mini cannot run anything older than macOS Big Sur (including macOS 10.13 High Sierra).
Jack
I am using an M1 Mac mini (11/2020) with macOS 11.6. On my Late-2013 iMac running macOS 10.14.6, and a 2011 Mac mini running OS X 10.13.6, I have enabled System Preferences > Sharing > Screen sharing. This allows me to open there screens on my 32-inch M1 mini display and interact with those wired/wireless other Macs (on the same subnet).
On the M1 mini, I have visited System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall > Fire Wall Options… and have the following configuration, so those Virtual Network Computing (VNC) packets (port 5900) can get through the firewall.
Click on the Desktop to wake Finder up and press shift+cmd+G to open the Go to Folder panel. Copy/paste the following into it:
/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications
This will open that folder in the Finder, and you drag and drop the Screen Sharing application onto your Dock. With your 2012 iMac powered on, you launch the Screen sharing application and enter the actual hostname of that iMac with the local modifier (e.g. foo.local). If you are uncertain of the iMac's hostname, you can click in the Finder sidebar Locations > Network, and it will appear there. Wait long enough for your iMac to boot up before you launch the M1 screen-sharing app.
The screen of the 2012 iMac will now appear in a Screen Sharing window on your M1 Mac, and the M1 keyboard, mouse, clipboard, and drag/drop work between the Macs. When you are done, you would shut down the 2012 iMac, the Screen Sharing screen would go blank with a Connecting… busy spinner, and you would visit Connection Close, and then Quit the Screen Sharing application.
Hello Jack and VikingOSX, thanks for the response!
VikingOSX, if I understand correctly, your situation is a
bit different from mine. You are using
your M1 MacMini’s monitor to screen share with other computers. I would like to use my iMac as the monitor
for a new M1 MacMini, not screen sharing, at least as I understand it, please correct
me if I am wrong.
Cheers,
ceulrich
What woodmester50 has said. Target Display Mode is gone in your circumstance. Depending on settings, I can screen share the screen of my M1 mini onto a Late-2013 27 in iMac, or the obverse. As I have Linux and Windows 10 setup in VirtualBox on the iMac, I can even run those over the underlying screen sharing sessions.
Since I have not previously used screen sharing, I thought I
would experiment with VikingOSX’s idea.
I connected my 13” M1 MacBook Pro running 11.1 to my iMac using Ethernet. I selected “Screen Sharing” on the MacBook.
From the iMac, I selected the MacBook, then selected “Screen Sharing.” The MacBook screen opened on the iMac. The size could be adjusted, but never larger
than the size of the screen on the MacBook.
Selecting “Full Screen” mode, blacked out the iMac desktop and left the
MacBook desktop, but still at the size of the MacBook. I had full functionality of the MacBook from
the iMac, so this is a step in the right direction. I am assuming that with a MacMini the maximum
screen size will be controlled by the options available in the “Displays”
preferences panel. Does anyone know if
there is an option that will permit me to use most if not all the screen size
of the iMac?
Thanks
CEU2
In the event someone else asking the same question I asked
stumbles onto this thread, I would like to end this thread with an answer. Yes, it is possible to use a 2012 vintage
27-inch iMac (OS 10.13.6) as a monitor for a new M1 Mac mini (OS 11.6).
I used a spare monitor to get the new Mac mini up and
running. Then from the Apple menu >
System Preferences > Sharing, select the Screen Sharing checkbox. Close System Preferences panel. I connected the two machines together via
Ethernet. The Mac mini shows up in the iMac’s
Finder sidebar, click on it, and then click on the “Screen Sharing” button at
the top of the Finder window. The Mac mini
desktop now shows up on the iMac screen.
You can perform all functions on the Mac mini using the iMac’s keyboard
and mouse or in my case a trackball. If
you disconnect the external monitor from the Mac mini, the maximum size of the
Mac mini’s desktop displayed on the iMac will decrease. However, you can purchase a Newer Technology
HDMI to Headless Adapter (there are probably other brands available but that is
what I got), and plug it into the HDMI port of the Mac mini. You will now be able to select a screen
resolution on the Mac mini that allows you to adjust the size of the Mac mini
desktop as shown on the iMac to as much as 90% of the iMac’s screen. You will also be able to use the “Enter Full
Screen” mode where the Mac mini desktop replaces the iMac desktop.
There may be a way to get the Mac mini setup without having
to use another monitor, but I have not tried it.
Cheers,
CEU2
One thing to note, the higher the resolution you Screen Share, the more ethernet bandwidth will be required. In other words, you may need to settle for less than the 2560x1440 of the 2012 iMac for reasonable performance.
Woodmeister50, thanks for that information.
I my case I am using a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440, and
since I am only using the iMac as a monitor (not doing much computing) I have
not noticed any decrement in performance.
I do not do much with video, so my results may not be typical.
Cheers,
CEU2
Using an iMac as a monitor