Target Display Mode not working (iMac 27in late 2012 os Mountain Lion / Mac Mini 2020)

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evaphy2022 Author

Level 1

4 points

Target Display Mode not working (iMac 27in late 2012 os Mountain Lion / Mac Mini 2020)

So I'm trying to connect my Mac mini 2020 with an old iMac as display.

Pretty sure I'm setting everything right but nothing happened when I press Command+F2

please help, here's my setup right now:

*Mac Mini 2020-os Ventura

*iMac 27inch late 2012-os Mountain Lion

*Cable-Thuderbolt cable + Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adaptor

*Double checked the keyboard setting too

*run my command+F2 on iMac

What did I miss?

Mac mini, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 3, 2023 11:53 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

woodmeister50

Level 6

19,771 points

Jan 4, 2023 5:48 AM in response to evaphy2022

Actually, the 2020 Mini lacks the hardware to connect to an iMac in target display mode as do all Macs released from 2020 onward. From this page Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support :

"The other Mac that you're connecting it to must have been introduced in 2019 or earlier and have macOS Catalina or earlier installed."

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Answer 2

Allan Jones

Level 9

69,104 points

Jan 4, 2023 8:45 AM in response to evaphy2022

So you have two issues: the Mini is too new, as is its macOS version.

Apple started the deprecation of Target Display Mode in Late 2014 and threw the last shovel of dirt in its face on early 2020. It's dead tech.

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Answer 3

hcsitas

Level 6

11,570 points

Jan 4, 2023 12:10 AM in response to evaphy2022

Not supported with Ventura, unfortunately.

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Answer 4

evaphy2022 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2023 12:32 AM in response to hcsitas

Bummer... I thought the os system restriction only occurs on the display but not the main mac system??

So... Can a third-party device such as Luna display solve this?

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Answer 5

hcsitas

Level 6

11,570 points

Jan 4, 2023 12:33 AM in response to evaphy2022

No, unfortunately. Recycle (free @Apple) or donate to charity.

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Target Display Mode not working (iMac 27in late 2012 os Mountain Lion / Mac Mini 2020)

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