How can I connect my Apple thunderbolt display to my iMac for use as a secondary monitor?

You would not use a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter to drive a Thunderbolt display! The Thunderbolt Display's FireWire port is not for video input to the monitor itself. It's an expansion port for the attached Mac; that display being part monitor, and part Thunderbolt dock.

If we are talking about an iMac that is new enough that it has USB-C (Thunderbolt 3) ports, you would hook up a Thunderbolt Display using an Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter and a Thunderbolt 1/2 cable.

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple

Note that this adapter would not work for hooking up an ordinary Mini DisplayPort monitor.

You don’t want to go to HDMI.

it’s a “Thunderbolt Display” it connect to thunder or 2 ONLY.

the adapter which goes from Thunderbolt 3(or 4) to Thunderbolt 2 connects it to newer macs.

The Thunderbolt display that I have uses a regular old power cable, so power from the adapter is NOT needed. Just plug an adapter in between the iMac and the Display (Thunderbolt 3 or 4 depending on iMac model to Thunderbolt 2)

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD464LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-to-firewire-adapter?afid=p238%7CsJOguDArN-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_652838197326_pgrid_147153194586_pntwk_g_pchan_local_pexid__&cid=aos-us-kwgo-pla-btb_lia--slid---product-MD464LL/A

Is this the display you're referring to?

You should get a self powered thunderbolt dock to run the monitor with your iMac. If the iMac doesn't have the required Thunderbolt ports then get an adaptor, XXX to Thunderbolt, to use with the dock.

PCPlusComputing wrote:

I think depends on the year

Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI

Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI

Try any of these adapter should work

What you are calling a Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI adapter is probably a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. What you are calling a Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI adapter is probably a USB-C (DisplayPort) to HDMI adapter. But even if you had adapters designed to take Thunderbolt input from a host computer, you couldn't use them to convert HDMI output from a computer to the Thunderbolt input needed by the Thunderbolt Display.

Rudegar wrote:

you can't out of the box, that only works with both macs being old and running an old macOS version

you can try looking at Duet Display or Luna Display.

The OP's question does not involve two iMacs, or Target DIsplay Mode. It involves an iMac and a Thunderbolt Display. That's a 27" 2560x1440 hardware display.

you can't out of the box, that only works with both macs being old and running an old macOS version

you can try looking at Duet Display or Luna Display.

Thanks! Sorry I linked to the wrong adapter. I just didn't look carefully when pulling up the link.

Sad I cannot edit my original incorrect post.

can you please let us know the exact model so we can help you to find right adapter

Thanks

Paul

[Edited by Moderator]

I believe there is literally only one model. Apple only produced a single Thunderbolt Display.

A1407

Posts can be edited within 15 minutes of the original posting. You do it with this button:

I think depends on the year

Thunderbolt 2 to HDMI

Thunderbolt 3 to HDMI

Try any of these adapter should work

Thanks

Paul

[Edited by Moderator]

So, essentially, according to the General info:

:-)

I do hope that there is an appropriate adapter for the "Thunderbolt" display to connect to the "Thunderbolt" ports on a new computer.