I am looking to connect my 2024 MacBook air m3 chip to my 2017 model iMac 27" 5K retina display.
Will this work? can i use 5K iMac as an external display with latest m3 chipped MacBook air?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
That iMac doesn't support Target Display Mode. Target Display Mode went away in Late 2014 when the first 27" 5K Retina iMac came out, and never came back. No Retina iMac has it. On top of that, Apple added restrictions so that no recent Mac supports using ANY iMac as a Target Display.
There is Luna Display (Astropad). It's not as good as a real hardware connection to a standalone 5K monitor, but it might be the only game in time for reusing that 27" 5K iMac as a second display – for fairly static content – at its 5K resolution.
All of the 27" 5K (5120x2880 pixel) monitors out there (Apple, LG, Samsung) are very expensive. The Apple one is almost as much as what a 27" 5K Retina iMac that included the keyboard, mouse, and computer as well once cost. But you can can get good 27" 4K (3840x2160 pixel) third-party monitors for much less money.
That iMac doesn't support Target Display Mode. Target Display Mode went away in Late 2014 when the first 27" 5K Retina iMac came out, and never came back. No Retina iMac has it. On top of that, Apple added restrictions so that no recent Mac supports using ANY iMac as a Target Display.
There is Luna Display (Astropad). It's not as good as a real hardware connection to a standalone 5K monitor, but it might be the only game in time for reusing that 27" 5K iMac as a second display – for fairly static content – at its 5K resolution.
All of the 27" 5K (5120x2880 pixel) monitors out there (Apple, LG, Samsung) are very expensive. The Apple one is almost as much as what a 27" 5K Retina iMac that included the keyboard, mouse, and computer as well once cost. But you can can get good 27" 4K (3840x2160 pixel) third-party monitors for much less money.
Nope, it will not work. Please remember the iMac is a computer, it is NOT an external display for another device! Your MBA is too new as is your 2017. If the MBA needs an external display, please spend about $100 and get yourself an external display from Amazon.
Target Display Mode
How to connect iMac as an external display with MacBook Air
