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DKMcC

Q: Can i connect my non apple laptop to my iMac and use the iMac as an extra/dual screen while using my laptop?

Got a new laptop from work, no choice on the type, but want to plug it's docking station into my iMac so I can use dual screens while using the laptop. Can I use the Ethernet port for this?

iMac, Got a new laptop from work today.

Posted on Dec 8, 2013 10:49 PM

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Q: Can i connect my non apple laptop to my iMac and use the iMac as an extra/dual screen while using my laptop?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by mende1,Apple recommended

    mende1 mende1 Dec 8, 2013 11:00 PM in response to DKMcC
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 8, 2013 11:00 PM in response to DKMcC

    Welcome to Apple Support Communities

     

    Target Display mode only supports Late 2009 and Mid 2010 27-inch iMacs, and Mid 2011 and newer iMacs to use them as external displays, but it only works over Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt, not Ethernet.

     

    Your PC needs Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt (depending on your iMac) to be able to use your iMac as an external display, so it is probably that you cannot use the iMac as an external display. Instead, look for information in the Internet about VNC viewers that allow you to do that

  • by DKMcC,

    DKMcC DKMcC Dec 8, 2013 11:25 PM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 11:25 PM in response to mende1

    That's great,

    You answered my question. My iMac only 1 year old, so will go find a adaptor to connect laptop base to thunderbolt port.

    Thanks very much.

    Dan.

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Dec 8, 2013 11:27 PM in response to DKMcC
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 8, 2013 11:27 PM in response to DKMcC

    Adapters will not work, and as you bought your iMac a year ago, the PC must have a Thunderbolt port to be able to use the iMac as an external display

  • by DKMcC,

    DKMcC DKMcC Dec 8, 2013 11:54 PM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 11:54 PM in response to mende1

    Oh, ok.

    The laptop is a very unimpressive Lenovo Thinkpad. Doesn't look like the docking station has a thunderbolt port, so will have to give it a miss. Thanks anyway.

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Dec 8, 2013 11:55 PM in response to DKMcC
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 8, 2013 11:55 PM in response to DKMcC

    You are welcome

  • by Reb419,

    Reb419 Reb419 Feb 3, 2015 12:45 PM in response to DKMcC
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 3, 2015 12:45 PM in response to DKMcC

    Were you able to figure out any way to connect your Lenovo and use iMac as a second display, or did you just end up giving up? I'm trying to do the same - I have a Lenovo laptop that does not have Thunderbolt. I'm wondering if there is any way we can convert MiniDisplay to Thunderbolt signals or vice versa (via an adaptor) on either one of the devices to make them compatible.

     

    Does anyone know if there is a product out there that does this? Or any way to use an iMac in Target Display with a PC?

     

    Thanks!

  • by gregB78,

    gregB78 gregB78 Apr 29, 2015 7:43 AM in response to Reb419
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 29, 2015 7:43 AM in response to Reb419

    hi,

         I was informed dell M3800 is fully compatibil and will work with iMac in TDM but no luck so far. It has just arrived and I couldnt manage to see Dell desktop on iMac. According to specs it shall work. Both are Thunderbolt 2 devices.

  • by sbs0928,

    sbs0928 sbs0928 Oct 12, 2015 7:10 AM in response to DKMcC
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 12, 2015 7:10 AM in response to DKMcC

    Has anyone been successful.  Bought a mini thunderbolt to hdmi cable thinking that would work to connect to my dell laptop but it didn't work.....

  • by alex cull,

    alex cull alex cull Jul 16, 2016 12:23 PM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 16, 2016 12:23 PM in response to mende1

    would a displayport to mini display port cable work?