target display mode cable needed for mid 2012 macbook pro retina to mid 2010 iMac 27"

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target display mode cable needed for mid 2012 macbook pro retina to mid 2010 iMac 27"

I am not clear on which cable to get to connect my laptop (mid-2012 macbook pro retina) to my iMac (27" mid-2010) so I can use the iMac as a display.

My laptop has a thunderbolt port and the iMac has a mini-display port, which I thought was a thunderbolt port. But a regular thunderbolt cable doesn't work.

I don't see a thunderbolt to mini display port cable available.

Which cable do I need to buy to make this work? or should I be looking for some kind of adapter to the thunderbolt cable or hdmi or something?

Thanks!

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Oct 5, 2015 1:50 PM

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Answer 1

rkaufmann87

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140,562 points

Oct 5, 2015 2:00 PM in response to JoniTilt

Apple clearly explains this in Use your iMac as a display with Target Display Mode - Apple Support

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Answer 2

JoniTilt Author

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Oct 5, 2015 2:14 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Thanks, I have read through all this stuff. It says I need a mini display port to mini display port cable.

But how does that work if I don't have a mini display port on my laptop? Does the mini display port cable work in the thunderbolt port? I just don't want to waste more money buying the wrong thing. I've already bought a second thunderbolt cable thinking there was something wrong with my first one.

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Answer 3

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,562 points

Oct 5, 2015 2:30 PM in response to JoniTilt

JoniTilt wrote:

Thanks, I have read through all this stuff. It says I need a mini display port to mini display port cable.

But how does that work if I don't have a mini display port on my laptop? Does the mini display port cable work in the thunderbolt port? I just don't want to waste more money buying the wrong thing. I've already bought a second thunderbolt cable thinking there was something wrong with my first one.

I see your confusion. Your MBP's Thunderbolt port is what you would use. Get the required cable and plug it into the Mini Display port on your 2010 iMac and the Thunderbolt port on your 2012 MBP. The mini display port's physical size is identical to the Thunderbolt port.

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