No Thunderbolt Accessory support on MacBook (Retina 12 inch 2017)

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Level 1

13 points

No Thunderbolt Accessory support on MacBook (Retina 12 inch 2017)

I wanted to use my aging iMac 21.5 inch, mid 2011 as an external display for my new MacBook (Retina 12 inch 2017).

According to this article it should be possible:

Use your iMac as a display with Target Display Mode - Apple Support

However, after buying a Thunderbolt Cable & a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and connecting the iMac to the MacBook, the external display function via Target Display Mode did not work, and I got a message on my MacBook screen: "Cannot Use Thunderbolt Accessory" "Thunderbolt accessories are not supported on this Mac."

Has anyone else had this experience?

Now I have a cable and an adapter I don't need and have to return it.

I had several chat sessions with Apple care in the course of this. If they had told me right away that this combination isn't possible, I would never have ordered the cables! Very frustrating an a waste of time.

MacBook (Retina,12-inch,2017), macOS High Sierra (10.13.1)

Posted on Dec 21, 2017 12:42 PM

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Answer 1

minacrime

Level 3

809 points

Dec 21, 2017 12:49 PM in response to jdcollins2

Your MacBook has USB-C, not Thunderbolt. While Thunderbolt 3 cables are (in this case, frustratingly) the same form factor, USB-C products are not compatible with Thunderbolt.

Is it possible to use an iMac in Target Display mode with a 2016 MacBook Pro with USB-C? - Ask Different

According to this thread, you may have luck with a third-party USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adaptor, then MDP>MDP cable.

Third edit: actually, I don't think that will work since your iMac has Thunderbolt and not MDP.

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Answer 2

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

Dec 21, 2017 12:47 PM in response to jdcollins2

The 12" Retina MacBooks have no Thunderbolt capability, period.

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Answer 3

minacrime

Level 3

809 points

Dec 21, 2017 1:26 PM in response to jdcollins2

This seems very common at the moment, unfortunately. I recently sold a 27" 2011 iMac locally to a fellow with a 12" MB who was adamant that it should work with a combination of USB-C-HDMI, HDMI cable, then HDMI-MDP into the Mac because Apple said so.

We spent half an hour and it didn't work.

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Answer 4

jdcollins2 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2017 1:22 PM in response to Lanny

Thank you.

That's obvious to me now.

It would have been nice if the Apple tech support folks had known what they were talking about, and not sent me on a wild goose chase for something that is not possible.....

I was very specific to them from the beginning on exactly which model computers I have.

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Answer 5

jdcollins2 Author

Level 1

13 points

Dec 21, 2017 1:21 PM in response to minacrime

Thank you.

It would have been nice if the Apple tech support folks had known what they were talking about, and not sent me on a wild goose chase for something that is not possible.....

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