Use Your IMac As A Display With Target Display Mode

You can connect any of these older iMac models to another Mac for use as an external display. Learn how to identify your iMac model.

27-inch iMac models introduced in 2009 and 2010: Use a Mini DisplayPort cable to connect your iMac to a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port on the other Mac.

All iMac models introduced in 2011, 2012, 2013 and mid 2014: Use a Thunderbolt cable to connect your iMac to a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port on the other Mac. If the other Mac uses Thunderbolt 3, you can use the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adaptor with your cable.

Target display mode requires macOS High Sierra or earlier. It does not work with macOS Mojave or later.

How to use target display mode

Make sure that your iMac is started up and meets the system requirements above.

Make sure that the other Mac is started up and logged in to a macOS user account. 

Connect the two computers using the appropriate Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt cable. 

You can use more than one iMac as a display, if each iMac is using a Thunderbolt cable to connect directly to a Thunderbolt port on the other Mac (not the other iMac). 

Press Command-F2 on the keyboard of the iMac. You should now see the desktop of the other Mac.

To exit target display mode, press Command-F2 again. Or disconnect the cable, or restart either Mac.

Then you will need a Thunderbolt 3 usb-c To Mini DisplayPort adapter or cable belowing.

Good design , High perfermance but reasonable offer for your Imac with Mini DP , apple cenima display

USB3.1 TYPE C to Mini DP cable , adapter

Core Wire : Tinned Copper

Connector: Gold-plating USB C , Mini DP

Cable Length: 20CM , 1m , 2m , 3m

Cable body : TPE materials

Body : Aluminum alloy

Compatible Models: 

- Macbook Pro 2016/2017/2018, Macbook 12"

- 2017 iMac with USB-C

- ChromeBook Google Pixel

- Dell Precision 15 3000/5000/7000 Series, Dell Precision 17 7000 Series

-Surfacebook 2 - Dell XPS 12/13/15

- Alienware 13/15/17

- Lenovo T470/Yoga 900, Thinkpad P50/P70

- HP Zbook 15/17 

For mobile phones and tablets, ONLY the following models are available (with DP Alt Mode)

-2018 iPad pro

-Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 Plus/S9 / Note 8

-Huawei Mate 10

-LG G5,LG V20

-HTC 10,HTC U 11

-Lumia 950/950XL 

Compatible Monitors :

Apple Cinema Display 27-inch (MC007LL/A)

Apple Cinema Display 24-inch (MB382LL/A)

Apple Cinema Display 30-inch (M9179LL/A), need an official Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter

Pre-2011 iMac equipped with Mini DisplayPort

Other brands monitor with Mini DisplayPort/Displayport

NOTE: Incompatible Devices:

NOT compatible with Apple Thunderbolt Display(Apple 27" Thunderbolt Display MC914LL/B)

NOT compatible with any Thunderbolt Devices / Monitors / Connectors / Cables / Hard Drives.(Mini DisplayPort and Thunderbolt are different)