(A side note for those who asked: it doesn’t appear that the new Thunderbolt 3 MacBook Pros can take advantage of the existing Target Display Mode, even with an iMac that has Thunderbolt 2 built in and using a Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter.
I know that folks who have such Macs often use them primarily as a computer, but then “dock” their laptop to have a larger second screen when they need to work on the laptop. iMacs as far back as the 27-inch late 2009 model can engage this mode, which Apple explains how to use on that page. We get variants on this question from time to time, and it’s one of the most frequently that I’m asked in person: someone wants to add a display to a Mac and they want to make use of what they have on hand instead of acquiring more hardware because of cost or space or sheer efficiency.įor Charles in particular, he must know through testing or by checking Apple’s support page for Target Display Mode that his iMac can’t act as a monitor. So how do I use the MacBook Pro and the TV as monitors? I’m wondering if I really need one since I have an iMac (that I can’t use as a monitor for it as it’s too old) and a 2015 MacBook Pro. My monitor that I use for my Mac mini got stolen in transit for repair.
