- I have a Mac and pc sitting beside each other. Each has an independent monitor. Currently I am using a two port usb switch to move between the two systems, but it can sometimes be cumbersome to switch between the two quickly. Anyone have any other suggestions for.
- Oct 22, 2007 Is it possible to have both a mac and a pc run on the same monitor. I have a dell which i use mostly for graphics and word processing, am planning on getting a mac for graphics only and using the.
You can make all of your displays mirror each other, or extend your workspace with different apps and windows on each display. If you use an external display with your Mac notebook, you can also use closed-display mode.
Sep 29, 2020 For most people, the 34GN850-B is one of the best monitors for Mac with an ultrawide screen that we've seen; however, if you need the extra screen real estate, the 49WL95C-W is a good alternative.
Check your requirements
- Check the ports on your Mac to find out whether you need an adapter.
- Check how many displays your Mac supports: Choose Apple menu > About This Mac, click Support, then click Specifications. On the webpage that appears, the number of displays your Mac supports appears under Video Support.
Use extended desktop mode
Maximize your workspace with extended desktop mode, which lets you enjoy full-screen apps and windows on each monitor. Then, use Mission Control to organize apps and windows across your displays. If your Dock is on the bottom of your screen, it appears on any of your displays when you move your pointer to the bottom edge of your display.
Turn on extended desktop mode
- Make sure that your external display is turned on and connected to your Mac.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Displays.
- Click the Arrangement tab.
- Make sure that the Mirror Displays checkbox isn’t selected.
Arrange your displays or change your primary display
So that you can move apps and windows across your displays in one continuous motion, arrange your displays to match the setup on your desk. You can also change your primary display, which is where your desktop icons and app windows first appear.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Displays.
- Click the Arrangement tab.
- To change the position of a display, drag it to the desired position. A red border appears around the display as it's moved.
- To set a different display as the primary display, drag the menu bar to the other display.
Use video mirroring
With video mirroring, all of your displays show the same apps and windows.
Turn on video mirroring
- Make sure that your external display is turned on and connected to your Mac.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then click the Arrangement tab.
- Make sure that the Mirror Displays checkbox is selected.
Use AirPlay
With Apple TV, you can mirror the entire display of your Mac to your TV, or use your TV as a separate display. To turn on AirPlay, follow these steps:
- Make sure that your TV is turned on.
- Choose in the menu bar, then choose your Apple TV. If an AirPlay passcode appears on your TV screen, enter the passcode on your Mac.
- Mirror your display or use your TV as a separate display:
- To mirror your display, choose , then choose Mirror Built-in Display.
- To use your TV as a separate display, choose , then choose Use As Separate Display.
- To turn off AirPlay, choose , then choose Turn AirPlay Off.
If you don't see in the menu bar, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then select the 'Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available' checkbox.
Learn more about how to AirPlay video from your Mac.
Learn more
iMac is equipped with a larger screen and can work as an HDTV display being used with DVD and Blu-ray players. It carries a Target Display Mode feature to provide a secondary display for other devices. If you have both an iMac and a MacBook, you can use iMac as external monitor. In that case, you can get a bigger screen for the display.
What if you only have an iMac and want to use iMac as monitor for PC? Do you know how to use your iMac as a display for a Windows computer? Here in this post, we will show you 2 detailed guides to use iMac as monitor for PC and MacBook.
- Guide List
1. How to Use iMac As Monitor for PC
When you want to use iMac as monitor for PC, you should make sure both your iMac and Windows PC have some hardware support.
The 27-inch iMac with Mini DisplayPort, iMac with Thunderbolt port, PC with a Mini DisplayPort and a supported video cable, and PC with HDMI port and a HDMI to Mini DisplayPort converter can make the connection and use iMac as monitor for PC. The Retina 5K iMac can't be used as Target Display Mode display.
To iMac as external monitor for PC, you need to connect them together with a Thunderbolt cable. So your PC should have a Thunderbolt port. Here you need to plug one end of the cable into the HDMI, Display Port, Thunderbolt port on your PC and plug the other end into your iMac.
Back to your iMac, and press Command + F2 (Command+ Fn + F2) on the keyboard to put your iMac into the Target Display Mode. Under this mode, your iMac can be be used as a secondary display. Then you can see the content of your PC screen display on your iMac.
Great Screen Recorder for Mac/PC you may like
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If you want to record anything displayed on your iMac or Windows PC, you can rely on the professional video audio recording software, FoneLab Screen Recorder.
FoneLab Screen Recorder
FoneLab Screen Recorder allows you to capture video, audio, online tutorial, etc on Windows/Mac, and you can easily customize size, edit the video or audio, and more.
- Record video, audio, webcam and take screenshots on Windows/Mac.
- Preview data before saving.
- It is safe and easy to use.
2. How to Use iMac As an External Monitor for MacBook PC
If you want to use iMac as external monitor for MacBook, you need to rely on a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt cable to connect two Apple devices together.
First, you need to make sure your iMac is running OS X v10.6.1 or a later version.
Turn on your iMac and MacBook, connect them with a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt cable. Ensure both computers are turned on and awake.
Press Command + F2 (Command+ Fn + F2) on the keyboard of your iMac to put it into the Target Display Mode. Now you can use iMac as monitor for the MacBook.
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If you want the iMac to play audio and video from your MacBook, here you need to choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Sound > Output to confirm the operation.
3. FAQs of Using iMac As Monitor
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Question 1. What is Target Display Mode?
Target Display Mode (TDM) was introduced in 2009 with the release of the 27-inch iMac. It allows Mac users to use iMac as external monitor by plugging a compatible device into iMac’s Mini DisplayPort. Then users can gain exclusive use of the iMac’s display. Target Display Mode can accept DVI and HDMI sources from the DisplayPort. That means, besides Apple products, any computer, game consoles, or video devices using these standards can work with Target Display Mode and use iMac as a monitor.
Question 2. Can I use my 2015 iMac as a monitor?
In general, you can easily use an old iMac as external monitor. But some newer iMac models like the iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014) and later iMac models can't be used as Target Display Mode displays.
Question 3. How to mirror iPhone screen to iMac?
When you have the need to mirror your iPhone screen to Mac, you can rely on the QuickTime Player. You can connect your iPhone to iMac or MacBook with a lightning USB cable and then open the QuickTime Player on your Mac. Click File and then choose the New Movie Recording option from the drop-down list. Click the pop-up Options menu and then choose Your Connected iPhone. By doing so, you can see your iPhone screen appears on the Mac computer.
After reading this page, you can handily use iMac as monitor for PC and MacBook. Also, you can learn some basic information about the Target Display Mode. If you still have any questions about using iMac as external monitor, don’t hesitate to contact us.
FoneLab Screen Recorder
FoneLab Screen Recorder allows you to capture video, audio, online tutorial, etc on Windows/Mac, and you can easily customize size, edit the video or audio, and more.
- Record video, audio, webcam and take screenshots on Windows/Mac.
- Preview data before saving.
- It is safe and easy to use.
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