How To Use a 24' iMac as a Second Monitor or Second Screen

In this video we show you how to use a 24" iMac as a second monitor or second screen without any software. This might also work on 27" 5K iMacs and we discuss this in the video. If you want to use your iMac as a monitor for other Mac computers, like M2 MacBook Air, then watch this video. Using an iMac for a monitor helps you get the most out of your iMac. If your wondering how to turn your iMac into an external monitor then watch this video to see how we did it using a connected AirDrop setup.

We tested this on the 24" iMac, but (M1 and M3 iMacs) should work. Any M1, M2, or M3 Mac computer should be able to connect to the iMac as the second screen. Also, we have a theory on getting the 27" 5K iMacs to work also and we discuss this in the video.

We discuss the following products in the video:

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[danwoolsey]

Just fired up my Intel iMac 2020 (5k, 27”) that’s still on Ventura, found the AirPlay Receiver option, and got it working with my M3 MacBook.
Wireless right now with very little lag, but I didn’t buy a cable to connect them.
Thanks so much for posting this! I really wish more people knew about this option. I was going to sell my iMac but now have an awesome new reason for keeping it. YOU RULE!

[richardsaad]

Searched for an hour online for this solution, this is amazing!

[MuniqueRossoni]

I went to the Apple Store and they told me it couldn’t be done in a recent iMac, but I tried your method and it worked 🎉 🙌 thanks a lot!!!

[punkcheese]

If anyone can't see a + in your MacBook display, go into your iMac and do allow airplay for anyone on the same network and the + appears!!!! This is great!! I love my iMac so much, but just got a job where I have to use a company MacBook. I am soooo glad I can still just plug and unplug my set up and still have my iMac.

[HomeandGardenUniverse]

You are my You solved such a big problem!! You can call yourself a superhero!

[kappgodz]

I used your video with A 2012 Macbook Pro & 2013 IMac both running Opencore & it worked perfectly after a few clicks

[atharvasanjayjoshi]

Sir... You're the best...hours long searches and a lot of reddit posts reading i found this.. thank you so much for posting this video 😍

[larsmorch]

I've just seen this 5 hours ago and downloaded OpenCore Legacy Patcher and installed Ventura on an iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2015) and now I can use the iMac as extra screen for my Macbook Pro M2. IT WORKS :) No longer a theory :) Thank you :)

[KAMBUIMEDIA]

I have a M2 Pro Mac mini hooked up to a Studio display and I also have a 24” M1 Imac .. when I’m doing color correction I use the 24 Imac as an extended monitor .. just go to Displays on the Mac mini and add the Imac .. change sound settings for preferable sound output .. no cables required, being doing this for more than 6 months with no problem .. for sound editing I look at the main monitor as there is a very slight delay on the Imac

[hollyythomaas]

I have been trying to figure out how to use my Mac as a second display for my Macbook Pro for months. Thank you so much for this tutorial. Now I don't have to go out and purchase a second monitor!!!!

[bstevens]

Excellent info Craig, thanks! My wife has a 27" iMac ( 2017 ), so will keep OCLP in mind.

[thebrimtruthreviews]

this is awesome!! I have been trying to figure out how to have an extended display for a while and so many said it cannot be done on the new macs. You proved them wrong! Thank you!

[huwevans]

Thanks Craig, Definitely going to try this on my old 27" iMac that's sitting in a cupboard right now! I know I'll need to experiment with Opencore but the result I it works!

[sid]

I never comment but I had to! You Sir just saved me returning my new M3 air because an Apple rep told me my iMac 2021 wouldn’t support an external display! Thank you so much!!

[JustinW]

This is awesome! Thank you for sharing this. When I originally bought my iMac I was really disappointed when I thought this couldn't be done.

[cheriseallison]

I searched for this solution for daaays! Bought 2 different cord solutions thinking it was that... it was all just the setting on the iMac. Thank you thank you thank you for this video!! My work from home life just got so much better!

[brunoferrari]

I'm Using a Macbook Pro M1 and did bought the Thunderbolt4 cable from Apple to connect to my Intel Imac 2020 (27 inch). At the begginning even connected with the thunderbolt cable it was working but still a bit laggy (note that the max resolution you can use is 4k) SOOOO, I discovered that changing my "sound options" killed the latency between the connection.

I was outputing the sound to the Imac via Airplay, once I changed to use the sound from my macbook instead of airplay to the Imac, the connection Instantly killed the laggy. Thank you so much for your video, It changed my life 😅

My Setup is:
Macbook Pro M1 Max 2021
Ethernet (internet cable) connected to the macbook and iMac.
Thunderbolt 4 (or 3 since imac only support the old version) connected to the iMac
iMac Intel 27 2020 as an extended display 4k (you'll notice the anti-alias is not perfect) but still better to have a bigger monitor.

I was trying to sell my iMac but I would pay the same for a new monitor, so being able to make that connection is AWESOME, and I still have a machine if I'm not working :-)

[LuvJulietasLife]

Ahhhh this worked!!! I have tried everything!!! Thank you sooo Also… I needed to change the setting “allow everyone on network” to be able to find my MacBook to connect to the iMac. Ahh I’m so happy. Also just started a remote job and I’m happy I can extend with my already beautiful monitor. Thank you again ❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[bryans]

Neat trick Craig. I knew how to extend the display to a monitor or TV, but not to an iMac.

[unityiseverywhere]

Is there a way to connect a 2021 iMac as a screen to a 2022 MacBook pro? Apparently open core legacy patcher doesn't support neither of those. Thanks!