You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: FarmRescueCoord
FarmRescueCoord Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Using 2009 Mac as display for 2016 MBP

I've seen similar questions, but none for my exact 2 machines. I have a 27-inch, late 2009 iMac running OS X 10.9.5 that I would like to use as the display for my 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro running macOS Big Sur 11.6.

The 2009 iMac does not have a thunderbolt port. I've attached a photo below of the ports I do have.

The 2013 MBP appears to have 4 USB-C ports, but according to this apple article Identify the ports on your Mac - Apple Support, I have either 2 or 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports:

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)


Thanks for any help you can give me!

(P.S. The information above is CORRECT. Disregard the auto-populated information Apple inserted below my post about which iMac iOS I am running!)

Posted on Mar 22, 2022 11:16 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
71,822 points

Posted on Mar 22, 2022 12:16 PM

The 2009 iMac does not have a thunderbolt port. I've attached a photo below of the ports I do have.


You missed the Mini-display port,



However,


I would like to use as the display for my 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro running macOS Big Sur 11.6.


Your MacBook Pro does not meet the limited system requirements of Target Display Mode (TDM). The iMac can do TDM; the MacBok Pro cannot be the video source for the iMac unless you downgrade its OS to macOS 10.15 "Catalina."


Please see the sysreqs here: Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support


Apple started the deprecation of TDM in Late 2014 and threw the last shovel of dirt in its face in early 2020.


Some 2009 iMacs would do TDM with unsupported computers but that was never intended, documented, or supported by Apple. The cost of the cabling and adapters could cost as much as a nice external monitor that give you far more performance than using a geriatric that could die soon.


A regular external monitor has these benefits than a TDM iMac cannot:

  • Allows extended desktop
  • Uses less energy
  • Is easier to connect
  • Requires less expensive cabling


View in context

Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Allan Jones
Allan Jones
User level: Level 9
71,822 points

Mar 22, 2022 12:16 PM in response to FarmRescueCoord

The 2009 iMac does not have a thunderbolt port. I've attached a photo below of the ports I do have.


You missed the Mini-display port,



However,


I would like to use as the display for my 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro running macOS Big Sur 11.6.


Your MacBook Pro does not meet the limited system requirements of Target Display Mode (TDM). The iMac can do TDM; the MacBok Pro cannot be the video source for the iMac unless you downgrade its OS to macOS 10.15 "Catalina."


Please see the sysreqs here: Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support


Apple started the deprecation of TDM in Late 2014 and threw the last shovel of dirt in its face in early 2020.


Some 2009 iMacs would do TDM with unsupported computers but that was never intended, documented, or supported by Apple. The cost of the cabling and adapters could cost as much as a nice external monitor that give you far more performance than using a geriatric that could die soon.


A regular external monitor has these benefits than a TDM iMac cannot:

  • Allows extended desktop
  • Uses less energy
  • Is easier to connect
  • Requires less expensive cabling


Reply

Using 2009 Mac as display for 2016 MBP

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up