How to use a MacBook or iMac as a monitor for a Mac mini or Mac Studio
Have a Mac mini or Mac Studio, and a MacBook or iMac at home too? With MacDisplay, the laptop or the iMac becomes an extended second screen for your desktop Mac. The Mac mini or Mac Studio stays the main computer; the other Mac lends it its screen.
Yes, as long as both computers are Macs.
The Mac mini or Mac Studio is the main Mac and needs macOS 12.3 or later; the MacBook or iMac that becomes the screen needs macOS 11 Big Sur or later. Connect them over Thunderbolt, Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. An HDMI cable alone won't do it, and MacDisplay doesn't work with Windows PCs or iPads.
Why isn't an HDMI or USB-C cable enough?
An HDMI cable alone doesn't turn a modern iMac or MacBook into an external monitor, and plugging a USB-C cable between the two computers doesn't create an extended desktop either. You need MacDisplay and a supported connection: the cable or the network links the two Macs, and the app provides the extended screen.
If you choose Thunderbolt, use a Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5 connection supported by both Macs, and don't pick a cable just because its connector fits: a USB-C plug doesn't automatically mean Thunderbolt. Gigabit Ethernet and 5 GHz Wi-Fi work too. For a desk where the second screen is part of your daily routine, we recommend a cable.
Which Mac is the main computer, and which becomes the monitor?
The roles depend on where you want to work. To add a screen to a Mac mini or Mac Studio, the desktop Mac is the main Mac: your apps keep running there. The MacBook or iMac is the receiving Mac, the one whose screen you use. With an extended desktop, the apps keep running on the main Mac and the second screen adds space for their windows; that differs from mirroring, which shows the same content on both, as Apple explains in its guide to extending or mirroring your Mac desktop.
- Main Mac
- Mac mini or Mac Studio · macOS 12.3 or later
- Mac used as a display
- MacBook or iMac · macOS 11 Big Sur or later
- Processors
- Apple Silicon and Intel · MacDisplay is a universal app
- Connection
- Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5 · Gigabit Ethernet · 5 GHz Wi-Fi
The two requirements are different on purpose: a MacBook or iMac running macOS 11 Big Sur can be the screen even though it couldn't be the main Mac. Check the macOS version actually installed on the receiving Mac rather than assuming that every older MacBook or iMac qualifies.
How do I use a MacBook as a monitor for a Mac mini?
These steps assume your Mac mini is already set up and working with its own display: you're adding the MacBook as a second screen for that workspace. With a Mac Studio, follow the same steps with the Mac Studio as the main Mac.
- Install and open MacDisplay on both MacsOn the Mac mini and on the MacBook. The in-app guide walks you through the first-time permissions.
- Connect the two MacsThunderbolt, Gigabit Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. For daily use, start with Thunderbolt or Ethernet.
- On the MacBook, choose “Become a monitor”Or press ⌘⇧M. This is the Mac that provides the extra screen.
- On the Mac mini, choose “Extend screen”Or press ⌘⇧E, then follow the in-app guide to complete the connection.
- Put the extra space to workMove a window from the Mac mini's desktop onto the MacBook and try the layout with the apps you normally use.
The MacBook's screen becomes part of the Mac mini's desktop: you can keep a document on the main monitor and reference material on the laptop beside it. For more on the laptop side of the setup, see our guide on how to use a MacBook as a second monitor.
Can I use an older iMac as a monitor for a Mac mini?
Yes, if the iMac runs macOS 11 Big Sur or later: that's MacDisplay's requirement for the Mac used as a screen, and the iMac's age alone doesn't settle it. Our model-by-model list of iMacs shows which ones can run macOS 11 and which still support Apple's Target Display Mode.
Picture a desk with a Mac mini, its main monitor and an iMac you rarely use beside it. You write or edit on the main monitor and keep a research page, a brief or a reference document on the iMac's extended screen: both views belong to the work you're doing on the Mac mini. Before buying another display, decide what you would keep visible on the iMac and try that task with the free version. Our guide on using an old iMac as a second monitor covers this setup in more detail.
Can I use a MacBook as a second monitor for a Mac Studio?
Yes, when both Macs meet their macOS requirements. The Mac Studio is the main Mac and the MacBook receives the extended display, with the same “Become a monitor” and “Extend screen” buttons. You might keep your main project on the desktop monitor and use the MacBook's screen for a shot list, project notes or reference images.
A second screen earns its place when it keeps something useful in view, not just because it's there. Try a familiar piece of work with your own two Macs and the connection you plan to use: the free version is enough to find out.
Should I use Thunderbolt, Ethernet or Wi-Fi?
Start from the ports available on both computers: a recent Mac mini or Mac Studio and an older receiving Mac may offer different options. For everyday use we recommend a cable.
- Thunderbolt
- Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5, with compatible Macs and cable
- Ethernet
- Gigabit Ethernet, with a USB-C to Ethernet adapter where needed
- Wi-Fi
- 5 GHz, when you prefer a setup without a cable
- Thunderbolt 2 only
- Use Ethernet or Wi-Fi for that Mac
An older Mac doesn't need a Thunderbolt 3 port to be the screen: Ethernet or Wi-Fi can do the job, provided it runs macOS 11 or later. Our support page has a compatibility check for your two Macs. If you'd like real numbers: in our latency test between a MacBook Pro and a 5K iMac, two Clock Test photos showed offsets of about 80 and 70 ms over Ethernet. MacDisplay needs no account and no cloud: the image travels only between your two Macs.
Can I try this before buying another monitor?
MacDisplay has a free version that never expires: extended-screen use comes in 10-minute blocks, up to 60 minutes a day, counted on the main Mac, while the Mac that receives the screen is never limited. Put the MacBook or iMac where you would keep it, open the windows you need and see whether the extra screen helps. If you decide to buy, MacDisplay costs €29.99 + VAT once, with no subscription and updates included, and one license covers up to three personal Macs that extend their screen, control another Mac or send files. The Macs on the receiving end, the ones used as a screen, controlled or receiving files, need no license and have no limits, even in the free version: you can use as many as you like.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my MacBook as a monitor for a Mac mini?
Yes, with MacDisplay, as a second, extended display. The Mac mini needs macOS 12.3 or later, and the MacBook needs macOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Can I use an iMac as a monitor for a Mac mini?
Yes, if the iMac runs macOS 11 Big Sur or later. Check the installed macOS version and the available connection before choosing your setup.
How do I use a MacBook as a second monitor for a Mac Studio?
On the MacBook, choose “Become a monitor”; on the Mac Studio, choose “Extend screen”. The Mac Studio needs macOS 12.3 or later, and the MacBook needs macOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Can I connect a Mac mini to a MacBook with HDMI?
An HDMI cable alone won't turn the MacBook into a monitor. MacDisplay connects the two Macs over Thunderbolt 3, 4 or 5, Gigabit Ethernet or 5 GHz Wi-Fi.
Can I use another Mac as a second screen over Wi-Fi?
Yes, MacDisplay supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi. For daily use we recommend Thunderbolt or Ethernet.
Does this work with a Windows PC as the main computer?
No. MacDisplay works only between Macs, both as the main computer and as the screen.
Is the MacBook or iMac used as a screen limited to 60 minutes a day?
No, receiving is always unlimited. In the free version, the 10-minute blocks and the 60 minutes a day apply to the main Mac that extends its screen.
Team MacDisplay MacDisplay Published on 21 October 2026