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macuseradam
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Can a 2021 iMac M1 be used as a monitor for a MacBook M5?

Hi - is it possible to use a 2021 iMac M1 as a monitor only for a new Macbook M5 ? I have the iMac setup at home for family use, but have the macbook for work and when working from home need to use a monitor - but ideally want to leave the iMac setup for family use on the desk and just connect to that somehow, rather than adding another monitor.

Posted on Oct 4, 2026 12:36 AM

3 replies

Servant of Cats
User level: Level 9 (55,707 points)

Oct 4, 2026 3:37 AM in response to macuseradam

You cannot use a 24" M1 iMac as a hardware monitor for a M5 MacBook Air or Pro. Target Display Mode went away in Late 2014 when the first 27" 5K Retina iMac came out. The 24" M4 iMac does not support it, and a M5 MacBook Air or Pro does not support using any iMac (even a really old one) as a Target Display.


Those computers are recent enough that you could use the 24" iMac as an AirPlay Receiver for AirPlay to Mac – a lower-quality way of using the iMac as an extra display. (You would still need at least one real display, such as the built-in one on the M5 MacBook Pro or Air.)


There are third-party workarounds such as Luna Display that might let you use the 24" iMac as a second display … once again, these are not as good as a hardware connection to a real display and may come with disadvantages.

macuseradam Author
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Oct 4, 2026 6:03 AM in response to Rudegar

Thank you 🙏

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256370093