How To Use an iMac as a Monitor for PC

Posted by Arch on June 22, 2019

Use iMac as Monitor for PC
The iMac features one of the best displays on the market, and if you are lucky to
have a 4K retina monitor, the vibrant screen is likely to make your workflow more
pleasant. On top of that, you can use Target Display Mode to connect a MacBook with
a late 2009 or mid-2010 iMac.

Also see our article

How To Map a Network Drive on Mac

But is it possible to use your Mac as a PC monitor?

To answer the question right away � yes, it is possible to use your iMac as a PC
monitor. However, you do need a compatible iMac and PC, plus a special
cable/adapter. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to do it, as
well as an overview of the necessary gear. Without much further ado, let�s dive
right in.

REQUIREMENTS
Quick Links

Requirements
Setup Guide
Step 1
Step 2
Screen Resolution Concerns
iMac as a Second Display
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
iMac and PC: Is It a Happy Marriage?
The first thing you need to do is check if your iMac can be used as a secondary
monitor. Take a look at the ports, and if your iMac features a Thunderbolt or Mini
Display Port, it can be used as a monitor. However, things might not be as simple
as that, so check out the compatible models.

Late 2009 and mid-2010 27-inch iMacs featuring Mini Display port
Mid-2011 and 2014 iMacs featuring Thunderbolt port
requirement

Certain other models up to late 2014 might also be used as a secondary display.
However, the late 2014 5K retina iMac doesn�t offer Target Display Mode usability.
As for the other requirements, you also need a PC that features a Mini Display or
Thunderbolt port.

If your PC doesn�t feature these ports, you can use an HDMI or Display port with a
suitable adapter. For example, you can use an HDMI to Mini Display adapter or Mini
Display to Display Port adapter. Of course, Mini Display, Thunderbolt, or HDMI
cable is also required.

SETUP GUIDE
STEP 1
Turn off your iMac and PC and plug the cable into the Thunderbolt, HDMI, or Display
port on your Windows laptop or desktop. Then plug the cable into the Thunderbolt or
Mini Display port on your iMac.
setup guide

Note: If you are using an adapter, connect the cable to the adapter first, then
insert the male end into the Mini Display/Thunderbolt port on the iMac.

STEP 2
Turn on both the iMac and the PC and hold Cmd + F2 or Cmd + Fn + F2 on the iMac
keyboard to trigger Target Display Mode. In a few seconds, you should be able to
see the screen of your PC mirrored on the iMac.

SCREEN RESOLUTION CONCERNS

In general, setting the video output to 2560 x 1440 on your PC should match the
screen resolution of an older iMac (2009, 2010, 2011, and some 2014 models).
However, Apple introduced 4K retina displays across the 27-inch line in 2014. These
iMacs have a native resolution of 5120 x 2880 which might be hard to match if you
are using a laptop. Plus, Target Display Mode might not be available.

If you want to check the iMac�s resolution, click on the Apple logo in the taskbar,
select �About This Mac,� and choose the Displays tab.

screen resolutions concernsNote: Screenshot was taken on a late 2015 iMac just to
exemplify the explanation above.

IMAC AS A SECOND DISPLAY

Regardless of the iMac model you have, it can be used as a second screen for your
PC. In other words, you can mirror the PC display to an iMac even if it�s the
latest 5K. But you should know that the iMac needs to run Windows 10 Home or Pro
for the trick to work.

We won�t delve into technicalities about running Windows on a Mac, because that
topic deserves an article of its own. Suffice to say that there�s a way to run both
Windows and macOS on the same machine.

STEP 1
Make sure your iMac is booted in Windows and connected to the same network as PC.
It doesn�t really matter if it�s Ethernet or Wi-Fi, though Ethernet tends to be
more stable.

Go into Windows Settings (on iMac), choose System, and select �Projecting to this
PC� from the menu bar on the left.

STEP 2
Under �Projecting to this PC,� click on the first drop-down menu and choose
�Available everywhere.� Select �First time only� under �Ask to project to this PC.�
It is not necessary to �Require PIN for pairing,� so you can keep the option off.

At the bottom of the window, make sure you give your computer a name, especially if
you have multiple machines at your home.

STEP 3
Move onto the PC and access the Action Center from the bottom-right corner. Select
the Project tile and choose �Connect to a wireless display.� The PC looks for
available displays and your iMac should appear in the results. Click on the iMac
and your PC display flickers as it adds another display to the system.

STEP 4
You might need to go into Display Settings and change the resolution so it appears
the same on both machines. For example, if you are mirroring to a 5K iMac, the
resolution of 2560 x 1440 should work fine, but this depends on the exact iMac and
PC model you are using.

IMAC AND PC: IS IT A HAPPY MARRIAGE?

If you have the right devices and cables/adapters, using an iMac as a PC monitor is
pretty easy. For those who are confused by iMac release years and specs, the thin
ones usually don�t feature Target Display Mode.

Have you tried using your iMac as a PC monitor? Would you be willing to install
Windows on your iMac to use it as a second display? Share your thoughts and
experiences in the comments below.

Finalization Note: The first two are images of my Macs and they are just there to
display HDMI and Thunderbolt ports. Some PC laptops have a similar design as a
Macbook, so I think the second image should work fine. The third one has a
disclaimer underneath and I think that should suffice as well.