How to Connect MacBook to iMac: Share Your Screen & More

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Easily share files and screens between your Macs
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Trying to connect your MacBook to your iMac? You can easily share your screen and even control one Mac remotely from the other using Screen Sharing or AirPlay. If you have an older iMac, use a display cable and target display mode to use your iMac as a display. Or, you can use the built-in network file sharing feature to share files between the two devices. This wikiHow guide teaches you the best ways to share screens between your MacBook and iMac, as well as how to share files between both computers.

Quick Steps for Screen Sharing Between Macs

  1. Enable Screen Sharing on the Mac you want to access remotely in System Settings > General > Sharing > Screen Sharing .
  2. Open the Screen Sharing utility on your other Mac.
  3. Select the Mac you want to connect with.
  4. Select your Screen Sharing type if prompted (i.e., Standard or High Performance ).
  5. Click Connect .
  6. Accept the request on the first Mac.
  7. End the session by selecting the Mac you’re connected to and clicking Disconnect .
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Screen Sharing

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  1. 1
    Enable screen sharing on the Mac you want to access remotely. Screen sharing allows you to remotely view another Mac’s screen on your desktop. You can also control the other Mac’s screen this way. Use this method to share between your MacBook and iMac in either direction. To get started, make sure the Mac you want to access remotely is set up to allow screen sharing: [1]
    • Open the Apple menu and select System Settings > General > Sharing .
    • If Remote Management is toggled on under the Advanced header, toggle it off.
    • Toggle on Screen Sharing .
    • Clicknext to Screen Sharing . You may need to toggle on Screen Sharing on the next screen as well.
    • Use the options in the menu to select who can request permission to control your screen during screen sharing (e.g., anyone or only people with a password). You can also select which users of your computer and/or network have access to screen sharing.
    • Click Done when you’re finished.
  2. 2
    Click the Launchpad icon in the Dock on your other Mac. This icon looks like a grid of colorful squares.
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  3. 3
    Select Screen Sharing . If you don’t see it, click the row of dots at the bottom of the screen to move through the gallery of apps until you find it. You can also search for screen sharing with the search bar at the top of the screen. [2]
  4. 4
    Click on the computer you want to access in the sidebar. You might see it under All Connections or Network . Alternatively, click the + icon at the top of the window and type in the hostname of the other Mac. Once you’ve selected the computer you want to connect to, click Connect .
    • You can use either the computer’s name (e.g., “Bob’s MacBook Air”) or the Apple Account email address of the computer’s owner.
    • At this point, depending on the other Mac’s screen sharing settings, you might be prompted to enter a username and password.
  5. 5
    Select the type of screen sharing if prompted. You may see a Select Screen Sharing Type window. If so, choose either Standard or High Performance (only available for Macs with Apple Silicon chips running macOS Sonoma or later). For High Performance mode, you’ll need to select either one or two virtual displays from the Display Type menu. Click Continue .
  6. 6
    Allow the screen sharing session on the other computer. On the computer you’re connecting with, a notification will pop up stating that you are requesting a screen sharing session. Choose Accept (or ask the person using that computer to do so).
  7. 7
    Choose whether to allow screen observation or full control. Once you accept the screen sharing request on the second computer, you’ll be prompted to allow the requester to either take full control of the screen or just observe it. Make your selection and click Accept again.
    • You will now see the shared computer’s screen in a smaller window on the other computer’s screen.
    • If you (or the other user) chose to allow full control, you can now interact with the shared screen just like you can with your own! Click on apps to open them, move files and folders around, and so on.
    • You can also use screen sharing to move files from one computer to the other. Simply drag and drop files from your screen to the shared screen and vice versa.
  8. 8
    End the session from the Screen Sharing app. On the computer where you initiated the screen sharing session, go to the Screen Sharing app and click Window in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then select Connections . Click All Connections in the menu on the left side of the window. Hover over the name of the computer you’re connected to, then click Disconnect .
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Screen Mirroring with AirPlay

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  1. 1
    Enable AirPlay on the Mac you want to stream to. Most Macs introduced in 2018-2019 or later support AirPlay, which allows you to stream your screen between Apple devices. You can use this method to connect a newer iMac with a newer MacBook in either direction. First, you’ll have to set up the Mac you want to share to as an AirPlay receiver. [3]
    • Click Apple menu > System Settings > General , then select AirDrop & Handoff .
    • Toggle on the switch next to AirPlay Receiver .
    • Choose who can stream to your computer. You can select Everyone , Anyone on the Same Network , or Current User (i.e., only devices logged into the same Apple Account as your Mac).
    • Toggle on the switch next to Require Password if you want other users to use a password in order to stream to your Mac. Click Set… to set or change the password.
  2. 2
    Make sure both Macs are on the same Wi-Fi network. They must be on the same network for AirPlay to work. Click thebutton in the menu bar at the top of your Mac’s screen to check your current connection and change it if necessary.
  3. 3
    Open the Control Center on the Mac you want to stream from. Click the Control Center icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
  4. 4
    Click Screen Mirroring . It’s a button with an icon of two overlapping rectangles.
  5. 5
    Select the other Mac from the list of screen mirroring options. You will see it under the Mirror or Extend to: header. You should start streaming to the second Mac immediately unless there’s a password requirement, in which case you’ll be prompted to enter the password first. From here, you have a couple choices:
    • Select Mirror Built-in Retina Display if you want to mirror exactly what’s on your screen to the other Mac.
    • Select Use as Extended Display if you want to use the second Mac as an extra monitor. With this option, you can control the Mac you’re streaming from on either device.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using Your iMac as a Monitor with Target Display Mode

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  1. This method only works with older iMacs (made between 2009 and 2014). You’ll need to connect your MacBook to your iMac with a cable. The type of cable you’ll need varies by model: [4]
    • iMac 27-inch (2009): Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable.
    • iMac 27-inch (2010): Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable.
    • iMac (2011 to mid 2014): Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable.
    • iMac models from late 2014 (the Retina 5k model) and later can’t be used as displays.
  2. If both the MacBook and iMac have the same port (Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt), you won’t need to purchase an adapter. If your MacBook has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port, you’ll need a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. [5]
  3. If you haven’t yet logged in to either computer, you should do so now. [6]
  4. [7]
  5. The iMac’s display will now show the MacBook’s screen instead of its own. [8]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

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  1. 1
    Enable file sharing on the Mac you want to share from. With your Mac’s built-in file sharing features , you can easily share files between your iMac and your MacBook in either direction. To start, enable file sharing on the computer with the files you want to share: [9]
    • Go to Apple menu > System Settings > General .
    • Click Sharing in the main window. You might have to scroll down to find it.
    • Toggle on File Sharing . It’s right at the top, under the Content & Media header.
    • Clicknext to File Sharing . From there, you can:
      • Toggle on Allow full disk access for all users if you want anyone you’re sharing with to have access to your entire computer.
      • Share specific folders by clicking + in the Shared Folders section, then selecting a folder to share.
      • Choose which users on your computer and network have access to File Sharing in the Users section. Add more users, including people in your contacts, by clicking + at the bottom right corner of this section. You can also decide what kind of access these users have (e.g., read only, read and write, or write only).
    • Click Done to apply your settings.
  2. 2
    Open Finder on the other Mac. If you have file sharing access on the Mac you’re sharing from, you should be able to see and access that Mac in your Finder. Click the Finder icon in your Dock at the bottom of the screen to open a window. [10]
  3. 3
    Click Network in the sidebar. It’s under the Locations header. You may need to expand Locations if you don’t see it.
  4. 4
    Double-click the computer you want to connect with. You should see it in the main Finder window.
  5. 5
    Click Connect As and select your connection type. For example, you can connect as a Guest, a Registered User (i.e., someone who has a user account on the Mac you’re connecting to), or with an Apple Account. The right connection type depends on how your sharing permissions are set up on the shared computer.
    • Depending on your connection type, you might have to enter your user ID and password for the Mac you’re connecting with, or your Apple Account ID and password.
  6. 6
    Navigate to the shared volumes or folders you want to access. Depending on the type of access you have, you might be able to make edits to those files and folders, or you might only be able to view what’s in them.
  7. 7
    Use the shared computer’s server name as an alternative way to connect. You can find the server name by going back to System Settings > General > Sharing > File Sharing >on the shared Mac. You’ll see it in the small text at the very top of the window. It’s in the format smb://xxx.xxx.x.xx . Once you have the server name, access it on your other Mac by doing the following: [11]
    • From the Desktop, click Go at the top of the screen.
    • Select Connect to Server .
    • Enter the shared Mac’s address in the Server Address field.
    • Click Connect and select your connection type (Guest, Registered User, or Apple Account).
    • Enter the appropriate username and password if prompted, then navigate to the shared volume or folder you want to access.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    connect a macbook to use as a cd burner to an imac
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Expert Answer
    If your MacBook has a disc drive, you can use it to burn files onto DVDs and CDs. Then, you can insert the disc into your iMac's disc drive to access the burned files.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    I am flummoxed trying to connect an 2012 iMac to a 2017 MacBook Pro. The MacBook display is broken and I urgently need to access files on it. What do I do?
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Expert Answer
    You'll need a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable. Since the MacBook Pro 2017 only has Thunderbolt 3 ports, you'll also need a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/turn-screen-sharing-on-or-off-mh11848/15.0/mac/15.0
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/share-the-screen-of-another-mac-mh14066/mac
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/stream-video-and-audio-with-airplay-mchld7e543a0/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/105126
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102477
      6. ↑ https://www.simplymac.com/mac/use-imac-as-monitor
      7. ↑ https://www.simplymac.com/mac/use-imac-as-monitor
      8. ↑ https://www.simplymac.com/mac/use-imac-as-monitor
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-up-file-sharing-on-mac-mh17131/mac
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/connect-mac-shared-computers-servers-mchlp1140/15.0/mac/15.0
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/connect-mac-shared-computers-servers-mchlp1140/15.0/mac/15.0

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