How To Connect A MacBook To An iMac?

Wandering how to connect a MacBook to an iMac? Don’t worry. This article explains how to use your iMac as a monitor for a MacBook as well as how to share files and printers between two computers.

You’ll be happy to know that Mac has included an in-built feature to connect devices that are on the same Wi-Fi network because using flash drives to transfer content can be inconvenient. You may even control one device from another and transfer files.

A MacBook and an iMac connected together to provide a variety of alternatives for resource sharing and project collaboration. Instead of purchasing an external drive if your MacBook Air lacks a disc drive, you can use the one in your iMac. You’ll need to select what to share and who to share it with once the Macs can communicate with each other.

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How To Connect A MacBook To An iMac?

Here, we’ll examine two quick methods to connect MacBook to iMac 2022.

1. Using your iMac as a monitor
2. Sharing files between both the computers

Method 1. Using Your iMac As A Monitor

Here’s how to connect a MacBook to an iMac monitor.

Step 1: Find The Cable You’ll Need For Your iMac

Depending on the model, you’ll need a specific type of cable:

• iMac 27-inch (2009): Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable.
• iMac 27-inch (2010): Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable.
• iMac (2011- early 2014): Thunderbolt cable.
• iMac models from late 2014 (the Retina 5k model) and later can’t be used as monitors.

Step 2: Detect The Port On Your Mac

• If the MacBook and iMac share the same port (Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt),You won’t need to buy an additional adapter. If your MacBook has a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port, You’ll need a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter.

Note: To understand how to identify your ports, refer to Apple’s Mac port guide.

Step 3: Turn On Both The Computers

• You should now log in to any computer if you haven’t already.

Step 4: Connect The Cable

• Connect both Computers with a Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort cable.

Step 5: Press ⌘Command+2 on the iMac.

• The MacBook’s screen will now appear on the iMac’s display instead of its own.

Method 2. Sharing Files Between Both Computers

Here’s how to connect MacBook to an iMac wirelessly. To share files between computers, follow the steps listed below:

Step 1: Connect The Both Macs To The Same Wireless Network

Use an Ethernet cable if you don’t have a wireless network (just connect the cable to an Ethernet port on both computers, and then move to the next step). Here’s how to connect to Wi-Fi on both computers.

• If you notice the Wi-Fi symbol near the top-right corner of the screen, click it, and then click Turn Wi-Fi On.
• Click the Wi-Fi symbol at the top-right corner of the screen.
• Select a Wi-Fi network.
• Enter the password and select Join.

Step 2: Click The Apple icon On The Computer That Has Something To Share.

• It’s in the top-left corner of the screen.

Step 3: Click Systems Preferences

• Select the System Preferences.

Step 4: Click Sharing

• In this, you’ll see a list of sharing services.

Step 5: Configure File Sharing

Here’s how to provide users of the other computer access to the files on this one.

• Click on File Sharing.
• Click the + symbol under the folders list.
• Select a folder that you want and click Add.
• Anyone having an account on this Mac can access it from another computer.
• if you want to restrict access to certain users, select the folder, click Add under the user list, then choose which users you want to be able to access it.
• Users can be added using their Apple IDs or local accounts (normal logins you set up on this Mac) by choosing them from your contacts list.
• Make note of the IP address that can be seen on the Sharing screen. The format should be afp://10.0.0.1 or smb://10.0.0.1.

Step 6: Open Finder On The other Computer

• It will be the very first icon on the Dock, which is typically located at the bottom of the screen.

Step 7: Click The Go Option In The Menu

• It can be found at the top of the screen.

Step 8: Click Connect To Server.

• Select the Connect to Server from the drop-down list

Step 9: Enter The IP Address For The Other Computer

• You found this URL on the other computer’s sharing screen.

Step 10: Click Connect

Step 11: Choose How To Connect

• Choose Registered Users, If you want to log into a local account on the other computer.
• Choose the Apple ID to sign in using that method.
• Choose Guest, if the files don’t require logging in.

Step 12: Follow The On-Screen Instructions To Log In.

• You can access the other computer’s files once you’ve connected.

Step 13: Configure Printer Sharing(Optional)

if you want to share the printer from this computer,

• Return to the Sharing options.
• Click Printer Sharing
• Choose a Printer that you want.

Once shared, you may choose the printer to print to it from any software on the other computer (and log in, if prompted to do so).

This computer automatically allows anyone with an account to print. Click + under the user list to select individual users, and then decide which users should have printing privileges.

Step 14: Configure Other Types Of Sharing(Optional)

If you want users of the other computer to be able to log in to this one for remote administration or screen sharing, select one of these options from the list, then follow the same steps as you did for file and printer sharing.

Conclusion How To Connect A MacBook To An iMac

So here are the steps to how to connect a MacBook to an iMac. Hope you have found this article helpful. If you have any queries or questions, you can leave them in the comment section below. We will be happy to respond.

If you are not confident about doing it by yourself, we recommend you to contact professionals like Techyuga. Techyuga is the one-stop solution for all laptop and MacBook Issues. Contact us for MacBook repair and MacBook Service.

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