How to hook up windows laptop to iMac and use iMac's display?

Does your laptop have a thunderbolt output? If not I'm pretty sure you can't even with a box.

It looks like that converter would work. It's probably your only solution.

tokyodrift said:

Hey does anyone know of a way to do this without buying a $150 converter box? I use a samsung series 9 laptop.

I am referring to a 2012 iMAC.

Thanks

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Bad news, none of those solutions will work. You need another computer (another Mac in other words) that supports Target Display Mode. Google for Apple's FAQ on TDM and you will see their stance on the subject. It comes up at least once a day on the Apple forums and once a week on these forums, the answer is always the same.

Only the 27" iMac supports use as a display.

Imac Mid 2010 - HP elitebook 2570p - Target DisplayMode - It Works

Hi,

I went out to buy a used Imac 27" mid 2010.. thinking to use it as an external display after some research that the model does take MDP and my HP laptop does have DP.

Well..went out to pick up a generic cable in one of the computer store of MDP to DP... and voila... you guess wrong.. it did not work.

My thoughts are.. the PC is good enough to output 2560x1440.. and I still dont believe that I can't do that.. so I went online this time.. and ordered the same MDP to DP.. but from Cable Matters... its cheaper than the generic one that i bought in the first. place....

and IT WORKS now..

Conclusion is.. my research that MDP to DP on IMAC 27" Mid 10... does work from HP Elitebook 2570P..... I am typing on my IMAC as displaymode.

Get a good cable before you write it off.. and i think from 2010 onwards Thunderbolt Imacs may not work.... took the risk on the Mac and good buy... the bad buy was the generic cable.