How do I use another Mac as a display?

Mac-to-Mac Mode with Luna Display

What You’ll Need

  1. Primary Mac: This is the main Mac you will be using — the host Mac from which all of your programs and windows will be projected. The Primary Mac requires macOS 10.11 El Capitan or later.a
  2. Secondary Mac: This will be your extended display — the receiving Mac onto which you may drag any of your program windows. The Secondary Mac requires macOS 10.8 Mountain Lion or later.b
  3. A reliable network connection: Mac-to-Mac Mode will work whether you are working wirelessly via WiFi or tethered to your router.
  4. Luna Display: You will need the Luna Display dongle, and the latest versions of the Luna Display apps for both the Primary and Secondary Mac, which are free and available for download on our App Downloads page.   

How to Connect

  1. Make sure both Macs are securely connected to the same reliable network.
    1. If the Macs are using different internet connections, they will not be able to find each other. 
    2. You may connect via WiFi or with an ethernet cable.
  2. Open up the regular Luna Display Mac app on whichever Mac you have chosen to be your Primary Mac.
    1. If you're running macOS Mojave or later, you may be asked to change your Accessibility settings under Security & Privacy. You only need to do this once. Every time afterwards, the app will load to the Luna Display Home screen.
    2. For more information on running Mojave or Catalina with Luna Display, see our guide: Getting Started with Luna Display
  3. Open up the Luna Display Secondary Mac App on your Secondary Mac 
  4. When both apps are open and the computers are connected to the same network, your Macs should automatically connect! If the Macs do not automatically connect or you have selected Wi-Fi Manual Connect, skip to the next section: Using Wi-Fi Manual Connect.

  5. Voilà! You are connected! Have fun :)  

Using Wi-Fi Manual Connect

  1. Select Wi-Fi Manual Connect on both the Primary and Secondary Luna Display Mac App 
  2. A code will appear in the app on your Primary Mac

  3. The same code will appear in the app on the Secondary Mac with a few digits missing
  4. Enter the last few digits of the code from the Primary Mac into the Secondary Mac to complete the number sequence so that they are matching
  5. Press Connect in the app on your Secondary Mac. Have fun! 
    6.

Please note, at this time, Luna Display supports the iMac as a non-Retina display when using Mac-to-Mac mode.

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