Every pixel
Your iMac's full resolution, up to 5K. Text looks just as sharp as on your Mac.
Turn your old iMac into a second monitor.
Encore is software that turns your old iMac into a monitor. No screwdriver, no driver board. Just one cable.
Free for 72 hours · macOS 13 or later · No account
Field notes
Things to try
- Drag this window onto the iMac
- Play the video from the dock
- Watch it full screen
- Resize a window from its corner
- Unplug the cable
All done. That's how a real second monitor feels.
Sunset Drive.mov
0:00
Photos
Music
Encore
Connected to iMac
- Display
- iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch)
- Cable
- USB-C
- Frame rate
- 60 fps
The cable was disconnected.
Feels plugged in.
Because it is.
Your windows, your pointer, your videos. All at the speed you expect from a monitor.
Up to
5K
Retina resolution on your iMac
60fps
Smooth windows and video
1
Cable. That's the whole setup.
0.6sec
To wake up with your Mac
Real display
Arrange it, mirror it, make it your main display in System Settings.
Plug & play
Cable in, picture in about two seconds. Cable out, windows come home.
iMac speakers
Sound from the iMac, volume keys included. Its microphone too.
Brightness sync
The iMac follows your MacBook's brightness, keys and all.
Night Shift
Warmer in the evening, on both screens at once.
Sleep & wake
Your Mac sleeps, the iMac goes dark. It's back before you sit down.
Lid closed
Close the MacBook on power and keep working on the big screen.
All of that, from the iMac you already own.
Free for 72 hours · then $49 once
Works with the iMac in your home office.
Your iMac
Any Intel iMac from Late 2012 on, 21.5-inch or 27-inch, and iMac Pro. Check your iMac.
Your Mac
A MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, Mac Studio or Mac Pro on macOS 13 Ventura or later.
One cable
Thunderbolt, USB-C or Ethernet. Whichever fits your iMac's ports.
Pay once. Keep it.
$49
Try everything free for 72 hours. One Mac, any number of iMacs. No subscription, no account.
Questions
Do I have to open the iMac or buy a driver board?
No. Encore is an app for both Macs and a cable. Nothing is taken apart, no parts to order, and the iMac stays a working computer.
Will my iMac work?
Encore works with every Intel iMac from Late 2012 on, 21.5-inch and 27-inch, and with iMac Pro. If your iMac runs macOS Catalina or later, it works. Check yours in Apple menu › About This Mac. Check your iMac.
Which cable do I need?
The one that fits your iMac. iMacs from 2017 on: a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 cable, or a USB-C to USB-C cable. iMacs from 2012 to 2015: a USB-C to USB-A cable into the iMac's USB port, or Thunderbolt 2 with Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. An Ethernet cable works with every iMac. For USB, pick a 10 Gbps cable, not a charging cable. Check your iMac.
Why doesn't my iMac show up in AirPlay or Screen Mirroring?
Most iMacs that can use Encore can't receive AirPlay, and AirPlay over Wi-Fi is compressed. Encore uses a cable and appears as a real display instead.
What happened to Target Display Mode?
Apple's Target Display Mode only worked on 24- and 27-inch iMacs from 2009–2010 and all iMacs from 2011 to mid 2014, with an older Mac on the other end. The Retina 5K iMacs never had it. Encore brings the idea back for the iMacs that came after.
Can I use it with a Windows PC?
Not yet. Encore is Mac to iMac only.
All questions · Check your iMac · Every way to use an iMac as a monitor
Measured on a MacBook Pro with M4 and a 27-inch Retina 5K iMac, connected with a USB-C to USB-A cable. Other iMacs show your Mac at their own full resolution.