How do you connect a monitor to your MacBook?

Written by Tim

Edited on

7 October 2025

ยท

10:03

How do you connect a monitor to your MacBook?

You want to connect a monitor to your Apple MacBook or connect a second screen to your iMac. Apple made monitors in the past, they do not do that anymore. Fortunately, you connect almost every monitor to any MacBook or iMac and how you do that, I explain below.

Which screen connectors does my MacBook have?

Connect monitor

To connect your monitor to your Mac, you have to take 3 steps: find out what type of connector you have on your Mac, and what type of connector your monitor has. Now connect them.

1. Connectors Mac

Check the connectors on your Mac for connecting a monitor. In most cases, it's a Thunderbolt 3 connector (USB-C)

2. Connectors monitor

Check the connectors of the monitor. Does your monitor use a USB-C cable? Connect your MacBook and monitor directly with a cable. Are the connectors different? You need a cable with different outputs, or you can use a converter.

Connect the monitor to your Mac with the cable and a converter, if required. Switch on the monitor and boot your Mac. Now you're ready to set up the monitor.

Advice on choosing the right cable
Set up monitor

Set up monitor

Setting up your monitor is as follows:

  1. From the Apple menu (the Apple logo in the top left corner), choose System Preferences .

  2. Choose Images .

  3. Click the Signature .

4 tab. You now decide what the main screen is by placing the white bar above this screen. By placing the blue area representing the second screen above or below, or to the left or right of the main screen, you indicate the order of preference. In this way you use both screens as one large worktop. Do you want the same image on both monitors? Then tick the box Switch synchronous display.

You have now connected your monitor and set it up, ready for use!

USB-C to HDMI

With this converter, you can connect an HDMI monitor to the USB-C port of your Mac or MacBook.

StarTech USB-C to 4K 60Hz HDMI Converter 2 Meters Black
StarTech USB-C to 4K 60Hz HDMI Converter 2 Meters Black
Review is 8,5 out of 10, based on 32 reviews.
Cable length of 2 meters | USB-C (male) | HDMI (male)

49,99

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Mini DisplayPort to HDMI

Does your MacBook have a Mini DisplayPort connector? With this converter, you can connect an HDMI monitor to it.

BlueBuilt Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Converter Black
5-year warranty
HDMI (female) | Mini DisplayPort (male) | 5-year warranty

22,99

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Article by Tim

Monitor Expert.

Tim