Connect displays to your Mac Studio
The HDMI and Thunderbolt / USB-C ports on your Mac Studio support video output, so you can connect an external display, a projector, or a high resolution TV.
Note: This topic covers Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra. Most steps apply to all models, but display specifications vary. If you have an older model, see the Apple Support article How many displays can be connected to Mac Studio for your display specifications.
Find what model of Mac you have
Before you begin
You may need to connect your display to power before you connect it to your Mac Studio. You may also need to turn on your display. Consult the documentation that came with your display.
Step 1: See how many displays your Mac Studio supports
You can connect up to eight external displays to Mac Studio with M5 Ultra and up to five displays to Mac Studio with M5 Pro. When connecting displays, you can use the USB-C / Thunderbolt ports or the HDMI port, though some configurations require using specific ports.
Note: Some configurations may also require connecting multiple displays on a single cable in a “daisy chain” or connecting to a Thunderbolt dock. You can connect up to four displays to a single Thunderbolt port.
Connect a single display to your Mac Studio with M5 Max or M5 Ultra
Using either a USB-C / Thunderbolt port or the HDMI port, you can connect one external display with up to 8K resolution at 60 Hz, 5K resolution at 120 Hz, or 4K resolution at 240 Hz.
Connect multiple displays to your Mac Studio with M5 Max
You can connect up to the number of displays shown below, using any combination of ports.
Note: On Mac Studio with M5 Max, connect the displays to the Thunderbolt ports first, then connect to the HDMI port.
Five external displays | Up to four external displays |
|---|---|
Connect four displays with up to 6K at 60 Hz or 4K at 165 Hz to the Thunderbolt ports, then connect one display with up to 5K at 60 Hz to the HDMI port. | Using a combination of USB-C / Thunderbolt or HDMI ports you can connect up to:
Note: If you connect any of the above configurations using Thunderbolt only, you can connect an additional display to the HDMI port with up to 5K resolution at 60 Hz. |
Connect multiple displays to your Mac Studio with M5 Ultra
You can connect up to the number of displays shown below, using any combination of ports. You can connect up to four displays to the front Thunderbolt ports and the HDMI port and four displays to the back Thunderbolt ports of Mac Studio.
Display configurations listed below are broken down by which port to use.
Thunderbolt ports on the back of Mac Studio | Thunderbolt ports on the front of Mac Studio and the HDMI port on the back |
|---|---|
You can connect up to:
| You can connect up to:
|
For a complete list of display configurations for your Mac Studio, see Apple Support article How many displays can you connect to Mac Studio.
Step 2: Identify the video ports on your Mac
Your Mac Studio has four Thunderbolt 5 ports and one HDMI
port on the back. On the front of Mac Studio with M5 Ultra are two Thunderbolt 5
ports. All of these ports support video output.
For more information on the different ports available on your Mac Studio, see Take a tour of Mac Studio.
Step 3: Make sure you have the correct cables and adapters
If your display came with a cable that matches the ports on your Mac Studio: Use that cable to connect the display.
If your display doesn’t have a cable: Get the required cables. Check the documentation that came with your display to get more information on the display’s video ports and cables.
If you have the cable that came with your display, but the connector doesn’t match the port on your Mac Studio: You may be able to use an adapter (sold separately); see Adapters and cables for your Mac Studio. Visit apple.com, your local Apple Store, or other resellers for more information and availability.
See the Apple Support article Adapters for the Thunderbolt or USB-C port on your Mac to identify what type of adapter you need, see what it looks like, and learn what it can be used for.
To connect this device to Mac Studio | Use a cable, or an adapter and cable |
|---|---|
Apple Studio Display | The Thunderbolt cable that came with your display or any Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or Thunderbolt 5 cable. |
Apple Studio Display XDR | The Thunderbolt cable that came with your display or any supported Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) or Thunderbolt 5 cable. |
Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) display | Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable. |
USB-C display | USB-C (USB 3.1) cable. |
HDMI display, TV, or projector | The HDMI cable that came with the device or any supported HDMI cable. |
Thunderbolt 2 display | Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter and the cable that came with your Thunderbolt 2 display. |
VGA display or projector | USB-C VGA Multiport adapter and the cable that came with your display or projector. |
DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort display | USB-C to DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort adapter and the cable that came with your display. |
DVI display or projector | USB-C to DVI adapter and the cable that came with your display or projector. |
Step 4: Connect your displays
If your display needs to be connected to power, plug it in. Connect your display to your Mac Studio using the identified video ports, cables, and adapters (if needed).
When connecting multiple displays, connect the display with the highest resolution first.
Note: If you connect a display and it’s dark, see the Apple Support article If your external display is dark or low resolution.
Step 5: Adjust display settings
After your displays are connected, you may want to adjust their settings. Open System Settings, then click Displays in the sidebar to see your displays’ settings, including resolution, brightness, and color profile. You can set your display to extend or mirror your Mac desktop across your external displays.
Need more help?
For troubleshooting information, see “If the external display isn’t working” in Connect one or more external displays with your Mac.
If the display has a blank or black screen and you can’t use its highest resolutions or refresh rates, see the Apple Support article If your external display is dark or low resolution.
To learn more about using an 8K display with your Mac Studio, see the Apple Support article Use an 8K display with your Mac.