How to make MacBook Pro show on the desktop of a M4 mini.

I want to connect my 2014 Intel MacBook Pro so that it shows up as a drive on an M4 Mac. There was a way to do this back in OS 9 and early OS 10 days but I have forgotten how to do this.


Here's what I don't want to do:

  • I am not looking to use migration assistant as it has limitations for transferring files.
  • I do not want to use a backup drive


Is this possible to do?

TIA

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Aug 16, 2025 12:27 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 16, 2025 01:10 PM

your title says you want The macBook Pro desktop to appear on the M4 display.


That is accomplished by enabling Screen Sharing on the 2014 MacBook Pro, then asking from the M4 Mac to make a screen-sharing connection. The Screen of the MacBook Pro will appear in a window on the M4 Mac:


Turn Mac screen sharing on or off - Apple Support


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the first line talks about connecting to the MacBook Pro "as a drive".


That is accomplished by enabling File Sharing on the older Mac, the making connection to that computer with Finder on the newer M4 Mac. the old computer will appear as a network device, similar to a drive.


Set up file sharing on Mac - Apple Support


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Macs are widely network-compatible across older and newer versions of MacOS.


In each case, the credentials required will be the credentials required to log in on the REMOTE computer, even though the dialog-box appears on the local computer. Remember that a user with the same name on a different Mac is NOT the same account.


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There is also a way to make another Mac literally appear as a drive on another Mac, by invoking Target Disk Mode:


Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support







3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 16, 2025 01:10 PM in response to werdup

your title says you want The macBook Pro desktop to appear on the M4 display.


That is accomplished by enabling Screen Sharing on the 2014 MacBook Pro, then asking from the M4 Mac to make a screen-sharing connection. The Screen of the MacBook Pro will appear in a window on the M4 Mac:


Turn Mac screen sharing on or off - Apple Support


--------

the first line talks about connecting to the MacBook Pro "as a drive".


That is accomplished by enabling File Sharing on the older Mac, the making connection to that computer with Finder on the newer M4 Mac. the old computer will appear as a network device, similar to a drive.


Set up file sharing on Mac - Apple Support


--------

Macs are widely network-compatible across older and newer versions of MacOS.


In each case, the credentials required will be the credentials required to log in on the REMOTE computer, even though the dialog-box appears on the local computer. Remember that a user with the same name on a different Mac is NOT the same account.


========

There is also a way to make another Mac literally appear as a drive on another Mac, by invoking Target Disk Mode:


Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support







Aug 17, 2025 09:24 PM in response to werdup

Recent versions of macOS place a restriction on Target Disk Mode that could be a bit costly.


Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode - Apple Support


"Note: If either of the computers has macOS 11 or later installed, you must connect the two computers using a Thunderbolt cable."


To make that connection from a M4 Mac mini to a 2014 MacBook Pro, the OP would need

  • A $50 Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter
  • A $30+ Thunderbolt 1/2 cable

How to make MacBook Pro show on the desktop of a M4 mini.

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