Luna Display now supports using a Mac as a second display over Thunderbolt, Ethernet

Credit: Apple

Apple stopped supporting Target Display Mode back in 2014 with the release of macOS Mojave. But, as Astropad announced on Wednesday, Luna Display now offers a wired, third-party workaround.

"Previously, Mac-to-Mac Mode only worked over Luna's wireless connection. With today's update, Mac-to-Mac Mode will also support Ethernet and Thunderbolt connection between Macs, with a seamless set-up process," Astropad wrote.

The feature will allow users to use a Mac as a secondary display with full trackpad and keyboard support across both devices. As the company notes, users can leverage multiple combinations — including a MacBook Pro and a Mac mini or two MacBooks.

There is a caveat to the third-party alternative, however. Currently, the second machine in Mac-to-Mac mode is limited to non-Retina resolutions. Astropad says it is exploring introducing 4K and 5K support sometime in the future.

In addition to the Mac-to-Mac mode, the Luna Display 4.5 update also includes a refreshed icon, more reliable Retina support on M1 Macs, and more.

The Luna Display adapter costs $99. The primary Mac needs to be a 2011 model or newer. Both the primary and second Macs need to be running macOS 10.11 El Capitan or later.