Load more results. Apple Footer Apple Support. May 06, 2019 READ ALSO: How to update outdated drivers in Windows 10; If you still have trouble setting up the thunderbolt display on your PC, you can contact Apple support department for a correct diagnosis and more efficient solutions. Did you manage to connect your Thunderbolt display to your Windows 10 PC?
A long-term PC user, I went Apple eight years ago. Now I need a hardware update and, frustrated by the limitations of Office 365 on Mac, I am considering switching back. Question: Can my 27in Apple Thunderbolt screen work with a PC? Paul
Generally, the answer is no, but it could be yes or maybe. Confused? Most of us are.
Your Thunderbolt display should work with a PC that has a Thunderbolt port, but I wouldn’t buy one without a guarantee that it will work. Also, it might work in the future, if the widespread adoption of the new USB Type-C port makes Thunderbolt more popular. But this is not guaranteed, and it won’t be soon enough for you.
Thunderbolt is one way of connecting a computer to a monitor, but it’s not very common. The more popular options include VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort. VGA are DVI legacy computer standards that have been replaced by DisplayPort. HDMI is a licensed consumer electronics connection designed for flat screen TVs and things that connect to them: Blu-ray players, games consoles, PCs etc.
Monitor manufacturers usually support more than one standard to increase the chance that their screens will work with more devices, though adaptor cables can sometimes bridge the gap. In this case, unfortunately, Apple only supports Thunderbolt and nothing else.
Indeed, Apple doesn’t seem to offer a screen for users with older Macs that don’t have Thunderbolt ports. The same 27in screen used to be available with a DisplayPort connector – it was called the Apple Cinema Display – but it was discontinued in 2011. Yes, at the time, we complained that the Cinema Display’s DisplayPort didn’t support older Macs and MacBooks either, but at least it worked – and still works – with PCs running Windows.
As things stand, there’s not much incentive for Windows PC manufacturers to worry about supporting an £899 Apple monitor.
A historical interlude
Thunderbolt was originally developed by Intel, and it was called Light Peak, partly because it used a fibre optic cable. I first saw it working in 2010. Thunderbolt appeared the following year, in a version co-developed with Apple, but running over copper wires. The PC manufacturers had rejected Light Peak because fibre optics cost too much, and Thunderbolt looked like a good compromise.
As Intel pointed out way back then, Thunderbolt wasn’t the new USB, it was the new FireWire (another connector that Apple fitted to everything, then dropped). Intel said that USB would remain the “mainstream” input/output connection for PCs, and that Thunderbolt was “complementary”.
Apple had ended up making its (excellent) FireWire connection an open industry standard to try to get more support for it, but it failed. Presumably, Apple hoped that Intel’s backing would preclude Thunderbolt from suffering the same fate. It didn’t.
Enter USB Type-C
But that’s not the end of the story. Intel has returned to the market with USB Type-C, which uses a new reversible connector that plugs in either way up. The next version of Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt 3, will use the same USB-C connector, instead of the previous miniDisplayPort.
A USB-C port is, essentially, a souped-up USB 3.1 port. However, some USB-C ports will double as Thunderbolt 3 ports, while all Thunderbolt 3 ports will work as USB 3.1 ports. It remains to be seen whether this will increase Thunderbolt’s adoption, and by how much. I suspect it will still leave most consumers confused.
For example, Apple’s latest £1,049/£1,299 MacBook has a USB-C port that doesn’t support Thunderbolt so it doesn’t work with Apple’s Thunderbolt display. I assume the next MacBook will, if there is one.
Possible PCs
You could, as mentioned, buy a new PC that supports Thunderbolt and – if you are lucky – use it with your Apple Thunderbolt screen. Unfortunately, I don’t know of a reliable list of PCs that have Thunderbolt ports. However, Wikipedia has a List of Thunderbolt-compatible devices, while the Thunderbolt Technology website has a searchable database of products.
The “early adopters” include Asus – which sells Thunderbolt-capable motherboards – and Acer, Dell, HP and Lenovo. The last three are players in the business workstation market.
At the moment, I think your best bet would be the latest models in the Dell XPS range, because they all feature Type-C ports that support USB 3.1, DisplayPort 1.2, and Thunderbolt 3. I reviewed an earlier version of the Dell XPS 13 here. I also had a brief look at a pre-launch version of the XPS 15, which is arguably even better. It has the same thin-bezel “Infinity Edge” display as the XPS 13, and is remarkably thin for a laptop with a 15.6in screen. At 3.9lbs/1.78kg, it’s not much heavier than a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (3.5lbs, 1.58kg).
In general, I’d look for something with an Intel Skylake processor and a Type-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3, but I don’t know if such a machine would work correctly with your Apple monitor. I don’t have either to try, and I have not found convincing evidence on the web.
Change the screen?
One advantage of Apple products is that they retain some resale value. Depending on its age and condition, you could probably sell your monitor privately or on eBay and make enough to buy a PC monitor that’s as good or better.
For example, you could buy a Dell UltraSharp U2715H for £384 or less. According to The Wirecutter website: “It has the best picture quality of any monitor we tested right out of the box. It’s the monitor to get if you want a bigger picture and more workspace in Windows or OS X, since its 2560 x 1440 resolution is ideal for photos, videos, and gaming.” You can even adjust the height!
I haven’t seen this model myself, but I’ve used Dell monitors – including an UltraSharp model – for more than a decade, and would not hesitate to recommend them.
The Dell’s inputs include two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, a miniDisplayPort, and a USB 3 port. The outputs include another DisplayPort, five USB 3 ports, and an audio jack for speakers. It doesn’t have Thunderbolt or Type-C ports, yet. None the less, like most PC monitors, it will work with almost every PC or Mac on the market, including the Apple MacBook.
Buying a PC monitor will enable you to buy whichever laptop, desktop or workstation you like. And if you decide to switch back to a Mac, a DisplayPort converter cable will enable it to work with that as well.
Have you got another question for Jack? Email it to [email protected]
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Hi,
Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.
I regret the inconvenience caused to you. Let me help you.
I suggest you to install the drivers in compatibility mode and check if it helps.
Method 1:
If issue still persists, then install the drivers for Windows 7/8/8.1 from the manufacturer's website in compatibility mode and check if that works.
Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows http://windows.microsoft.com/en-in/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows
Check if it resolves the issue.
Keep us posted on the issue. We will be happy to assist you accordingly.
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How do I install the drivers in compatibility mode? They are Microsoft supplied drivers. Where do I get the Generic USB Audio driver for Windows 7/8/8.1?
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I too am interested in a solution. My USB microphone shows up as:
The drivers for this device are not installed. (Code 28)
There is no driver selected for the device information set or element. To find a driver for this device, click Update Driver
This microphone USED to work from winXP through Win7 using the included Microsoft 'USB Audio Device' with no external drivers having to be installed. The functionality seems to have been lost in Windows 10. I was hoping to 'force' the driver, but it does not show up even when Browsing AND selecting 'show all devices'
7 people were helped by this reply
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So I tried installing the unsigned windows 7/8/8.1 drivers from driverscape to no avail. I ended up installing bootcamp 5.1.5651 from apple. I had to trick it to think my windows machine was a valid install by running msiexec /i BootCamp.msi from an admin command prompt and the Apple drivers ended up fixing the issue.
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Apple Cinema Display 30 Windows 10 Driver
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To document my solution: my USB audio devices started working for me after I 'recovered' my computer to default state. It wasn't a full wipe as I used the on-board recovery tool so my files and drivers were maintained. It's a total mystery why the the problem was there in the first place, and the two support chat sessions I had with Microsoft were a waste of oxygen. They were trying to blame the vendor for not having drivers (when the devices was specifically created NOT to use custom drivers).
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I'm having the exact same issue as you. Can you detail how you did the install via the admin command prompt? I've downloaded bootcamp 5.1.5651 from Apple and tried to install the RealTek drivers to no avail.
I cannot run the BootCamp setup as I get a 'This version of Boot Camp is not intended for this computer model.' How did you trick your machine into running the Boot Camp drivers?
Thank you!
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Figured it out. Thank you igkins for posting your solution! Appreciate it! :)
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Glad you figured it out... what did you do, step by step, please?
I have a new Acer with Windows 10. Cannot use my USB FIIO headphone amp. Have been through all the Microsoft solutions to no avail. OBVIOUSLY it's a driver problem.
Do share please.
Thanks!
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Hello,
How about running the audio troubleshooter from the control panel?
Apple Monitor For Windows 10 7
Here's how to perform compatibility mode:
Right-click on the driver setup file and click on ‘properties’.
2. Click on the ‘compatibility’ tab and check the box ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for’ and select Windows 7/8 operating system from the drop down menu and proceed with the installation.
3. Once this is done, restart the computer and check if the issue persists.
Also ensure that Windows updates are downloaded and installed. Restart PC if required.
Apple Cinema Display Windows 10
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Apple Cinema Display Drivers For Windows 10
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Apple Screen Mirroring Windows 10
They are Windows drivers, and my device does not show up. And yes, I would think anyone who gets to this point has run the windows Troubleshooter. Just not understanding how to roll back all the USB drivers to run in compatability mode?
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Apple Cinema Display 27 Windows 10
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