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You cannot daisy chain Apple Studio Display.
The Apple Studio Display is designed as a standalone monitor with a single Thunderbolt 3 upstream connection.
This means daisy chaining Apple Studio Display to another display isn’t supported by the hardware or software.
Many users wonder if daisy chaining Apple Studio Display is possible because other Thunderbolt monitors allowed it.
Unfortunately, Apple chose not to include the necessary controller for daisy chaining Apple Studio Display.
In this post, we’ll explain why daisy chaining Apple Studio Display isn’t an option and what you can do instead.
Let’s break it down.
Why You Cannot Daisy Chain Apple Studio Display
The main reason you cannot daisy chain Apple Studio Display comes down to the monitor’s internal design.
Apple built the Studio Display with a single Thunderbolt 3 upstream port and three USB-C downstream ports.
These ports are for data and charging, not for passing display signals to another monitor.
When you try to daisy chain Apple Studio Display, the downstream USB-C ports simply don’t carry video output.
Let’s look at the specifics.
Thunderbolt Daisy Chaining Requires a Specific Chip
Thunderbolt daisy chaining needs a Thunderbolt controller that supports daisy chaining Apple Studio Display and other devices.
The Apple Studio Display uses a custom chip that doesn’t allow daisy chaining Apple Studio Display to another display.
Previous Apple displays like the Thunderbolt Display (2011) supported daisy chaining Apple Studio Display? No, that model also didn’t—actually the Thunderbolt Display did support daisy chaining for data but not for video passthrough.
The key difference is that the Studio Display lacks the “Thunderbolt out” port needed for daisy chaining Apple Studio Display.
Without that port, you simply cannot chain displays.
Studio Display Ports Explained
The Apple Studio Display has one Thunderbolt 3 port for connecting to your Mac.
The other three USB-C ports are only for peripherals like drives or hubs.
They cannot be used to daisy chain Apple Studio Display to a second monitor.
Even if you plug a Thunderbolt cable from a USB-C port into another display, nothing appears.
This is a deliberate limitation, not a technical oversight.
What About DisplayPort Multi‑Stream Transport (MST)?
MST allows daisy chaining Apple Studio Display via DisplayPort, but Apple doesn’t support MST.
Apple uses a proprietary implementation of Thunderbolt that doesn’t enable MST daisy chaining Apple Studio Display.
Even if you used a USB-C to DisplayPort cable, the Studio Display isn’t MST‑capable.
So daisy chaining Apple Studio Display through MST is a dead end.
MST and Apple Hardware
Macs do not support DisplayPort MST at all.
Windows PCs can daisy chain displays using MST, but Apple Macs cannot.
Therefore, daisy chaining Apple Studio Display is impossible on any Mac.
Even if the monitor supported it, the Mac wouldn’t send the right signal.
Alternatives to Daisy Chaining Apple Studio Display
Just because you cannot daisy chain Apple Studio Display doesn’t mean you can’t run multiple monitors.
You have several reliable alternatives.
Use a Thunderbolt Dock with Multiple Display Ports
A Thunderbolt 3 or 4 dock gives you additional video outputs.
Connect your Apple Studio Display to one port and another monitor to a different port on the dock.
This is not daisy chaining Apple Studio Display, but it achieves the same result.
Docks from CalDigit, OWC, or Belkin work well.
Connect Displays Directly to Your Mac
If your Mac has multiple Thunderbolt ports, plug each display into its own port.
For example, a MacBook Pro with three Thunderbolt ports can drive the Apple Studio Display plus two other monitors.
This method avoids the need for daisy chaining Apple Studio Display entirely.
Use AirPlay to a Second Screen
You can also use AirPlay to wirelessly connect an iPad or Apple TV as a secondary display.
While not a direct monitor chain, it expands your workspace without daisy chaining Apple Studio Display.
So, Can You Daisy Chain Apple Studio Display?
You cannot daisy chain Apple Studio Display in the traditional Thunderbolt sense.
The hardware simply doesn’t support passing video through its downstream ports.
If you need multiple displays, use a Thunderbolt dock or your Mac’s own ports.
Daisy chaining Apple Studio Display is not a feature Apple intended to offer.
But that doesn’t limit your setup—you have plenty of other ways to go multi‑display.
Hope this clears up the question of daisy chaining Apple Studio Display for you.