Step 1

Press Option key (or Windows key) + X and choose Device Manager from the list.

Step 2

Scroll down the window to the bottom of the devices list.

You will notice one of PCI-to-PCI Bridges is having a warning sign and that your eGPU card is not yet visible in Display adapters.

It's because Mac Pro 2013 does not have enough resources to run eGPU in a default configuration. We need to disable one unused PCI-to-PCI bridge first and install proper display drivers and HDMI audio drivers.

Double-click on every PCI-to-PCI bridges and look for PCI-to-PCI Bridge with Location: PCI bus 21, device 10, function 0.

Step 3

Click Driver tab.

Step 4

Click Disable Device button to disable it.

Step 5

 Click Yes button to confirm disabling the device.

Step 6

Open a following website in any web browser: https://www.amd.com/en/support/download/drivers.html to download the latest AMD display driver for Windows 11.

Choose your graphics card model in Browse Products choose Graphics, then in Product Family choose e.g. Radeon RX, then in Product Line choose e.g. Radeon RX 6000 Series and finally Product Model e.g. AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, then click Submit button.

Step 7

Choose Windows 11 - 64-bit Edition.

Step 8

Choose either AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition or AMD Software: PRO Edition and click Download* button.

We recommend the latest Adrenalin Edition (Optional) as it's much newer and faster, but if you need excellent stability and use pro applications, then use either Adrenalin Edition (WHQL Recommended) or PRO Edition instead.

Step 9

Run the downloaded driver to extract files, but you will notice an error right away that "No AMD graphics cards hardware has been detected by the system". Just click Close button.

Step 10

Go back to Device manager and double-click Microsoft Basic Display Adapter or your eGPU name (if the drivers already installed automatically).

Step 11

Click Driver tab and then Update Driver button.

Step 12

Choose Browse my computer for drivers option.

Step 13

In the text field type C:\AMD and click Next button.

Step 14

The proper driver will be automatically located and installed.

Step 15

Driver installation has finished. Click Close button.

Step 16

Post restart you will notice that your eGPU is now using much newer driver than previously. This means the graphics driver has been installed correctly.

Step 17

Before you connect your display to eGPU we need to update AMD HDMI drivers.

Expand Sound, video and game controllers section and double-click first AMD High Definition Audio Device.

Step 18

Click Driver tab and then click Update Driver button.

Step 19

Choose Browse my computer for drivers option.

Step 20

Make sure there is still C:\AMD path inside the text field, then click Next button to install the driver.

Step 21

The driver should be installed successfully. Click Close button to finish the process.

Step 22

Repeat steps 18 to 22 for the remaining AMD High Definition Audio Device. You will notice much newer driver date (newer than 2021).

Step 23

Now it's finally time to reconnect your display from the integrated graphics card HDMI to the eGPU (there is no need to turn off your computer to do this).

Remove the HDMI cable from the HDMI port and plug the display (or displays) to your eGPU. We recommend DisplayPort (or miniDisplayPort) depending on what type of ports your eGPU have.

For Apple Studio Display use WJESOG DisplayPort to USB-C cable (should be ok for Apple Pro Display XDR as well). Connect the DisplayPort to the eGPU and also USB-A to any of the four USB ports inside Mac Pro 6,1 (2013).

Connect OWC NewerTech HDMI Headless 4K Display Emulator (or other brand) to the built-in HDMI inside Mac Pro 6,1 (2013). 

Step 24

First we need to prevent the system from using the display emulator, so the system would only use displays connected to the eGPU, and set maximum possible resolution, as well as font scaling.

Start by right-clicking the desktop and choosing Display settings from the context menu.

Step 25

In Displays section, click Extend these displays and select Show only on 2 from the dropdown list.

Step 26

Click Keep changes button.

From now on the display emulator won't be used by Windows, but it still needs to be plugged into HDMI port otherwise the system won't boot.