How to Connect One, Two, or More Monitors to Your Windows Laptop, Including USB Type-C.
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A dual monitor setup isn't always plug-and-play. Extending your screen to a second or third monitor requires a suitable graphics card with sufficient ports. This is particularly challenging if you'd like to add more than one external screen to your laptop.
We'll help you figure out what you have, what you need, and how to configure your multiple monitor setup. This article will cover each of these areas and should help you troubleshoot the issues you may be having with your extended displays.
Before you start shoving wires into ports in the back of your PC or the sides of your laptop, stop and take a closer look at those ports so that you know what you're looking at. Modern computers handle video via an HDMI port, but older computers feature a variety of other ports:. Many computers include a mix of these ports. Examining the back of your desktop PC or the side of your laptop, you should see one or more of them.
Typically, if your computer has two ports on it, the video card should be capable of sending an output signal to both. If there's only one port, then it probably can't. However, your desktop might have available slots for additional video cards. So, even if there's only one port on your desktop, don't hesitate to pop the cover and check for any available slots for another video card.
When it comes to laptops, another option is to purchase and use compatible docking stations. You may have a docking station option that could extend your laptop which may only have a single video port , into a docking station that features two or more ports. So, even if you only have one video port available, definitely research the graphics cards if you want to set up a dual monitor laptop.
If you have two ports, but you can't seem to get both ports to work at the same time, the next step is to determine if your video card even has the ability to display to multiple monitors. In the display settings, you may actually see the multiple displays come up, with some disabled and others set up as either your primary display or as an extended display. You can ignore those for now and instead click on Advanced display settings at the bottom of this window.
On the next page, you should see Display information for each connected display if your graphics card "sees" the number of monitors that you've plugged in. If you only see one, then you should quit here because even though you managed to connect multiple displays, the card is only able to utilize one at a time. Much of your success in this comes down to hardware capability, so checking this first is the most important thing.
However, if you've confirmed that your video card can "see" all displays that you've plugged in, yet you can't seem to get additional monitors to work, don't give up. There are a few more things you can try to fix the issue. If you're still not certain whether your computer can support dual monitors, another option is to research your graphics card.
First, look up the brand of your graphics card. Head to Google and research the brand of your graphics adapter, followed by the word "multi-display" or "multi-monitor. When your graphics card doesn't support a dual monitor setup, you can try one of these workarounds to hook up a second monitor anyway.
If your laptop or PC has a DisplayPort, then you might be able to take advantage of what's called multi-stream transport MST to daisy-chain two monitors off the single DisplayPort.
These are the requirements:. Now, in the Display Settings screen, you should see both monitors detected. You can arrange them to either mirror or extend your desktop. There is also the option to split an HDMI signal to multiple monitors.
A docking station is a great way to add additional ports to your laptop, including ports for external monitors. By using a splitter on your Windows laptop, you could even connect a total of three 4K monitors. Other laptop docking stations feature similar options. Even if your PC or laptop graphics card only supports a single output port, you can still extend your system with a second display using a USB-powered monitor and DisplayLink software.
Find an external display that's USB-powered, plug it in, and install free DisplayLink software to make it all work. Once you have one or more external displays connected and detected by your computer, click on either of the detected monitors to configure it:. To display different things on two or more displays, you need to extend your screen to the other monitors.
If you want to close your laptop's lid, but still use your external monitor, for example, to watch a movie, you have to change your laptop's power options, which are hidden in the Windows 10 Control Panel. As you can see, there are a lot of steps in the process where some people would give up and conclude that it just doesn't work. If that's still you, consider getting a larger monitor. But really, it comes down to just making sure your video card is capable of doing this, and then playing around with those display settings and making sure that the monitors are configured correctly.
If you have one DisplayPort, consider the daisy-chain option. Here's what you need to consider when you want to use extra displays with your computer: Does your computer support dual monitors? Is your video card capable of more than one monitor?
Have you set up your dual monitors correctly? Step 1: Check What Ports Are Available Before you start shoving wires into ports in the back of your PC or the sides of your laptop, stop and take a closer look at those ports so that you know what you're looking at. Many older computers have one of several configurations of the DVI port. Thunderbolt : A Thunderbolt port is a combination of several technologies, including DisplayPort and PCI Express, in combination with a power supply to power the external display if required.
Image Credits: Anker. What Is a Car Power Inverter? Flipboard vs.
3 Easy Steps to a Dual Monitor Setup in Windows 10 - Extend screen across multiple monitors
Do this with all the displays you want to move. When you're happy with the layout, select Apply. Test your new layout by moving your mouse pointer across the different displays to make sure it works like you expect. After you're connected to your external displays, you can change settings like your resolution, screen layout, and more.
Windows will recommend an orientation for your screen. If you change the orientation of a monitor, you'll also need to physically rotate the screen. For example, you'd rotate your external display to use it in portrait instead of landscape. Here's what you can choose. See your desktop across multiple screens. When you have displays extended, you can move items between the two screens. Troubleshoot external monitor connections in Windows. Troubleshoot connecting Surface to a second screen. Connect Surface to a TV, monitor, or projector.
Simply Windows on Youtube - These videos are only available in English. After you've connected your Windows 10 PC to external displays, you can adjust the settings for each one. To change it in Display settings, go to Scale and Layout , then choose your preferred Display orientation. Troubleshoot external monitor connections in Windows Windows 11 Windows 10 More Before you start Before changing settings for your external displays, make sure everything is connected properly.
Here's what you can do: Make sure your cables are properly connected to your PC or dock. Video: Connecting a monitor Here's a video on the basics of connecting to an external monitor. Need more help? Expand your skills. Get new features first. Was this information helpful? Yes No. Thank you! Any more feedback? You can also use an HDMI port to connect a second display. Right-click on the Windows desktop, and select "Screen Resolution" from the pop-up menu.
The new dialog screen should contain two images of monitors at the top, each representing one of your displays. If you don't see the second display, click the "Detect" button to make Windows look for the second display. Click the arrow on the drop-down menu next to "Multiple Displays," and then select "Extend These Displays. Select the monitor you want to use as your main display, and then check the box next to "Make This My Main Display.
When you move your cursor to the right edge of the main display, it jumps to the second monitor. Click "OK" to apply the changes and exit the screen setup window. The second monitor has its own theme and background. You can open apps directly from the second display, or you can open an app in the main display and then drag it to the second display.
Alan Sembera began writing for local newspapers in Texas and Louisiana. His professional career includes stints as a computer tech, information editor and income tax preparer.
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