This tutorial will guide you on How to Set up Dual Monitors and the different ways you can connect your monitors:
Among the many things that working from home has taught us is that two monitors are more productive than one. It helps you take notes during a meeting and monitor other valuable emails and the performance of your work. And when you want to play games, you can still keep an eye on important messages and statistics.
In short, dual monitors allow you to do a lot more and your browser is not as cluttered with the zillion tabs you have to keep open.
Whether you want to be more productive or track your emails during a boring video meeting, here we are going to tell you everything about the dual monitor setup.
Table of Contents:
Setting up Dual Monitors
Let us see the things you should know about setting up dual monitors.
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The dual monitor setup is, yes, no points for guessing right, two displays connected to your desktop or laptop. You can use HDMI or DisplayPort to connect the additional monitors. You can expand your screen access to work and play both. You can either mix and match screens or mount two identical ones together for an UltraWide seamless display.
If you are a programmer, go to screens that can be set up vertically to save desk space and view multiple lines of code. You can daisy chain your setup for simplification.
In layman’s terms, use a single wire to combine various displays, as in one monitor connected to another. Both will send signals to your PC and you will only have to worry about one wire.
The only issue is you will need monitors with DisplayPort 1.2 connection and Multi-Stream Transport technology for the daisy chain to work.
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You also have to consider space for your monitors. You can easily put up both if you have enough space on your desk. If not, it can get overcrowded. In such cases, consider monitoring stand and wall mounting options. To manage the wiring, you can use a USB C-hub.
Suggested Reading =>> Top Monitor Desk Mount with specifications
However, before getting into how to set up dual monitors, ask yourself if you really need two monitors. Or will an UltraWide monitor be a better choice?
Ultrawide monitors offer a lot of horizontal screen space for heavy multitasking. Also, they are comparatively inexpensive, have a seamless screen, and involve less setup.
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Nevertheless, you can’t ignore the fact that with dual monitors comes a high level of versatility. You can mix and match the displays and this gives you the freedom to use a high-end 4K monitor as the primary screen while using a cheaper one for browsing and work calls.
The positioning can be flexible as well. If money and space are not any constraints to you, you can go for two UltraWide displays and have the best of both worlds at your fingertips.
How to Setup Dual Monitors on Windows
Windows is a commonly used OS platform, so we will start by guiding you on how to set up dual monitors on a PC with Windows.
How to Setup Dual Monitors on Windows 10
To start setting up dual monitors on Windows 10, connect both monitors to your computer or laptop using VGA, HDMI, or USB, depending on their settings. Your system will recognize both screens instantly, making them go blank or Flickr a bit. Once the screens are turned on, you can proceed with the settings.
#1) Right-click anywhere on the empty part of your desktop.
#2) Select Display Settings.
#3) Click on the Multiple Displays option and select.
- Extend these displays to display different things and allow your mouse to move between them like one big screen.
- Duplicate these displays to see the same things on both displays. It is best suited for presentations and lectures.
- Show only on 1 or Show only on 2 to use only one of the displays.
#4) Click on Keep changes.
#5) For the Extend these display options, go back to the section that says Select and rearrange displays.
#6) Click and drag around monitor main monitor 1 & new monitor 2 to match their physical arrangement.
#7) Click Apply.
You can personalize your dual monitor experience by adjusting brightness and color. You can also choose your primary screen, and it doesn’t have to be your desktop or laptop screen. On your primary screen, you will see the taskbar, start menu, and other applications.
To view them on both displays, click on your Windows Taskbar, select properties and click on the Show taskbar for all display options. From the Personalization option in the settings of your system, you can opt for the panoramic theme on Windows 10.
The process is identical to the dual monitor desktop computer settings.
How to Connect 2 Monitors to a PC with Another Windows Version
We know many users who are not using Windows 10. So, here is a tutorial for setting up dual monitors for them. First, connect your monitors to your desktop or laptop.
#1) Press the Windows+P keys.
#2) Choose from the options.
#3) Right-click on the empty space on your Desktop.
#4) Select Screen Resolution.
#5) Click on Multiple displays.
#6) Select either duplicate or extend.
#7) Arrange the display orientation settings to match the physical placement of your screens.
#8) Click Apply and OK.
How to Connect Two Monitors on Mac
Start your 2 monitor setup on Mac by connecting both screens to your Mac using an HDMI or USB hub. Your Mac will recognize both screens at once. Once both the screens are turned on, proceed with the dual monitor setup.
#1) Click on the Apple icon at the top.
#2) Select Displays.
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#3) Two windows will appear on both displays.
#4) On your Mac’s display, click on Arrangement.
#5) If you want both screens to display the same things, check the box beside the Mirror Display option; else, uncheck it.
#6) Arrange the screens on your settings to match their physical positions.
#7) Click, drag-drop the white bar on the screen where you want the dock.
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How to Setup Multiple Monitors with a Docking Station
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A docking station is a simple way of connecting multiple peripherals to your PC. It offers more ports than your system has to offer, allowing you to work with various hardware simultaneously.
For example, you can connect multiple monitors using a docking device and proceed to adjust the settings, as mentioned above. It also allows you to switch off additional screens and use just your monitor when you want.
How to Connect Two Monitors to one Computer Using a Casting Device
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If you just need to duplicate your monitor to another screen for a presentation or lecture, you can simply use a casting device. Here, we are using Chromecast. One thing you should know, though, is that you can’t set up these casting devices from a computer.
#1) Connect your casting device to an Android or iOS device with the same Wi-Fi network.
#2) Download the Google Home app.
#3) Open the app.
#4) Click on Add.
#5) Select Set up device.
#6) Click on New Device.
#7) Follow the instructions to set up your casting device.
#8) Open Chrome.
#9) Click on the three dots.
#10) Select Cast.
#11) Click on your Chromecast device.
#12) Select Sources to cast a tab, a file, or your entire desktop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) How do you connect 2 monitors to a PC?
Answer: You can use VGA, HDMI, or USB ports for a 2 monitor setup. If you are simultaneously using multiple peripherals, it is better to use a docking station.
Q #2) How do I get dual monitors to work separately?
Answer: Connect your second monitor to your system’s video port.
- Right-click anywhere on the empty desktop screen and select screen resolution.
- Click on the arrow beside Multiple Displays.
- Select Extend These Displays.
- Make one of the screens your main display.
- Click Apply and OK.
Your second screen will have its own theme and background, and you can open apps from the second display directly.
Q #3) Can you run 2 monitors off 1 HDMI port?
Answer: You can use an HDMI splitter to run 2 monitors off 1 HDMI port.
Q #4) Why don’t my dual monitors work?
Answer: Make sure you securely connect the monitors to the correct port. Go through the settings and reboot your device. See if your monitor is working now.
Q #5) Can I connect a second monitor to my first monitor?
Answer: Yes, you can use a daisy chain set up to connect a second monitor to your first one.
Q #6) Which monitors to choose for a dual monitor setup?
Answer: Here are a few things you need to consider choosing the best dual monitor setup for you:
- Size: Decide whether you want monitors of the same size or a large main monitor and a smaller monitor for background tasks.
- Aspect Ratio: Commonly monitors have an aspect ratio of 16:9, but if you want to optimize your battle station, you can go for a wider aspect ratio of 32:9.
- Resolution: If you want, you can have monitors of different resolutions, but it’s not a good idea. The 1080p screen will look very low-resolution alongside the 4K monitor. It will be better if you pick the monitors for the same resolution for your setup.
- Colour: Usually, monitors come with different color profiles and the difference will be significant in the old and new monitors. If you care about screen colors, you should consider this as well.
- Input Types: Monitors come with a wide variety of input styles, some with fewer and some with more ports. Although you can use adaptors to connect to multiple devices, it is always recommended to pair inputs with the right port.
Q #7) What are the benefits of using a dual monitor setup?
Answer: Having a dual monitor will help you in many ways:
- Reduce Downtime: Dual monitors are intrinsically redundant. If one monitor is down, you can always continue working with the second monitor without losing any data. You will not get this kind of flexibility in any other setup.
- Increased Workflow: With two monitors, you can use both to run multiple applications simultaneously. You will not have to juggle between windows and it will save you a lot of time. They also make work simpler.
- Optimized Performance: Dual monitor displays more content simultaneously. It also allows easy and quick swapping between applications along with easily navigating multiple windows. You can also view the two documents side by side for comparison.
- Reduces Distraction: Having two monitors means you don’t have to keep switching between tabs so you can watch everything together without having to disrupt your workflow.
- Simple to use: They make work easy, giving you access to multiple documents at the same time, access to multiple windows without juggling, easy drag and drop of documents from one screen to another, and so on.
- Works well with laptops: These setups are usually compatible with laptops and mobile devices as well. You can use a docking station to cast your device to a bigger screen or use it for work.
- Decluttering desktop: Needless to say, you get double the desktop space allowing you to declutter and organize each desktop.
Q #8) How to check the compatibility of your system for the Dual Monitor setup?
Answer: The motherboard of modern computers usually supports multiple screens, but the older computers might not. However, there is a limit to the number of screens you can connect to. To check that, find the name of your motherboard.
You can do that by going to the device manager in the control panel. The make of your motherboard will be displayed under Adapters. Now type the name of the motherboard in Google and click on the results with its features. Find the number of screens it supports under its display feature.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed in detail how to set up two monitors and the different ways you can connect your monitors.
Also Read =>> List and Comparison of the Most Popular Curved Monitors
For example, you can use a casting device if you just want to cast your main screen to another one. Alternatively, you can use a docking station to use multiple monitors and peripherals. But before you get a second monitor, make sure you need one.