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Although Windows 10 does a pretty good job detecting and setting up a display, when connecting multiple monitors, the system doesn"t understand the setup"s physical layout. As a result, you may end up running into issues if the setup isn"t in the same order as the connections to the video card, the monitors are in different positions, or you recently removed one of the external monitors.

Regardless of the issue, Windows 10 includes settings to arrange a multi-monitor set up correctly, allowing the system to understand the physical layout so that you can move the mouse pointer freely across displays for a more immersive experience. (We also have a guide with more tips to set up more than one display on Windows 10.)

Under the "Select and rearrange displays" section, click the Identify button to determine which displays you"ll be arranging.Quick tip: If one of the monitors is not showing up on the settings page, make sure it"s receiving power and connected correctly, and click the Detect button. If you are still having problems, reset their connections (or restart the device), and then try the Detect button one more time.

If you have two or more displays in line, make sure that all the devices align at the top perfectly. Otherwise, you"ll have problems moving the mouse cursor between monitors from the corners.

The setting is only available when connecting two or more displays, which means that if you only have one monitor, the rearrange option won"t be available.

If you’re running a multiple-monitor setup in Windows 10, it is important to let the operating systems know how they’re arranged in physical space so they work properly. Here’s how to do it.

To set up the arrangement of your monitors, you’ll need to head to the Display settings page. To quickly access it, right-click on Windows 10’s desktop and select “Display settings.”

If you have more than one monitor hooked up, you will see a visual representation of the monitors as rectangles with numbers inside them. This simplified diagram represents the orientation of your monitors as Windows understands it. To change it, we need to change the diagram.

If your displays have different resolutions, then the rectangles will be different sizes. It is useful to align the tops or bottoms of the two displays so the mouse cursor and windows you drag will move between them as you would expect. To do that, simply click and drag one of the monitor boxes until the top or bottom sides line up.

In the example scenario above, Display 2 is now to the left of Display 1. If you reach the left edge of Display 1, your mouse cursor, or the window you are dragging, will appear on the right edge of Display 2.

In Windows 10, the “primary monitor” or “main display” is the monitor on which new windows and apps open up by default. You can change which monitor is the primary display from the same Settings > System > Display screen.

In Display settings, click on the rectangle representing the monitor that you want to designate the primary monitor in Display settings. Windows will highlight the box representing the selected monitor.

If you want to change the main display back, first. select another monitor in Display settings by clicking on its rectangle. Scroll down, then check the “Make This My Main Display” box for that monitor.

Tip:If you"re using a wireless display adapter, connect to an HDMI port on newer TVs, then wirelessly connect your PC to it. After connecting your wireless display adapter to your TV, go to your Windows 11 PC, press Windows logo key + K to open Cast, then select your wireless display adapter.

To see which number corresponds to a display, select Start, then search for settings. Select Settings > System > Display> Identify. A number appears on the screen of the display it"s assigned to.

If you have multiple displays, you can change how they"re arranged. This is helpful if you want your displays to match how they"re set up in your home or office. In Display settings, select and drag the display to where you want. 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. To see available options, in Settings, select System > Display.

Windows will recommend an orientation for your screen. To change it in Display settings, under Scale & layout, choose your preferred Display orientation. 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.

That"s because the displays are different densities (number of pixels-per-square-inch, also known as DPI or Dots Per Inch). Even though the monitor is physically smaller in real life, it has many more dots, and thus it appears larger in the preview graphic.

There is absolutely nothing you can do about it, you just have to drag the two monitor representations around with that understanding in mind. you can still make the monitors "touch" in different spots, but the pixel dots have to line up.

Okay maybe there is one thing you could do about it: buy monitors that all have the exact same number of dots-per-inch, and then you"ll never have this issue.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions.

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Apple"s macOS has a simple user interface, but it is a powerful operating system. And just like Windows, Macs can connect to multiple displays to expand your desktop across multiple canvases, which greatly enhances multitasking.

So, if you have a specific desk setup in mind, you must rearrange the displays virtually through macOS to create the proper workflow because the default arrangement may not suit everyone.

By default, when you connect a second display to your Mac, macOS will typically arrange them side by side. However, not everyone has a side-by-side dual or triple-monitor setup; people with monitor arms who move their displays around can probably relate.

Also, when you hook up a MacBook to an external display, macOS will simply mirror your MacBook"s screen on the monitor instead of extending it to create more workspace. And this is why we think managing your multi-monitor Mac setup is essential.

So, depending on where the computer and monitor are on the desk, you should change the default layout to know where to properly drag windows to the other screen.

Arranging your displays in macOS can sound intimidating, but it"s relatively easy. You can set up the displays in System Preferences once you have the monitor(s) connected to your computer. To do this:

Select and drag the display you want to move around. macOS will highlight the display with a red box to help you confirm that it is the correct display you would like to move.

You can also right-click on the displays to make one your primary screen, extend a screen, or mirror another monitor. From here, you can also change the settings for each monitor, such as brightness and resolution, and enable or disable True Tone if your display supports it.

Changing the resolution of your displays can increase the text size on your Mac. This makes it easier to read text compared to the default resolution.

Customizing your multi-monitor setup is one of the most crucial parts of creating a great workstation. Thankfully, macOS allows you to arrange your displays according to your liking and utilize them in the best way possible.

Now that you know how to rearrange your monitors, you might want to check out Apple"s own Studio Display to spruce up your desk setup. It"s the perfect addition if you own a new MacBook Pro or the Mac Studio.

When it comes to desktop PCs, one thing is for sure: two screens are better than one. That"s especially true for the tech expert who has to multitask several graphics-intensive programs simultaneously.

Whether you be a graphic designer, data analyst, programmer, or anyone else who"s a heavy PC user, a multiple monitor setup can be both aesthetically and practically appealing. Why burden your desktop with countless tabs and minimized programs when you could scan all of your work in one interface?

Whatever your need, enabling multiple displays on your PC is a surefire way to increase productivity. Below, we discuss all the steps of setting up multiple monitors on your system in detail.

For one, the aesthetic opportunities of a dual or triple monitor setup are fantastic. Compared to a single display, multi-display arrangements allow you to tailor different screens according to their distinct function and purpose. Where dual or multi-monitor setups excel, however, is in their productivity bump. Most programs—especially those used in professional settings—display poorly when using even half of a complete display.

That"s why a dual-monitor setup allows users dramatic productivity increases. You can constantly view all available tools, menu selections, and information without constantly switching between tasks. In other words, alternate displays allow users additional screen real estate. You don"t have to sacrifice any particular function to monitor hardware, listen to music, edit graphic elements, analyze data, or write content.

You don"t even have to invest in an ultra-high definition display out of the gate to have a decent multi-monitor setup. Older, flat-screen monitors can still do their job rather well in a dual monitor setup. This is especially true when you consider flipping your monitor from landscape to portrait.

If you rotate your desktop on its side, you can use your 24-inch monitor in portrait. This setup can provide plenty of screen real estate, allow for easier reading and scrolling functions, or pose as a live (and endless) news and timeline UI.

Whether you"re a novice or a pro, you can benefit from a basic dual monitor setup. Best of all, most graphics cards allow multiple monitor setups out of the box. Besides, multi-monitor configuration couldn"t be easier!

Picking a second monitor couldn"t be easier, assuming you"re already viewing this via a PC monitor. That"s because most modern monitors in the market are both flat-screen and high definition (16:9 aspect ratio). This allows users plenty of space either in landscape or portrait mode. For example, a simple 23.8-inch Acer monitor can give you crisp 1080p resolution in vivid color.

Larger screen sizes and display resolutions typically determine higher price points. Yet, the setup for an expensive or budget monitor is exactly the same. For a basic dual-monitor setup, not much more than a 23.8-inch display would be necessary. You can even use your laptop as a second monitor.

More important than your new monitor"s dimensions is the proper cable type needed to connect your monitor to its appropriate port. Many confuse one cable type for another, which can be a serious hassle. For a multiple monitor setup, you"ll have to ensure that your graphics card supports multiple monitors in the first place.

There are a few types of cables that you will generally encounter when connecting a monitor to your PC: DVI (white by default), VGA (blue by default), HDMI, and DisplayPort.

HDMI and DisplayPort are the newer types of connections for monitors, while DVI and VGA are older. There are many benefits to these newer cable types, two of which are immediately pertinent: newer cable types offer better image display, and DisplayPorts function as the Swiss army knife of cables by adapting to all the connection types mentioned.

Monitors and displays connect to the PC via its graphics card, otherwise known as a GPU. The GPU handles the graphics processing capabilities of a PC, so you"ll naturally have to connect your monitor to your GPU component. Ensure you"re connecting your display to the primary graphics card used in your PC—often an external GPU—and not the default, integrated graphics ports.

Its display outputs include 2x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. So, while you wouldn"t be able to connect a VGA cable from your monitor to this graphics card, you would be able to use an HDMI or DisplayPort connection.

If you have multiple monitors that use DisplayPort but only have one space in your graphics card for that type of connection, you"ll have to use a DisplayPort hub with multi-stream transport. The hub will connect to your only available DisplayPort port and allow you to connect as many as three monitors to it. Or you could opt for a monitor with daisy-chain capabilities.

Once your monitor is connected to your GPU, turn on both your PC and your monitor. Wait for it to display an image. If your monitor remains blank, check your connection.

You should see your second display within the settings image. Windows 10 conveniently provides this interface, so users can easily configure multiple displays.

First off, drag and drop your monitor to configure the display position. If you have a second monitor on the left side of your first, but the display settings show the second monitor on the right, drag the second monitor to the left of your main display.

The Display window allows for both X and Y coordinates, meaning monitors don"t have to be placed directly beside one another to function. If you"re confused about which display your PC refers to, click the Identify button to view which monitor is which.

Next, scroll down the options until you reach Resolution. This will be the primary setting you would have to change to get your monitor in working order.

For one, Windows 10 will sometimes display your monitor at a smaller resolution than native to the display. Set your Resolution to the Recommended setting (or higher).

If you have an older monitor but are using a newer graphics card, you can also adjust settings to hike your resolution higher than possible by default.

Continue changing whatever options suit you. Orientation will allow you to change your display"s portrait or landscape orientation. Multiple displays allow you to extend or mirror your displays. Remember to select the display you want to change before you change it by clicking on the display image.

Another subtle aspect of a multi-monitor setup is what you"ll do with the taskbar. The toolbar may become an issue if you"re working on a clean desktop setup.

To change or remove your taskbar, head to your background settings by clicking on your start menu, typing background, and selecting the Background settings option. Expand the window and select Taskbar. Scroll down until you see a Multiple displays section.

To turn the taskbar off on all displays (except your primary monitor), set Show taskbar on all displays to Off. If you leave it on, you can decide whether the taskbar will show all pinned programs or only programs present within the given monitor under Show taskbar buttons on.

What if you have two PCs with different operating systems and would like to use both of them at the same time? It sounds impossible unless you"ve heard of Synergy. Synergy is a mouse and keyboard sharing application that allows users to use any combination of Mac, Windows, or Linux PCs simultaneously, seamlessly, with one keyboard and mouse combination.

Synergy is impressive, even for nerds like myself. Setting up a new Linux distro while using your regular PC? You can do that. Have an office setup that uses both Mac and Windows but don"t want to spend your time unplugging the mouse and keyboard from one to use the other? Are you the office tech guy and constantly have to correct a coworker"s mistakes, but hate walking over to their desk? Synergy does all of this and more.

Keep in mind that Synergy isn"t free. $29.99 will get you the basic, complete version of Synergy, while $39.99 will get you such excellent features as clipboard sharing (copy and paste anything from one PC to another). Nevertheless, these are one-time fees to use on as many PCs as you require. In other words, you"re paying a one-time payment to never use a separate mouse and keyboard combo on different computers for life!

Now that your display is in working order, you can consider customizing your second display. Even if you enjoy customizing displays, your work will often go unnoticed in a single display setup.

As trivial as it may sound, part of the fun of a dual or multi-monitor background is using multiple backgrounds. No longer are you tied down to a stale, single background. Better yet, it"s readily available to do in Windows 10!

To use different backgrounds on multiple monitors, open your Background settings window again. Once your window is open, scroll down until you see the Browse button under the Choose your picture category. Click the Browse button and select the image you want to use as a background. Do this for as many backgrounds as you"d like to have.

Once you have your backgrounds slotted, right-click on its thumbnail image. You should see a selection labeled Set for all monitors or Set for monitor X. Select whichever one you"d like.

That"s it! While there are third-party applications out there that also allow for a multiple background setup, the easiest and fastest way to get it done is by default. Below is an example of two reflected wallpapers on a dual-monitor setup.

To find an extra-wide desktop background, simply head to Google Images and enter the keyword of whatever image you"d like, followed by the phrase wide experience. Then, on the Google images page, click on the Tools option beside Settings. Then, click on the dropdown menu labeled Any size and select Large.

Finally, head to your background settings again and Browse for your wide image. Then, under the Choose a fit option, select Span. That"s it! Now you know how one background spanning multiple monitors looks.

This step is an extension of the step we just discussed above. Like wallpapers, you can also combine entire displays so that the Windows is maximized across all the monitors. While a widescreen might not increase productivity at work, it can be great for gaming or even watching movies.

The steps of doing so can vary depending on the graphics card you have installed on your PC. Our guide to maximizing your window across different monitors covers steps to take for different graphics cards, so make sure you check it out for a great experience.

Now that you know how to configure multiple wallpapers, the natural next step is obvious: video. Setting up a video wallpaper on one or both of your monitors is now a breeze using this well-recommended software from the Steam store: Wallpaper Engine. This, however, is a paid tool.

To get multiple videos on multiple monitors, open Wallpaper Engine. You can open the program after you"ve launched it on Steam by locating its taskbar icon, right-clicking on it, and selecting Change Wallpaper.

Once you"ve opened the software, select a monitor (all of which should appear in the software) and select either Change Wallpaper or Remove Wallpaper. You can also extend a single video to span your monitors via the Layout option in this window as well. After you"ve chosen a display, select Change Wallpaper. In this window, switch to the Workshop tab. This is where you"ll download your video background.

Once you"ve clicked Download, your video will be installed via the Installed tab. This tab functions as a library for your video wallpapers. Remember that this method only allows you to download popular video wallpapers via the Steam Workshop.

You can also download and install your own videos as wallpapers in the application as well. Simply click the button labeled Open from File at the bottom of your window and find your own video file.

Close Wallpaper Engine and restart the process for as many monitors as you"d like. That"s it! You now have stunning, crisp video wallpapers on every monitor at your disposal.

Rainmeter is our favorite Windows desktop customization tool. It allows users to create a simple or complex multi-monitor setup easily. If you are completely unaware of Rainmeter"s potential, head to the article link below to get up to speed.

Dual monitor setups remind me of solid-state drives. Before users own one, they seem frivolous. After they own one, they become indispensable. Maybe you want to be more productive, or maybe you have a flair for a dramatic PC setup.

Multiple monitors have all sorts of advantages — even over single, enormous ultra-wides — from improving productivity to providing versatility in their placement on your desk. But the experience isn’t always perfect. Sometimes, you plug in a second monitor and it doesn’t work at all, or it keeps minimizing your game when you move into it accidentally.

If you’ve followed our guide on how to set up multiple monitors and you’re running into difficulties like the second monitor not displaying properly, not turning on at all, or your games aren’t displaying on the right monitor, then check out the list below of the most common multi-monitor problems for your desktop PC or laptop and how to fix them in Windows 10 and 11.

Although getting no signal to your new monitor can be cause for concern, it’s arguably the easiest problem to fix. It simply means that the display has power, but it isn’t receiving visual data. There are several reasons why this happens and plenty of fixes you can try to sort it out.

Force Windows to detect your monitor: Maybe Windows didn’t recognize your second display’s connection. To force it to check again, right-click the desktop and select Display Settings from the resulting pop-up menu. In the following window, click the Detect button located under the display diagram. In Windows 11, you can find this under the Multiple Displays section.

Turn the screen off and on: Some connection types don’t like hot swapping while a different monitor is powered on. Turn the display off and then on again. That may be all it needs to recognize the video feed and start displaying it correctly.

Verify cable connections: A loose cable can cause “no signal” errors more often than any other problem. If they do seem well secured, unplug them and plug them in again just to be sure.

Remove other peripheral devices: Disconnect any connected cameras or other unnecessary peripherals. If your display starts working afterward, these connections were probably interfering with your setup. You may need to find newer, compatible accessories or use connections on your PC instead of your monitor.

Verify the correct input: Monitors with multiple input options need you to manually select which cable and port you’re using, like HDMI 1, HDMI 2, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, and so on. Use the buttons on your monitor to cycle through the channels and select the correct input from your PC. If you are using an adapter to switch from one type of input to another, this may be causing issues with the other monitor. Try to remove the adapter if possible, or replace it with another adapter to see if this fixes the issue.

Change data cable: If you’re using an older cable standard like VGA or DVI-D, you might want to try a newer alternative like HDMI or DisplayPort. You can also try using a new cable in case the old one has issues (bent pins, a short, exposed wire, etc.).

Change the graphics port: If you’re using a dedicated graphics card with multiple output ports, try switching to another port. Sometimes ports themselves can go bad or somehow get damaged. Switching to another may be all you need to do to correct the problem.

Update your drivers: Windows supports multiple monitors by default, but your current setup may not be configured correctly. Making sure you’re running the latest graphics drivers for your system can sometimes fix problems with no signal errors.

If you’re still having trouble with your extended desktop monitor, verify that it works by unplugging the primary screen and double-checking the above steps again. If it does, consider running it as the primary display until you determine the root problem. If it doesn’t, contact your retailer or manufacturer to discuss a return or replacement.

If you add a new, higher-resolution monitor to your system and find that it’s not displaying correctly, it might be borrowing settings from an older display, or simply trying to match your primary monitor.

Step 4: Select a screen resolution that works best for you. Windows designates one of these resolutions as “recommended” based on the display’s hardware.

If this didn’t work, make sure your monitor and graphics card can run at your chosen resolution. If you’re still running into problems, try updating your graphics drivers.

Note: You can use two monitors of different sizes, refresh rates, and resolutions as long as they have the required connections. However, they will still be limited by their individual specifications. If one monitor has a significantly lower resolution than the other, that’s not going to change, and some things may naturally look different. We suggest not overclocking specs like refresh rate when in a dual-monitor setup. GPUs may already struggle juggling two monitors, you don’t want to make things any hard for them.

If your monitor is set at an incorrect refresh rate, it will display a “no signal” error. That means the PC is outputting a signal the display simply can’t handle, requiring you to manually adjust the output in Windows.

Step 2:The Settings app opens with the Display panel loaded by default. Scroll down and click the Advanced Display Settings link located under Multiple Displays.

When this happens, other monitors will have a puzzling aspect ratio, often only using a tiny part of the screen as if your PC thinks the other monitor has an extra-large 21:9 aspect ratio — or possibly zooming in too far. Typically, this is caused by a resolution or settings issue that can be resolved.

Review your resolution settings: Go through our resolution section above, and make sure that your resolution settings match each monitor you are using. Use recommended or screen-fitting options where possible.

Switch cables: If you have the option, try a different cable standard, like switching from DisplayPort to HDMI or vice-versa. When doing this, make sure the cables you are using support your current resolution — older cables may not support UHD/4K resolutions, which could cause this aspect ratio issue.

Are you using a TV as a second monitor?: If so, go into your TV settings and look for options to turn off the Overscan or Underscan setting. This may also be called a Relax mode. You may also want to make sure there are no Aspect Ratio modes accidentally enabled. Consult your TV manual for more information.

Check your display orientation: This isn’t as common, but the issue may be the monitor’s orientation. In Windows, go to the Display section and look for Display Orientation. Try switching the orientation to something like Portrait, then switch it back to Landscape and see if this helps.

It’s not uncommon for games to display on your second monitor rather than your first, which isn’t ideal if you have a primary display for gaming and a secondary for everything else. Fortunately, there are some quick and easy ways to fix it.

Use in-game settings: The easiest way is often to just tell the game to display on your primary monitor. Some games have the option of selecting a display in their settings menu, so check there first before adjusting anything else.

Check your display outputs: If you find that this isn’t the first time a game or application has displayed on the wrong monitor, you might want to check your inputs. Is your secondary display plugged into the primary display output on your graphics card? Try swapping them around to see if that fixes things.

Make it your primary display: Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings menu, then navigate to System > Display. Select the monitor you want your games to appear on, and select the box next to Make this my primary display.

Only use one monitor: If the above doesn’t work, in Display settings, select the display you want to game on. From the Monitor Settings (Windows 11) or Multiple Displays (Windows 10) drop-down, select Show only on 1 or Show only on 2 as appropriate. You will need to turn this back off once you’ve finished gaming, but it is a surefire way to get your game working on the right display.

There are a few different ways to display content on two screens, but Duplicate is often the default. If your second display merely copies the desktop rather than extend it, here’s how to change that view.

Step 2: Select the Extend option. You can do this by using your mouse, going up or down with the arrow keys and pressing Enter, or by pressing the Windows + P keys to cycle through options.

This can be an issue for designers and artists who find that one of the monitors in their setup has messed-up color saturation or poor color accuracy in general.

Step 1: Unfortunately, there isn’t always an easy fix. If color accuracy and similar factors are important to you, the best way to guarantee them is to get two of the same monitor models. You may need to replace the poor-performance monitor with a copy of your primary monitor with stronger color accuracy.

Step 2: If replacement isn’t an option, you can work to calibrate the poor-performing monitor to fix color issues and get it working properly. Bring up the same image on both monitors, and adjust the settings until they match. If you need serious color accuracy, we suggest consulting our guide on calibrating your monitor and taking a close look at the colorimeter section.

If you’re working with a three-monitor setup, you may find that the first two monitors are easy to connect, but the third monitor is not responsive or not behaving like the others.

Unplug monitors and plug each monitor in one at a time: Sometimes, this helps your computer recognize all three monitors and use them properly, no other steps are needed.

Make sure that your settings are on Extend these displays: In theMultiple displays sections of Displays on Windows, make sure the Extend these displays option is chosen. It’s a good idea to check all your Display settings to make sure they are set up for multiple monitors: Sometimes a Windows update can reset them.

If you find that your games keep minimizing when playing on a single monitor, you might be accidentally clicking in the pane of your second display. Some games don’t lock the boundaries of their fullscreen window, which means that when you move to the edge of the screen, your pointer can transition into the second window.

Clicking selects that second monitor, or whatever is on it, minimizing the game. This is particularly problematic in games without a mouse pointer, like first-person shooters. Here are a few methods for fixing the minimization problem:

Check your display options within the game itself: If you’re playing in “Windowed” mode, try switching to “Full Screen” instead, as it captures your mouse. If that doesn’t work, try switching to the “Borderless Window” mode. It won’t stop your mouse from moving to the other screen, but it can stop the game from minimizing when it happens. You’ll just need to click back into the game window.

Use a third-party app: Applications like the Dual Monitor Tool can let you lock a mouse pointer to a specific monitor. Just remember to unlock the mouse when you’re done.

Turn off the second screen: It’s a little drastic but turning off the second screen when playing games that don’t need it prevents you from drifting into that extended space mid-game. Simply press the display’s power button, or press the Windows + P keys and select the PC Screen Only option.

This can happen if you go into sleep mode or your monitors switch to screensavers, then you open back up. Suddenly, you find that all your app windows or tabs have changed places, often all moving to the first monitor display, ruining your setup, and wasting plenty of time moving them all back. This is a known issue on Windows 10, most likely due to “Rapid Hot Plug Detect” issues, but there are things you can do to fix the problem.

Update to Windows 11: Windows 11 specifically has a new feature to deal with this problem, so if you update you can fix it. In Windows 11, visit the Display setting, and look in the Multiple Displays section. Here you will find an option to Remember Window Locations Based on Monitor Connection. Make sure it’s enabled, and that should solve your problem.

Switch off DisplayPort: You can also switch from DisplayPort to HDMI. This problem appears to be unique to DisplayPort connections, and you may be able to prevent it from happening by using another connection option.

Sometimes your secondary computer monitor will work, but it will encounter distortions and artifacting that make it difficult to use or impossible to play games with. If your first monitor does not have these display issues, then the issue is probably related to your hardware. You can usually fix it by trying these steps:

Check monitor ports: Make sure all ports on your computer are clean and dust-free. If it’s been a while, clean them out very carefully with a few jets of compressed air and make sure there is no damage or debris to the port or cable.

Buy a new monitor cable for the secondary monitor: It may be that your cable is old and failing. This is especially true if it isn’t shielded and is experiencing interference from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and nearby electrical noise. Find a new cable that has great shielding.

Shorten the cable length: If possible, pick a new cable that’s shorter than the older one. The longer data has to travel through the cable, the more chance of interference, so a shorter cable can cut down on artifacting and similar problems.

If you are using switch converters or adapters, try connecting without them: Look for cables that don’t need separate adapters or switches to control.

In this case, you have been using a multi-monitor setup for a while now and everything has been working fine — but suddenly your other monitors just stop working altogether. Fortunately, this can usually be fixed.

Check your connections: Cover the basics, and make sure your other monitor is still properly connected and that cables haven’t come loose since you last booted up.

Give Windows a reminder: Sometimes Windows stumbles a little and sort of loses track of your additional monitors. Give it a refresh by pressing the Windows Logo + Ctrl + Shift + Bkeys. Hold them all down for a second and let go. See if this helps bring your other monitor back to life.

If necessary, roll back driver updates: If your display driver recently updated, it could be causing the issue. Go to Device Manager, select Display Adapters, and select your display adapter to see more. Go to Properties, look at the Driver tab, and choose Roll Back Driver.

If you have different size monitors, especially with different resolutions, it can be very difficult to share images between them as if they were one ultrawide — the pixels just won’t match up properly. If you’re willing to do some work, you may be able to fix this problem.

Step 1: The most direct way to deal with this is to adjust a monitor’s resolution scaling. You can either adjust one monitor to bring everything into scale or set the same scale for both monitors at a level that will help them work together. Divide the vertical pixels per diagonal inch of both monitors to find the right scale to set the monitors — Reddit has some helpful guidance here. Review your monitor settings and see if you can set the resolution or DPI scale this way. Your GPU settings may also be able to help.

Determine the type of video connectors that are available on your computer and the monitors. The number of video connectors depends on the type of graphics card that is installed in your computer. Most graphics or video cards on a desktop computer can support two or more monitors depending on the graphics card and computer specifications. However, laptops can support up to two monitors depending on the computer specifications. To learn more, see the Dell Knowledge Base article How to Connect a Monitor to a Dell Computer.

Once the cables are connected securely, your computer should automatically detect and display the desktop screen on the connected monitors. You can now select the display style that best suits your needs.

Microsoft Windows provides multiple display style options on how the desktop screen is displayed across multiple monitors that are connected to your computer.

Extend - Stretch the desktop across the two displays. The desktop screen of your computer is extended across all the detected monitors and allows you to have a desktop screen that spans across all monitors.

To learn how to change the screen resolution, adjust the refresh rate and change the size of fonts and icons, see the Dell knowledge base articles that are listed below based on the operating system that is installed on your computer:

Whether in the office, home office, or for gaming – two screens are better than one. However, setting up dual monitors depends somewhat on available connections and cables. Read on to find out how to connect a second screen to a laptop or PC.

When splitting your Windows screen no longer suffices, you’ll need an additional monitor. Added screen space is easier on the eyes and simplifies working with several applications simultaneously. Gamers can enjoy high-resolution graphics by installing an additional monitor.

If you only want to view videos or pictures on a larger screen, you don"t need to install an extra monitor. With Windows Miracast, for example, you can easily connect your PC to a TV.

The majority of modern laptops and PCs support connecting a second monitor by default. All you need to consider are the ports on your end device and which monitor you’d like to connect. Before you head out to purchase one, be sure to check the type and number of ports on the laptop or PC.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is one of the most common connection types of modern monitors and many TV users will already be familiar with it. The connection type is compact and transmits video and audio signals. A modern HDMI connection is suitable for 4K resolutions and a frame rate of 60 Hz. If your monitor and laptop or PC have one or two HDMI ports, you just need a single HDMI cable. If you want to connect two monitors but only have one HDMI port, use an HDMI splitter. Be sure that the splitter has the same refresh rate as the HDMI cable.

USB-C is a USB port format that’s often found on new, slim laptop models. The advantage of USB-C is that it can be used for charging while also supporting the transmission of audio and DisplayPort signals with Alternate Mode. DisplayPort refers to monitor interfaces for image and sound signals and high transfer rates. The USB-C downstream and DisplayPort Alternate Mode can be used to link several monitors. If you only have a few USB-C ports, use a USB-C dongle. Ideally, a USB-C donglehas at least two HDMI interfaces for monitors. Alternatively, a dongle can be paired with a HDMI splitter.

DisplayPort is similar to HDMI and transmits audio and image signals at high frame rates. Thus, the connection is particularly suitable for 4K. Laptops often have a DisplayPort or miniDisplayPort and can be connected to monitors that have a DisplayPort port. For monitors without DisplayPort, a corresponding adapter is required. Thanks to multi-stream transport, multiple monitors can be connected via DisplayPort and coupled to a laptop via a splitter or adapter.

DVI and VGA are analog, older connection standards that only transmit image signals. If the monitor and end device have DVI or VGA ports, they can be connected via the corresponding DVI or VGA cable. With the appropriate DVI-HDMI or VGA-HDMI adapter, older monitors can be connected to laptops and PCs to transmit HDMI signals. Modern connection standards are preferable in any case, as they offer better resolution, refresh rates, and color values.

Even if your laptop only has a single HDMI or USB-C port, you can connect dual monitors. Using a suitable HDMI splitter, a USB-C dongle, or a USB-C dongle with HDMI interface, you can easily connect two or more monitors to your laptop.

Once you connect one or more monitors to your laptop, you can set up two or more monitors in Windows and specify which monitor you wish to use as the main one. Windows usually detects display devices connected to the laptop or PC automatically and assigns numbers to them. The main monitor is designated number 1. All others are numbered in ascending order.

Step 2: Under “Display” and “Multiple displays” you will see display devices detected by Windows, e.g. one or more additional monitors. Click “Detect” if none are visible.

Step 3: Go to “Advanced display settings” to make changes to the arrangement and order of the connected monitors. Adjust further settings such as the screen resolution, for example.

Step 4: The easiest way to change the use mode of the connected monitors is to use the shortcut [Windows] + [P]. Settings such as “Duplicate” let you mirror desktop content. With “PC screen only” or “Second screen only” you determine whether you only use one of the connected screens. Use “Extend” to create a connected desktop from connected monitors. These options can be found in the “Display” menu under “Multiple Screens”.

Another problem could be that Windows displays a second monitor as the main monitor. If you want to keep the PC or laptop as your main monitor, go to “Settings” > “System” > “Display Device” and select the “Rearrange Display Devices” option. Then click on “Identify”. You should be able to see the assigned digit on each screen. If you wish to change the order, go to “Advanced display settings”.

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Your computer monitor is a major factor in deciding how good Windows will look on your PC. Indeed, even if your PC stays exactly the same, adding a higher-resolution monitor or a larger display can make a world of difference. To get the most out of your display, it’s important to acquaint yourself with your monitor’s onboard settings and calibrate it correctly. Equally important, however, is knowing your Windows 10 Display settings, and what all your adjustments will do.

In this article, we’re going to look at everything you can do to adjust your display in Windows 10. To play along, open the control panel and click the settings cog to open the Settings app. You can also hit the Windows Key + I. Next, click on System > Display. Now let’s dive in.

There’s only one option in this first section, and that’s for the Night light. The night light is supposed to filter the amount of blue light emanating from your display thereby allowing you to sleep better while still using your PC late at night. We won’t get into the arguments for or against this proposition, but if you want to use this option this is where it is.

There is a simple slider to turn the night light on or off. There’s also a Night light settings link underneath the slider. Clicking this will take you to a second screen where you can activate the night light by clicking Turn on now. Below that is a slider that allows you to adjust the “strength” of the night light. Turning it up reduces the amount of blue in the monitor and maxing it out gives the monitor a red filter. Turning it all the way down returns your monitor to its normal state. By default the night light strength is set to around 50 percent.

Finally, this second screen has a Schedule option. Flipping that slider button to On will let you customize the hours that the night light is active. By default, it’s automatically scheduled to be on from sunset to sunrise based on your location.

Otherwise, you can set your own hours by selecting the Set hours radio button. This gives you two simple options: Turn on, where you can set the time using AM/PM; and then Turn off, using the same interface.

If you have an HDR monitor this is where you can make adjustments to your display. First, you should see a slider button labeled Use HDR. Turn that on. If you don’t see this slider then you probably have to enable HDR in your monitor’s onboard settings. How you do that depends on your monitor’s manufacturer, so consult your manual for instructions on how to turn on HDR.

Once HDR is activated on your monitor, click the link Windows HD Color settings. This takes you to a second page with a number of options that only appear when HDR is active.

At the top is a drop-down menu to switch between displays if you have a multi-monitor setup. Then it shows a summary of your HDR options and what’s active. These include Stream HDR video, Use HDR, and Use WCG apps.

If you want an in-depth look at how to maximize your monitor’s HDR potential, check out our tutorials on How to enable HDR in Windows 10 and Everything you need to know about HDR on your PC.

This is where you can adjust your display’s resolution, orientation, and scaling. At the top is a drop-down menu labeled Change the size of text, apps, and other items. We recommend using at least 125 percent scaling on 1080p display resolutions and higher to make it easier on your eyes, but find the scaling that works best for you.

If you want a scaling that’s between the presets click Advanced scaling settings. On the next screen you’ll see an option for Custom scaling where you can enter anything between 100 and 500 percent. Custom scaling is not recommended as it can really mess things up. If you need it, however, it’s here.

At the top of this screen there’s also a slider button to allow Windows to try and fix apps from being blurry, which can sometimes happen with scaling. Overall, however, Windows 10’s scaling presets work very well.

Going back to the primary Settings > System > Display window, there are also options for setting your display resolution. This should almost always be set to your display’s native resolution. Then below that is the display orientation for landscape and portrait mode options—landscape is the default.

Finally, we’re at the last option where you can set up multiple monitors. If you’re using an older display with your PC it may not be detected automatically. If that’s the case, click the Detect button. Otherwise, you’ll see a drop-down menu labeled Multiple displays. The default is to use the Extend these displays option, which lets you use both displays as one big desktop. That way when moving the mouse across the desktop (to the left or right) the mouse moves to the second display automatically.

You can also choose Duplicate these displays, which can be helpful if you want to show one display to a group and navigate on the laptop screen facing you. Then there’s Show only on 1 and Show only on 2, which will only show Windows on the primary display (1) or the secondary display (2).

If you do have a multi-monitor setup, Windows 10 will automatically display at the top of the Settings > System > Display screen a graphic showing the number of monitors Windows 10 detects. Here, you can rearrange where your monitors are in physical space by clicking and dragging the monitors around. There are also Identify and Detect buttons to help you organize your monitors.

Returning to the multiple displays section, there’s a link labeled Advanced display settings. This takes you to a second page where you can view the attributes for each monitor. At the top is a drop-down menu listing your displays.

Then there’s a Display information option that shows various attributes including resolution, refresh rate, bit depth, color format, and color space. If you need to adjust any of these attributes, click the link below Display information labeled Display adapter properties for Display 1. This will change depending on which of your displays you’re currently set to view settings for. If, for example, you switched to view the settings of your secondary monitor then the link would say Display adapter properties for Display 2

Clicking that link will open a properties window where you can set the maximum refresh rate, adjust monitor properties, and adjust color management settings.

Going back to the primary window for Settings > System > Display > Multiple displays there’s also a link labeled Graphics settings. This opens another secondary page where you can turn on the option to use a variable refresh rate (FreeSync) if available, and a Graphics performance preference preset. This lets you set preferences on a per-app basis. You can, for example, choose to have your games explicitly set to high performance, and opt for power saving performance for web browsing.

For the most part, it’s best to let Windows choose automatically between high performance and power saving; however, you can explicitly set certain apps if you want to.

Multiple monitors have all sorts of advantages — even over single, enormous ultra-wides — from improving productivity to providing versatility in their placement on your desk. But the experience isn’t always perfect. Sometimes, you plug in a second monitor, and it doesn’t work at all, or it keeps minimizing your game when you move into it accidentally.

Although getting no “signal” to your new monitor can cause concern, it’s arguably the easiest problem to fix. It simply means that the display has power, but it isn’t receiving visual data. There are several reasons why this happens and plenty of fixes you can try to sort out.

Maybe Windows didn’t recognize your second display’s connection. To force it to check again, right-click the desktop and select Display Settings from the resulting pop-up menu. In the following window, click the Detect button located under the display diagram.

Some connection types don’t like hot swapping while a different monitor is on. Turn the display off and then on again. That may be all it needs to recognize the video feed and start displaying it correctly.

A loose cable can cause “no signal” errors more often than any other problem. If they do seem well secured, unplug, and plug them in again to be sure.

Monitors with multiple input options need you to manually select which cable or HDMI port you’re using, like HDMI 1, HDMI 2, DisplayPort, and so on. Use the buttons on your monitor for cycling through the channels and select the correct input. Are you using an adapter to switch from one type of input to another? If so, this adapter may be causing issues with the other monitor. If possible, try to remove the adapter or replace it with another adapter to see if this fixes the issue.

If you’re using an older cable standard like VGA or DVI-D, you might want to try a newer alternative like HDMI or DisplayPort. You can also try using a new cable if the old one has issues (bent pins, a short, exposed wire, etc.).

Are you using a dedicated graphics card with multiple output ports? Try switching to another port. Sometimes ports themselves can go bad or somehow get damaged. Switching to another is all you need to do to correct the problem.

Windows 10 supports multiple monitors by default, but your current setup may not have the proper configuration. Check to see that you’re running the latest graphics drivers for your system can sometimes fix problems with no signal errors.

If you’re still having trouble with your extended desktop monitor, verify that it works by unplugging the primary screen and double-checking the above steps again. Consider running it as the primary display until you determine the root problem. If it doesn’t, contact your retailer or manufacturer to discuss a return or replacement.

Suppose you add a new, higher-resolution monitor to your system and find that it’s not displaying correctly. In that case, it might be borrowing settings from an older display or simply trying to match your primary monitor.

If this doesn’t work, make sure your monitor and graphics card function at your chosen resolution. If you’re still running into problems, try updating your graphics drivers.

Note: You can use two monitors of different sizes, refresh rates, and resolutions as long as they have the required connections. However, monitor specifications will still have limitations. If one monitor has a significantly lower resolution than the other, that will not change, and some things may naturally look different. We suggest not overclocking specs like refresh rate when in a dual-monitor setup. GPUs may already struggle juggling two monitors. You don’t want to make things any harder.

If your monitor has an incorrect refresh rate, it will display a “no signal” error. That means the P.C. is outputting a signal the display can’t handle, requiring you to adjust the output in Windows 10 manually.

The Settings app opens with the Display panel loaded by default. Scroll down and click the Advanced Display Settings link located under Multiple Displays.

There are a few different ways to display content on two screens, but Duplicate is often the default. If your second display merely copies the desktop rather than extends it, here’s how to change that view.

Select the Extend option. You can do this by using your mouse, going up or down with the arrow keys and pressing Enter, or pressing the Windows + P keys to cycle through options.

If you’re working with a three-monitor setup, you may find that the first two monitors are easy to connect, but the third monitor is not responsive or not behaving like the others.

In theMultiple displays sections of Displays on Windows 10, ensure that you choose the Extend these displays option. It’s a good idea to check all your Display settings to ensure they work on multiple monitors: Sometimes, a Windows update can reset them.

Sometimes your secondary computer monitor will work, but it will encounter distortions and artifacting that make it difficult to use or impossible to use. If your first monitor does not have these display issues, then the issue is probably related to your hardware. You can usually fix it by trying these steps:

Make sure all ports on your computer are clean and dust-free. If it’s been a while, clean them out very carefully with a few jets of compressed air and make sure there is no damage or debris to the port or cable.

It may be that your cable is old and failing. This issue is especially common if your cable isn’t shielded and is experiencing interference from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and nearby electrical noise. Find a new cable that has great shielding.

If possible, pick a new cable that’s shorter than the older one. The longer data has to travel through the cable, the more chance of interference so that a shorter cable can cut down on artifacting and similar problems.

In this case, you have been using a multi-monitor setup for a while now, and everything has been working fine — but suddenly, your other monitors stop working altogether. Fortunately, you can usually fix this.

Sometimes, Windows stumbles a little and sort of loses track of your additional monitors. Try a refresh by pressing the Windows Logo + Ctrl + Shift + Bkeys. Hold them all down for a second and let go. See if this helps bring your other monitor back to life.

If your display driver recently updated, it could be causing the issue. Go to Device Manager, select Display Adapters, and select your display adapter to see more. Go to Properties, look at the Driver tab, and choose to Roll Back Driver.

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