how to rearrange display screens price

The refresh rate of a display is the number of times per second that the image refreshes on the screen. For example, a 60Hz display will update the screen 60 times per second.

Overall, the refresh rate determines how smoothly motion appears on your screen. For example, if you’re playing a game that has a lot of fast-moving action, a higher refresh rate can help improve your overall gaming experience to keep up with the action. A higher refresh can also help you get a better experience with smoother motion when you"re browsing the web or using a digital pen to write or draw.

A higher refresh rate can also reduce battery life because it uses more power. So if you"re using a laptop or tablet and want to save some battery, you could lower the refresh rate. However, that might also reduce the overall experience when you"re using your device.

Note:You might see the word “dynamic” next to some refresh rates that are listed. Dynamic refresh rates will increase the refresh rate automatically when you’re inking and scrolling, and then lower it when you’re not doing these types of things. This helps to save battery and provide a smoother experience.

Under System , select Display . Your PC should automatically detect your monitors and show your desktop. If you don"t see the monitors, select Multiple displays , then Detect.

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.

Whether you"re content creator, programmer, data analyst, gamer, or someone who"s recently been forced to work from home, a system with multiple monitors not only looks great, but it can significantly improve productivity when multitasking with several apps. However, a multi-monitor setup is only practical as long as you configure it correctly.

Windows 10 has several features and settings to support one, two, three, four, and even more monitors without the need for third-party software for the best experience.

In this Windows 10 guide, we"ll walk you through a bunch of tips to configure and use a multi-monitor setup, whether you"re connecting an external display to your laptop, or you"re connecting two, three, or more monitors to your workstation.

Before configuring multiple monitors on your device, make sure that all the necessary cables are connected to the monitors and the computer. This includes connecting power and video signal using VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort (recommended) cables.

If you"re not sure, confirm the make and model of the monitor (usually from a sticker in the back), and search online for the manufacturer manual to get a better idea on how to connect the display.

While you can connect a monitor to any available video ports on the graphics card, when setting up a dual-monitor or triple-monitor setup, it"s easy to plug them in the wrong order. Although they will still work, you may run into issues using the mouse and running applications until you rearrange them correctly.

If you"re not sure which monitor you"re selecting, click the Identify button to figure out. If one of the monitors isn"t showing up, make sure it"s receiving power and connected correctly, and click the Detect button. In the case that you"re still having problems, reset their connections (or restart the computer), and try the Detect button again.

When connecting one or multiple displays to a computer, Windows 10 does a pretty good job detecting and configuring the most optimal settings. However, depending on your requirements, you may need to adjust scaling, resolution, and orientation for each monitor.

Windows 10 includes settings to adjust the scaling, which are useful when setting up various monitors of different sizes and screen resolutions to make text, apps, and other items look the same size across the displays. Or, if you have a 4K display, for example, adjusting the scale settings can help to make items bigger and more readable.

After you complete the steps, you may need to repeat steps No. 4 and 5 to change the scaling settings on the other monitors, and then click the Sign-out option to apply the changes.

While you can adjust the scaling settings on a per-monitor basis, when possible, it"s always best to use the same make and model of the monitors with the same configuration. Otherwise, you may run into issues, and Windows 10 may have problems scaling elements.

If you"re in the market for a second monitor to expand your laptop or desktop canvas, we recommend the Dell UltraSharp U2719D because of its accurate color reproduction, size, slim vessel design, VESA mount compatibility, and value.

Dell builds great quality monitors, and the U2719D is a good example. It has everything you need, including DisplayPort and HDMI, VESA support, 27-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels for anything you want to be done.

After you complete the steps, sign out of your account and sign back in to test the new settings. If the new scaling configuration doesn"t look right, use the same steps again and try a different value until you find a comfortable setting.

If you want to switch to the predefined scale settings, you must first turn off custom scaling and sign out. Otherwise, the option will be grayed out.

Usually, after connecting a monitor, Windows 10 will set the recommended pixel resolution automatically, but you can also change the resolution manually with these steps:Open Settings.

Windows 10 also allows you to rotate the screen horizontally or vertically, which is particularly useful when you have monitors with stands that rotate, and you want to use them with a different orientation for reading or coding.

Using the available settings, you can also choose the viewing mode for your displays. For example, if you"re using a second monitor, you can expand the main screen to the new display, or you can mirror both monitors, which is an ideal option when showing a presentation. If you"re using a laptop with an external monitor, you can even disable the main display, and only use the second monitor as your primary.

Under the "Multiple displays" section, use the drop-down menu to set the appropriate viewing mode:Duplicate desktop — Shows the same desktop on both displays.

After you complete the steps, you may need to repeat steps No. 4 and 5 to set the display mode on the remaining monitors. Also, note that using these settings, you can make any of the monitors as your primary display.

Typically, when using a multi-monitor setup on a desktop or laptop, you want to use the "Extend" option. This allows you to use the primary monitor normally and the secondary monitors at their native resolution creating a single large canvas.

Duplicate is a good option when using a second monitor or projector to show a presentation. In contrast, the Second screen only option is great when you want to close the lid on a laptop and work only with the external monitor.

Although it"s not always recommended to modify your advanced display settings, because not all monitors are created equal, sometimes, you may need to make a few adjustments to improve color accuracy and remove screen flickering.

Important: We only recommend adjusting the advanced settings if you have a rough idea of what to do. Typically, you should be fine with the default display settings.

If your monitors aren"t rendering the colors accurately, you can use a custom color profile to improve color accuracy using these steps:Open Settings.

When configuring a custom color profile, you should use those created by your display manufacturer or from a trusted source. If you"re not sure, you can use these steps to download the correct color profile for your monitors.

Usually, a refresh rate (frames per second) of 59Hz or 60Hz is more than enough to operate a computer, though you"ll definitely want to look at the best monitors for Xbox Series X and Series S if you plan to game at higher framerates. However, if you"re noticing screen flickering, or if you have monitors that support a higher refresh rate, bumping the settings can provide a better and smoother viewing experience — especially for gamers.

On a multi-monitor setup, the taskbar by default will appear only in the main display, but you can change the settings to show it across all the displays using these steps:Open Settings.

If you want to control in which taskbar the buttons for running apps should appear, then use the Show taskbar button on the drop-down menu and select one of the available options:All taskbars.

Windows 10 offers a lot of settings to adjust the look and feel of the desktop, but when using multiple monitors, setting up different background images on each display is one the most significant customization that you can make to personalize your experience.

In addition to the instructions outlined above, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind when setting up a computer with multiple monitors. For example, unless it"s a laptop, you shouldn"t try to adjust the brightness or color using Windows 10 or another application. Instead, you should use the controls built into the monitor.

In the case that the second monitor isn"t getting detected, check its connections, and use the Detect button in the Settings app. If you"re still having issues, you can use this guide to troubleshoot and fix common problems.

Finally, when using one or multiple monitors, you may come across a black screen, which it"s typically a video driver related problem. If you"re not sure how to fix this issue, you can follow these steps to resolve the problem.

In display settings, the 4K screen is at 250% DPI scaling, while the FHD monitor is at 125%, so any window / text / icon / cursor appears as having the same apparent size across both screens.

So, when moving the mouse cursor from the bottom part of the 4K display to the left, it will get "stuck" at the screen edge! This is totally counter-intuitive for any workflow, since the screens are the same physical size, sit next to each other on my desk and display stuff at the same size.

Reducing the resolution of my 4K monitor is NOT an option. (Besides needing the 4K for specific tasks, I have 3 different workplaces, and changing the resolution every time is a hassle).

I currently run Win 2004, if updating to 20H2 can change anything that is a valid option. The external monitor uses DP over USB-C (ASUS ZenScreen MB16ACM)

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.

Set the Primary and Secondary MonitorRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Set the Monitor ResolutionRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Set the Monitor Display StyleRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor (e.g. box "1" corresponds with the left monitor and box "2" corresponds with the right monitor).

Click the "Multiple displays" drop-down menu and choose from the following optionsSelect "Duplicate these displays" to enable the secondary monitor display to mirror the primary monitor display.

Set the Monitor PositionRight-click on your desktop and select "Display". At the top of the resulting dialogue box, your available monitors appear as blue, numbered boxes. Each box represents a monitor.

To change the monitors" position, click, drag, and place the blue, numbered boxes to your preferred position. If you are unsure which monitor is "1" or "2," click the "Identify" link. The assigned monitor number will then appear on each monitor"s screen.

Actual Multiple Monitors improves Windows® user interface when working with several monitors at once. Install Actual Multiple Monitors to get such essential controls as Taskbar,

Start menu, system tray and Task Switcher on each connected display, quickly allocate windows between monitors (either manually or automatically), improve the look-and-feel of

your desktop with the multi-monitor desktop wallpaper and screen saver, switch your laptop between internal display and external displays in a click with desktop profiles.

Play your favorite games on one monitor and chat, serf web, stream online video, etc. on the others at the same time without fear that the game will minimize.

You no longer need to move the cursor to the primary screen to access the taskbar. With Actual Multiple Monitors you will get a fully functional taskbar onto each display. No matter which monitor you are working with - the following Windows 7, 8 Taskbar features will be available anywhere:

Be saved from routine tossing of windows between monitors - new buttons in each window"s title bar give an instant access to advanced window functions and let apply them in a single click:

Hotkeys is the tool of professionals, and Actual Multiple Monitors supports them in full. Most of program functions can be activated via hotkey, and you can customize the key combinations at will. Moreover, you will be able to add your own hotkeys for some window operations

Gamers will appreciate several features of Actual Multiple Monitors that were developed specifically for enhancing multi-monitor gaming experience, making it more attractive and convenient:

Ignore Deactivation - prevents the game from being minimized. By using this feature you can play your favorite games on one display and stream, surf web, watch full screen video, and etc. on others.

Divider allows you to divide the entire large desktop or each monitor into several non-intersecting areas (tiles). If you put a window into one of such tiles, the window will expand up to tile"s borders only.

If you prefer arrange your windows manually, Actual Multiple Monitors will help you make it faster and more accurate by snapping a certain edge of the dragged window to:

Mirroring is a special function that allows observing a certain window, monitor or a custom part of desktop in a separate window on another monitor. It can be useful in various specific situations:

when you give a report or presentation, you can work with materials on your main display, mirroring its necessary part only onto the projector for your listeners

You may get along just fine with only one computer screen, but adding a second can give you much more room to work. This upgrade isn’t just for creative professionals or seasoned programmers—it’ll let anyone spread out their apps, edit documents side by side, and multitask like a pro. That, in turn, will boost productivity and efficiency.On top of the benefits, it’s both easy and cheap to hook up that second screen to your desktop or laptop computer. Here’s how to set up a second monitor, from purchasing a good screen to setting it up properly.

Most computers have the built-in ability to power a second screen. First, find the HDMI or DisplayPort socket on your laptop or desktop. If you own an older computer, you might be looking for a white DVI or a blue VGA socket instead. All four types of ports let you connect your computer to a television, projector, or other secondary screen.

If your computer has one of these ports, all you’ll need is the proper cable. However, some thinner and lighter laptop models lack a compatible port. For those, you may have to add an adapter into the mix.

For example, slimmed-down laptops like Apple’s MacBook Air and Google’s Pixelbook rely on USB-C ports for data transfer, charging, and video output. A few monitors do accept USB-C, but not all do. In that case, you’ll need an adapter to covert USB-C to HDMI (like this $16.99 dongle) or to DisplayPort (such as this $9.85 adapter cable) before you can plug the laptop into your monitor.

Some computers will require other dongles. Take Microsoft’s Surface Pro 5: it includes a Mini DisplayPort that accepts a Mini DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cable (like this $10.99 one), which will, in turn, plug into any monitor with a DisplayPort. Alternatively, if you prefer an HDMI monitor, you could connect the Surface to a Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI dongle (such as this $5.99 adapter), then a standard HDMI cable.

When picking your cables or adapters, look for the maximum resolutions they can support and make sure they match the monitor you buy. You should also check the refresh rate the cable supports, which is measured in hertz (Hz). A higher refresh rate means the screen can change more quickly, which improves the viewing quality for everything from gaming to watching movies.

You won’t necessarily have to buy your second screen. If you’ve got an old monitor lying around the house, see if it will work with your laptop or desktop computer before getting rid of it. Even if it’s a bit dated by today’s standards, you should be able to find an adapter to help. This will help you avoid spending any money on your extra display.

Still, you may have to buy new gear to complete your second-screen setup. Now that you’ve checked your computer’s ports, you’ll need a monitor that matches them—or that can be made to do so with a suitable adapter. Ideally, look for monitors with USB-C, HDMI, or DisplayPort inputs, as these are the most common modern standards.

Once you’ve decided on the correct input, you can check other specs, such as screen size, resolution, and price. Bigger, higher-resolution screens will give you more room for your movies, spreadsheets, and video games, but they inevitably cost more, too. It’s up to you where you want to make the compromise, but you’ll generally want to go for the biggest, highest-resolution screen your budget can accommodate.

If you’re on a laptop, though, be aware that powering more pixels will take more graphics processing power and therefore use up more battery life. In other words, the bigger the second display, the bigger the drain on your battery.

Other specifications to look out for include contrast ratios (the difference between the white and black pixels), response time (how quickly the screen responds to your inputs), and viewing angles (from how acute of an angle you can see the screen). As usual, online reviews are the best way to measure the quality of a display. That said, Dell and LG have a particularly good reputation for their screens.

Setup is extremely easy: As soon as you plug in a second monitor, your computer will recognize it without requiring any extra software or a complicated setup process. You can, however, take a few optional steps to configure it exactly as you like it. The exact process will depend on your computer’s operating system.

On Windows, tap Windows+P to switch between four display modes: PC screen only (only the original computer screen is active), Duplicate (your two screens show the same thing), Extend (your two screens act as one large display), or Second screen only (the external monitor is the only active one). Most of the time, you’ll want the Extend option, which will allow you to open apps and windows independently on both screens. To further configure your second display, open the Start menu, click the Settings icon (the cog symbol), and choose System, followed by Display. From here, you can configure the brightness, resolution, and orientation of both screens. If you’re using two displays as one extended screen, you can also use this menu to set which monitor will be on the left and which on the right.

Over on macOS, open the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, and then click Displays. Under the Arrangement tab (which will only appear once you’ve connected to a second screen), you can change the relative positions of your displays—which one is on the left screen and which is on the right. Using the Mirror Displays checkbox, you can also switch between mirrored mode (the two screens act as duplicates) and extended mode (the two screens act as one display). In addition, you can set the screen resolution from this same menu.

If you’re on a Chrome OS computer, click the information panel in the lower right-hand corner (where the clock is). Then select the cog icon, go to the Settings panel, and choose Displays. From this menu, you can configure whether the second display acts as an extension or a duplicate of the first one, set the resolution and orientation of your displays, and position them in virtual space.

When you’re done, sit back and enjoy using your second screen. If you’re operating in extended mode, you can drag program windows between displays and maximize them on either screen. And whenever you disconnect or switch off the second monitor, your operating system will automatically revert back to its default configuration.

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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We"re very excited to announce that DisplayFusion 10.0 Beta 18 is now available for download! We apologize for this release being so delayed again but it allowed us to completely rewrite the monitor configuration and profiles code for much improved compatibility and reliability. You can read more about the monitor configuration changes here. This version fixes many issues, makes some UI improve...

Apple’s M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are full of surprises, though their limited monitor support is one surprise that no one expected. Thankfully, you aren’t stuck living life with just one desktop monitor. Here’s everything you need to use two or more external displays with your M1 MacBook.

We’re going to use software called DisplayLink to add up to six external monitors to your M1 MacBook. This workaround works well and doesn’t compromise the M1 MacBook’s speed. Plus, your Mac will treat monitors connected over DisplayLink just like any other external monitor, so you can control everything from System Preferences and not some annoying app. DisplayLink also works when your MacBook is closed—a concern that some people have when they first hear about this workaround.

Still, DisplayLink has a minor impact on CPU usage, and the macOS “Unlock With Apple Watch” feature doesn’t work while DisplayLink is enabled. While this workaround works today, a future macOS update could temporarily “break” DisplayLink support. Keep that in mind when you see some of the prices in this guide!

Before you download DisplayLink, you should shop around for a DisplayLink-compatible docking station or USB adapter. This hardware is expensive, but it’s required for DisplayLink, a fact that could make you reconsider using more than one external monitor with your MacBook.

If you decide not to buy a DisplayLink docking station or adapter, consider using a laptop riser and a USB-C hub with HDMI-out to create a makeshift “dual monitor” setup.

Some USB-C Thunderbolt 3 docking stations have built-in DisplayLink functionality, enabling you to connect multiple external monitors to your MacBook without additional dongles or adapters. Just run the DisplayLink software, use HDMI or DisplayPort cables as you normally would, and hit the ground running.

Most people who want to run 4 or more external monitors from their MacBook should go with the Dell Universal Docking Station. Not because it’s the best DisplayLink dock, but because it’s the best bang for your buck. The Dell Universal Docking Station supports up to four external displays (one native, three through DisplayLink) with 4K resolution and packs 65-watt pass-through charging. Problem is, this dock lacks a wide port selection, with just 2 USB ports, one USB-C port, and an Ethernet jack.

If you don’t mind spending more money, then the Kensington SD4900P is a better option than the Dell Universal Docking Station. It supports four displays with 4K resolution, 60-watt charging for your MacBook, and a wide port selection with several USB ports, card readers, and an Ethernet jack.

But what if you want more than four external displays? There aren’t many DisplayLink docking stations with that kind of monitor support, and the ones that exist cost way too much money. If you want to run five or six external displays with your M1 MacBook, then you’ll need to pair the Dell Universal Docking Station or the Kensington SD4900P with a cheap USB DisplayLink adapter.

Dell"s Universal Docking Station supports four external monitors with 4K resolution via DisplayLink. It doesn"t have a wide port selection, but it"s the cheapest docking station for four+ monitor M1 MacBook setups.

If you don’t need a ton of external monitors, then you should skip the expensive docking station and buy a USB DisplayLink adapter instead. These small adapters can add dual or tri-monitor support to your MacBook for a much lower price than full-sized docking stations. Nearly all USB DisplayLink adapters connect to your computer via USB-A, so you’ll also need to buy a USB-C hub if you don’t own one already.

Single-port USB DisplayLink adapters bring the cost down significantly from most docks. If you want 4K video support, StarTech’s adapter is your best bet, but if you’re fine with HD video, look at adapters from Wavlink, Plugable, and Cable Creation to see which is the cheapest (they go on sale a lot). Dual-port DisplayLink adapters cost a bit more, and StarTech’s 4K dual-port adapter is one of the only reasonably-priced options.

Don’t forget that your MacBook doesn’t have USB-A ports, so you need to buy a USB-C hub. This hub will provide an HDMI output for your M1’s native video-out signal, plus a few USB-A ports for your USB DisplayPort adapter. I suggest buying a USB-C hub with pass-through charging, like the cheap Anker USB-C hub. Larger hubs, like the VAVA 12-in-1 are ideal if you want a wider port selection or a cleaner-looking setup. (A USB-C hub without pass-through charging will also work if you happen to have one lying around.)

Whatever USB-C hub you end up buying, make sure that it has an HDMI port. Otherwise, you’ll have DisplayLink USB video output, but you won’t have any way to use your MacBook’s native video-out signal!

Once you have your DisplayLink docking station or adapter set up, go ahead and download the latest DisplayLink software. DisplayLink will ask for “Screen Recording” permission during installation—don’t worry, this simply enables the software to render external displays.

After installation is complete, a DisplayLink icon will appear in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen. Clicking this icon shows a mostly empty window, as all of your DisplayLink monitor management happens through the macOS System Preferences. Still, you should ta