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Multiple Monitors in Windows

 When it comes to improving your productivity, there are many aspects of your PC setup that can have a positive impact. A more powerful processor will crunch through tasks faster, and extra memory will help when there are lots of programs running at the same time.

But for those who spend long hours working with PCs, most will say that having two or more monitors gives the greatest boost to day-to-day productivity.

No more swapping between windows, while trying to keep track of what you're doing; faster and easier drag and drop from folder to folder; lots of additional desktop space to view more things at once. Here's our quick and easy guide to setting up a multi-monitor display in Windows. Connect an additional monitor to your PC.

Naturally, the first thing you need to do is connect any additional monitors you want to use to your PC. If it's a desktop computer, you can use one of two methods, depending on your hardware.

Desktop PC / Discrete GPU

If you are using a discrete graphics card, you should have a port at your disposal as shown in the image below. One of these ports is used for the primary monitor, so which one should I use? The graphics card we're using has three DisplayPort (DP) connectors, one HDMI (bottom left) and one DVI (top right).

You can mix and match monitor connections, so if the main one is DisplayPort and the new one is HDMI, then it's fine to hook them up. But if you want to use two new monitors, and they're both HDMI, then you'll need to connect at least one of them to DO and use a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter.

Laptops or Integrated Graphics

If you're using a desktop PC without a discrete graphics card or a laptop, then the decision becomes more important, as your options are going to be limited. Most motherboards will only offer one or two display output sockets (DP and/or HDMI), and laptops typically just have one.

You might think that a single HDMI output on a laptop will restrict what you can do, but it's possible to add two monitors to a single output using an HDMI splitter--however, both screens will display the same content. Some laptops support HDMI Type-C Alternate Mode, so you can connect two monitors using a USB Type-C to HDMI cable and display one on the other.

Monitor settings in Windows.

Once everything is plugged in and powered on, it's time to take a look at your Windows settings and adjust how your second monitor displays everything.

Press the Windows key or enter the Start menu and click Settings. From there, click on the Display section of the main menu. In Windows 11, the following screen is displayed. All screenshots in this article use Windows 11. For Windows 10 users, you will need to first click on System and then click on Display to see a similar screen with everything you need to change.

For now, let's focus on the first part of the setup process, which is configuring the monitor layout in Windows. You need to set one monitor as primary monitor and the rest as secondary monitor.

Basically, the primary monitor displays the start menu, taskbar, clock, etc.., and the secondary monitor is used to duplicate or extend the desktop. To do this in Windows 11, click on Multiple displays, to drop down more options.

Select the monitor you want to be primary and then check the make This is my main display option--in the image above, monitor 1 is primary, and monitor 2 is second. If we wanted it to be the other way around, it'd simply be a case of clicking on the second monitor and ticking the option.

While we're here, let's briefly cover the other tick options:

Remember windows locations based on monitor connection is useful if you're using a laptop that you have to detach from other monitors; Using this option will force you to remember what monitor was being used for various windows. So, as you dock and undock the computer, windows will reopen where you last had them. Minimizing windows when the monitor is off belongs to the latter and does exactly what it says! When you enable this feature, when you remove the monitor, any windows that are displayed on the monitor will be minimized rather than open and running. For displays with multiple monitors of different sizes / resolutions, it is important to be able to move the cursor easily between displays. When disabled, the cursor can get stuck in a corner of the monitor that is not aligned, but when enabled, the cursor always moves between screens. These advanced options are only in Windows 11. This behavior is partially supported in Windows 10, but there is no easy way to control it. Set the role and location of additional monitors.

In this article, we have two monitors physically side by side with the primary monitor on the left. It also has an additional monitor as an extended desktop. That is, when the cursor moves to the far right, it appears on an additional monitor.

To change this, click the menu to the right of the "identify" button (this will cause your monitor to display a number telling Windows which one it is). You will see four options.

Clone these displays so that all monitors show what is on the primary monitor. This is useful, for example, when you want to demonstrate the use of a program and show it off to others. Extending these displays essentially provides a larger desktop. The Show only on...option turns off one or more attached monitors, leaving only the selected monitor active. This may seem a bit overkill if the monitor is close, but it's a convenient way to keep the monitor from displaying anything if it's slightly far away (like a projector on the ceiling). To do this in Windows 10, you need to scroll to the bottom of the display settings window to access several display options. A quicker way to change these settings in both Windows 10 and 11 is to press the Windows key and P together. A small window will open to the right of your primary monitor displaying the same options.

Now back to the way the monitor is. They are physically side by side, with the primary on the left, but Windows doesn't have to do that. Let's say you want to extend your desktop below your primary display rather than to the right.

    In both versions of Windows, this is done by clicking-and-holding the monitor we want to move and then dragging it into the desired position. Once in place, click Apply and the new location will be set.

Don't forget that Windows can't tell where the extra monitors physically are, so if you have them vertically stacked or are using three side-by-side, then this step is absolutely required to get the overall display just how you want it.

If the secondary monitors are smaller than the primary, then their placement is vital for a smooth cursor transition, even with the' Ease cursor movement' option enabled. For example, if the primary is a 4 K screen but the secondary is only 1080p, then it will appear to be a quarter of the size in Windows (even if the monitors have identical screen dimensions). In these cases, it's best to experiment with different locations to find the one that best suits your usage style. Placing the secondary in the middle of the primary's vertical height is probably the best compromise.