How to Duplicate Display Across Monitors
Show me how to mirror my display on multiple monitors!
So, you want to learn how to duplicate your screen on more than one monitor? Well, I’ve got you covered! Let’s dive in and I’ll show you how to make that happen.
First things first, connecting your monitors is essential. You’ll need the appropriate cables to connect your monitors to your computer. Most often, this will be an HDMI or a VGA cable. Once you’ve got the cables, plug one end into your computer’s video output port and the other end into the corresponding port on your monitor.
Now that your monitors are hooked up, it’s time to configure the settings. On a Windows computer, right-click on your desktop and select “Display settings”. A window will pop up with your monitor configuration options.
Here’s where the magic happens! Scroll down until you see a section called “Multiple displays”. In this section, you’ll find a drop-down menu where you can choose how you want your displays to behave.
If you want to duplicate your display on all monitors, select “Duplicate these displays”. This will create an exact copy of your screen on each monitor. Perfect for when you want everyone to see the same thing.
Once you’ve made your selection, click “Apply” and you’re done! Your display will now be mirrored across all of your monitors. Pretty neat, huh?
Keep in mind that different operating systems may have slightly different ways of achieving the same result, so be sure to explore the settings specific to your computer.
Now you’re all set to enjoy the wonders of a duplicated display! Whether you’re giving a presentation, watching a movie with friends, or simply multitasking like a pro, having your screen duplicated on multiple monitors can greatly enhance your experience.
So, go ahead and give it a try! I’m confident that you’ll find it both useful and impressive. Happy duplicating!
Having multiple monitors can be really useful for a bunch of different tasks. It’s a real lifesaver when you’re working on a desktop and you need to have a few different applications open at once. Usually, two screens will do the job, but if you’re a gamer, you might want to go for three if your PC is up to the task. On the other hand, duplicating your screen can be a great design tool that lets you see how things would look on another display.
There are a couple of ways you can duplicate your display across monitors. In this article, I’m going to show you how you can easily do it.
Use Hot Keys
Here’s what happens when you first connect a second monitor: Windows should automatically show the screen on both monitors. If you’re using a PC with an existing monitor and you connect it to an external monitor or a screen projector, it should work in a similar way.
Have you ever wanted to quickly duplicate what’s on your screen? Well, let me share with you one of the speediest methods to do just that. Here’s how you can make it happen:
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- To connect your monitors to your computer, use the VGA, DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort ports that are compatible with your hardware. The newer options are the HDMI and DisplayPort.
- To ensure a faster and smoother experience, it’s recommended to close all other programs.
- To access the Project dialogue box, press the Windows key and P together.
- In the Project dialogue box, you’ll find four options:
- Second screen only – This option is useful for laptop users who want to use a larger and more powerful external display instead of their laptop screen.
- Duplicate – This option duplicates the image on your main monitor and displays it on the additional screens. It’s great for presentations, watching movies, or teaching.
- Extend – This option expands your desktop across the additional monitors, providing more screen space to work with. It’s ideal for gamers, developers, and writers who need extra visual real estate.
- PC screen only – This option sends information only to your main or default display, leaving the additional screens black and inactive.
- Select Duplicate as your choice in the Project dialogue box.
If you’re using a laptop and don’t see any picture on the second screen, check for a key on the top row of your laptop’s keys that depicts two monitors. Press it.
For most laptops, you can use a combination of the Fn key and one of the F keys at the top (like Fn + F8 on ASUS VivoBooks) as the hotkey. This allows you to cycle through different settings, such as using only an external monitor or using both the laptop and an external monitor.
Navigate to Your Settings
If you prefer not to use hotkeys, follow these steps:
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- First, press the Windows key and then choose Settings.
- Next, select System and then click on Display.
- If you can’t find your other monitors, don’t worry. Just click on the Detect button. Your computer will recognize the additional monitors, giving you more options to customize.
If your monitors are different sizes or models, you might want to adjust the scaling level for each one. This is also important if the DPI settings on your monitors are different. You can even flip the screen if you want.
Just like with hotkeys, you can configure how your additional displays are used. In other words, you can choose to extend, duplicate, or use a single screen only.
This gives you more choices on how you want your desktop to appear on your extra monitors.
If your screens have different resolutions or aspect ratios, duplicating the displays is usually the best option. For example, if you connect a 1024×768 projector to a laptop with a 1366×768 screen, both devices will function at 1024×768, and there will be black bars on the left and right sides of your laptop screen.
In addition, if some monitors aren’t detected automatically by your PC, you’ll need to manually identify them.
Use External Apps
If you prefer, you can use a third-party program to duplicate or extend your display across multiple monitors.
DisplayFusion is a great option for users with multiple monitors. It offers a wide range of features and customization options. The Pro version of the software costs $29 per user, but there is also a free version available.
The main difference between the two is that the free version doesn’t include multi-monitor taskbars or screensavers, Windows lock screen settings, or the Alt + Tab Handler.
DisplayFusion Pro has more choices for dual-monitor setups than most other applications. Each monitor can have its own wallpaper, you can customize the lock screen, screensavers can span across all monitors, and you can even save desktop icon configurations. Plus, you can set up scripted macros.
The Pro version also includes a multi-monitor taskbar that keeps the Start and Show Desktop buttons on the second monitor, along with window thumbnail previews. Additionally, DisplayFusion Pro offers extra customization options for Windows 10 and remote control apps for Android and iOS devices.
A popular third-party app that you might find useful is UltraMon. It’s compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP through Windows 10. However, there’s a catch – UltraMon comes with a price tag of $39.95 and doesn’t offer a free version.
One of the key features of UltraMon is its taskbar extension, which allows you to move the taskbar to your second screen. You have the option to either display the programs currently running on that screen only or show all active programs across all of your monitors.
If you decide to use this program, you can assign different backgrounds and screensavers to each of your screens. Additionally, with UltraMon’s mirroring feature, you can clone the displays on both screens and easily maximize windows across both monitors simultaneously.
Enhance Your PC Experience
No matter how you choose to optimize and expand your screen, you can expect the same gratifying outcomes. On top of that, third-party applications offer full customization options for all your screens.
When you want to return to a single screen, simply choose one of the options Show desktop only on – based on the monitor where you want to display your screen. Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + P and select “Computer only” to show your screen on either your primary or secondary monitor, depending on your preference.
