How to use multiple monitors in Windows 10

After you’ve connected your Windows 10 PC to external displays, you can adjust the settings for each one.

Video: Connecting a monitor

Here’s a video on the basics of connecting to an external monitor.

Before you start

Before changing settings for your external displays, make sure everything is connected properly. Here’s what you can do:

Make sure your cables are properly connected to your PC or dock.

Check for Windows updates. To check for updates, select Start > Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.

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 10 PC and select Start > Settings > System > Display, then select Connect to a wireless display.

Rearrange your displays

You’ll see this option when Windows detects more than one display. Each display will be numbered to help you identify them more easily.

Identify a display

To see which number corresponds to a display, select Start > Settings > System > Display > Rearrange your displays, then select Identify. A number appears on the screen of the display it’s assigned to.

Detect a display

If you connected another display and it isn’t showing in Settings, select Start > Settings > System > Display > Rearrange your displays, then select Detect.

Arrange your displays

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.

Change display options

After you’re connected to your external displays, you can change settings like your resolution, screen layout, and more. To see available options, select Start > Settings > System > Display.

Change orientation

Windows will recommend an orientation for your screen. To change it in Display settings, go to Scale and Layout, then 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.

Choose a display option

To change what shows on your displays, press Windows logo key + P. Here’s what you can choose.

See things on one display only.

See the same thing on all your displays.

See your desktop across multiple screens. When you have displays extended, you can move items between the two screens.

See everything on the second display only.

Second screen only

Related topics

Simply Windows on Youtube — These videos are only available in English

Set Up Multiple Displays (Windows 7 and later)

nView display modes enable you to view your desktop in one of several multi-display modes to make the best use of the displays (monitors) that are connected to your computer.

In Single mode, your desktop is displayed on a single monitor

In Clone mode, your desktop is duplicated on each display.

In extended mode, you have extra desktop space on the additional display, which you can configure independently. You can move your desktop items and distribute applications to this additional display.

Select the displays you want to use.

This section lists the displays connected to your system, and shows to which GPUs they are connected. Use this section to select which displays to use.

In non-SLI modes, you can select up to two displays per GPU.

In SLI mode with GeForce 8 series and later GPUs, you can select up to two displays connected to GPUs within the same SLI group. Under 4-way SLI mode, only GPUs that have two display connectors can be used to drive displays. Typically, display connectors lined up on the same slot position are connected to the same GPU.

Arrange the icons to match your display configuration.

This section operates in a similar manner to the Windows Display Settings page and includes additional functionality. It shows which displays are enabled and in what configuration (extended mode or clone mode), and for displays connected to a GPU operating in SLI mode it shows which display has full SLI acceleration for full-screen applications. This is also called the «SLI focus» display.

In this section, you can

Click and drag the icons to match your display position.

Right-click an icon and then click Identify to locate the corresponding display.

Right-click an icon and then click Make Primary to designate that display as the primary display.

The «primary» display is where your Windows taskbar, system logon message, and applications appear by default.

Switch from extended mode to clone mode by right-clicking one of the display icons, then from the pop-up menu click the display (or display group) that you want to be in the same Clone group.

Designate one of the Clone displays to be the Clone source by right-clicking the clone group, then from the pop-up menu click the display you want to be the source.

Switch from Clone mode to extended mode by right-clicking the display icon box and then clicking Extend .

My display is not shown

If you cannot see your display listed, then clicking My display is not shown opens the Detect Missing Display dialog box.

Rigorous Display Detection: Detects older and non-detected displays.

Force Television Detection: You can force detection of your connected television if you could not see it in the display list.

How to Change the Main Display in Windows 10 ?

I have multiple Displays .. I cant Set my main as main .. it Keeps showing as number 2 ?!

Wasted 2 hours of my time trying to do that .. please clarify how to do that ?

>>>>(I need No1 on the right side and No2 on the left side ) I have the same question (200)

Replies (3) 

Thank you for posting your question ion the Microsoft Community.

Sorry to know that you are facing this issue.

Please answer these questions to get more clarity on this issue:

Have you installed all pending updates on the computer?

Have you updated all device drivers after upgrading to Windows 10?

You may unplug all external devices connecting to the computer, restart the system and then plug in the external monitor to check if that helps.

Click the larger monitor icon with the number two on it. Check the box below the “Multiple displays” menu that says “Make this my main display”, then click “Apply,” followed by “OK” to dismiss the window to see if that helps.

Further you may also update the display driver from Device Manager to check if that helps.

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Hello, thanks for reply

Its not an individual issues .. none of my friends could solve it either .. the Window that allowed me to choose different wallpapers for each Desktop is Gone .. Its not there in Windows 10 ..

And the Option To set a Display as main .. Doesn’t Show Unless its Duplicated or single Display .. On Extended Doesn’t Show its somehow transparent .. Cant set it . So If it Duplicated or Single .. whichever display I choose to click on : Set this as main Have you installed all pending updates on the computer? Yes

Have you updated all device drivers after upgrading to Windows 10? Yes

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How to create an insane multiple monitor setup with three, four, or more displays

Why stop at just two screens?

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By now, a dual-monitor setup has become commonplace. Multitasking on a single screen is just way too confining. But why stop at two displays? I can speak from experience: Having multiple monitors (and I’m talking three, four, five, or even six) is just…awesome, and something you totally need in your life.

Right now, my main PC has a triple-monitor setup: my main 27-inch central monitor, with a 24-inch monitor on either side. I use my extra monitors for a number of things, such as comparing spreadsheets side-by-side, writing articles while also doing research, keeping tabs on my social media feeds, and, of course, watching Netflix.

Using one of your monitors in vertical orientation can make a big difference for scrolling long documents. If you’re a gamer, well, surely you can see how great three-plus monitors can be for games that support multi-monitor setups. You can even use your TV as an extra computer monitor!

But before you jump in, you want to give your multi-monitor plan some forethought. This guide will walk you through all the factors you need to take into account before setting up three or more monitors.

Step 1: Check your graphics card(s)

Before you run out and buy a bunch of extra monitors, check to see whether your computer is physically capable of handling all that graphics prowess. First, look at the back of your PC: How many graphics ports (DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA) do you see?

If you don’t have a discrete graphics card, you may only see two video ports—most motherboards come with integrated graphics that can only run dual-monitor setups. If you do have a discrete graphics card, you’ll probably see at least three ports, not including the ports on your motherboard.

Tip: While it is possible to set up multiple monitors using ports on both your motherboard and your discrete graphics card, you’ll see a performance drop and some lag when you move windows between monitors. If you want to do this, you will also need to enter your PC’s BIOS and go to Configuration > Video > Integrated graphics device and set it to “Always enable.”

Just because you see three or more ports on your discrete graphics card, however, doesn’t necessarily mean you can use all of them at the same time. For example, many older Nvidia cards are unable to run more than two monitors on a single card, even if they have more than two ports. The best way to find out whether your graphics card supports multiple monitors is to find the name of your card (Control Panel > Device Manager > Display Adapters) and Google it with the monitor setup you’re looking to run (e.g. “Nvidia GTX 1660 four monitors”).

Most modern graphics cards, like this EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 KO, can power several displays simultaneously.

If your graphics card supports—and has enough ports for—the number of monitors you want to set up, excellent. If not, you may need to purchase an additional graphics card to get the multi-monitor support you’re looking for.

Before you buy an extra graphics card, you’ll need to make sure you have enough space in your tower (and open PCIe slots), as well as a power supply unit that can handle the extra strain.

If you buy a graphics card solely for the purpose of having multiple monitors, it’s best to get buy a cheaper modern option, as current GPUs can power several displays without issue. Check out the best budget graphics card section of our GPU guide for your best options.

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Alternatively, newer monitors with DisplayPort multi-streaming support can be daisy-chained together from a single DisplayPort 1.2 connection on your graphics card, using additional DisplayPort cables to connect the additional monitors to one another. The various displays don’t even need to be the same size or resolution. ViewSonic’s VP2468 is one such example. At around $210 on Amazon, this 24-inch monitor is on the pricier side, but in addition to DisplayPort-out, it also offers a premium IPS screen, and a super-thin bezel, which is ideal for multi-monitor setups.

Step 2: Select your monitors

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Once you figure out your graphics card situation, it’s time for the fun part: obtaining extra monitors. In general, monitors can be had for fairly cheap these days. Assuming you can’t finagle a hand-me-down, a 24-inch monitor with an IPS screen will run you around $100, such as the Acer R240HY. You can get a 24-inch TN screen, which will likely trade strong off-axis viewing for a lower response time—something gamers might prefer—for roughly the same money, such as the Asus VS248H-P ($120 on Amazon). You can also find smaller IPS monitors at around 21.5 inches, such with this HP Pavilion IPS display.

Meanwhile, it you’re looking for even more screen real estate, you can find a decent 27-inch IPS screen for under $200, such as the $160 ViewSonic VA2759-SMH.

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Of course, the perfect monitor for you depends on multiple factors, including the monitors you already have, the size of your desk, and what you’re planning on using your extra monitor for. (Of course, resolution is yet another variable, and you can see our article about 1080p vs. 4K monitors to help you make a decision in that area as well.)

In my case, I already had two 24-inch monitors, and I wanted a larger monitor as the centerpiece of my setup, so I picked up a 27-inch monitor and placed it between my two 24-inch displays. I’m not using my multi-monitor setup to play multi-monitor games, so the difference in sizes (and the difference in heights—my 27-inch monitor’s stand holds my 27-incher about one inch higher than my 24-inchers) isn’t an issue for me. However, if you’re planning on doing a lot of gaming or watching videos that span multiple monitors, this height difference will make for a not-so-seamless experience.

A DisplayPort connector (left) and an HDMI cable (right).

Before you buy your monitors, you’ll also want to make sure they have input ports that

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correspond with your PC’s output ports. While you could use conversion cables, such as DVI-to-HDMI or DisplayPort-to-DVI, they can be a hassle. If you have a VGA port on your PC or your monitor, I suggest staying away from it: VGA is an analog connector, which means your picture will be noticeably less sharp and colors will be less vivid.

Step 3: Set up your PC

Set up your monitors, plug them in, and turn on your PC. Voila! A perfectly-formed multi-monitor setup! Well, not so fast. Setup is easy, but there are still a couple more steps.

The first thing you’ll want to do is configure Windows to play nicely with your multiple monitors. If you’re running Windows 7 or Windows 8, right-click on the desktop and click Screen resolution; in Windows 10, click Display settings. This will take you to a screen where you can configure the options you have for multiple monitors in Windows.

Here, you can confirm that all your monitors are detected. Click Identify, which will cause a large number to appear on each of your displays, so you can determine which screen is which. Select the monitor you’d like to serve as your main display (which will also determine where your taskbar and Start button appears). A drop-down menu lets you choose whether to duplicate your desktop or extend your desktop across all the screens. In most multi-monitor setups, you’ll want to extend your desktop across all three (or four, or whatever) of your displays.

Alternately, you can set up your multi-monitor configuration in your GPU’s control panel. Right-click your desktop and choose either the Nvidia or AMD control panel (depending on your graphics card), and find the Display section, which will offer similar options as Windows.

Gaming

It’s one thing to use multiple monitors to do work and watch Netflix. It’s another thing entirely to use multiple monitors to play video games. If you want to use your snazzy new multi-monitor setup to do some three- or four-panel gaming, there are a few extra things you’ll have to take into consideration.

Gaming on several displays at once requires far more graphical firepower than gaming on a single screen alone, because the GPU has so many more pixels to push—so if you’re not running a sufficiently robust graphics card or cards, you’ll almost certainly see lag and artifacting in your multi-monitor games. Once again, check out PCWorld’s guide for choosing the best graphics card for gaming.

Before you can start playing your games across multiple panels, you’ll need to set up your graphics card and your game. Nvidia users will need to set up Nvidia Surround, while AMD users will need to create an Eyefinity group for their monitors.

You’ll also need to go into your game—not all games are multi-monitor compatible—and configure the video or display settings to the correct resolution so that the game spans across all of your monitors instead of staying squished on just one. You’ll also want to play around with other settings as the game allows, including field of view (too low, and there will be too much going on around you; too high and everything on your left and right screens will be hugely distorted).

For gaming, it’s easier if you have multiple identical displays, because otherwise you’ll run into issues with resolution, distortion (if your displays aren’t at the same height), and color calibration, all of which can be difficult to work with if you’re trying to play in a “seamless” environment.

Sarah is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles. She has a love/hate relationship with social media and a bad habit of describing technology as «sexy.»