How to connect a second monitor in Windows 10. The computer does not see the second monitor

There are only three options for connecting 2 monitors to one computer. Almost any user can use them, regardless of experience in using computer technology.

Although for the most effective options you will have to make certain expenses. And, in any case, configure the system and data display mode.

The need for two monitors

There are many options for using two displays simultaneously on one computer.

First of all, such a multi-monitor system will allow you to keep many more windows fully open.

For a designer, constructor and photographer, an increased working area means greater detail of objects.

Work efficiency also increases for users using graphs and diagrams - with two monitors there is no need to constantly switch between several documents, which are conveniently placed on one, twice as large area.

Another fairly common possibility of using two screens is gaming applications. With their help it is ensured best review on the sides.

And for laptop owners, an additional wide screen (which can even be used as a plasma TV) allows you to get much more pleasure from the game.

Two screens are also useful for programmers, giving them the opportunity to see how the result of their work will look in several browsers.

In production, during the educational process and in the office - each such work or study place may require displaying information from one computer on several monitors at once - this will save both space (you don’t have to sit together at one display) and money (there is no need to purchase another computer).

Connection steps

The first stage of connecting (physical) several screens is quite simple.

To do this, you will need to have a sufficient number of inputs of the appropriate type on your computer, as many cables and, if necessary, an adapter.

After this, the system itself can detect the presence of two output devices and adjust the image, or you will need to configure it manually using standard means Windows (or other OS).

There are only three ways to physically connect 2 monitors:

1. Using a video card with several outputs (Fig. 3). If the computer was purchased to work with graphics, and the video card is quite modern and powerful, it may already have several connectors installed - for example, 2 HDMI or 1 VGA and 1 HDM. If there is only one input, you may have to purchase a new video card;

2. Installing an additional video card in the second slot motherboard.

This option is suitable if your computer has an old graphics processor, and it is not possible to buy an expensive new board with 2 inputs;

3. Using a special splitter (splitter). This method is the most inexpensive and is suitable for any computer, but it can lead to a reduction in the permissible frequencies of monitors.

The image quality will decrease, which will be especially noticeable when running FullHD video on screens. To work with static images, using a splitter is quite acceptable.

Advice: when using a laptop, the ability to connect a second monitor should already be provided (there is an additional connector on the side). Changing the video card on many laptop computers is not only expensive, but often simply impossible. However, most modern laptops and even netbooks have a monitor input by default.

Compatibility of cords and inputs. Ports

To connect monitors to computers, a cable is required to align their connectors. For two displays you will need the same number of cables of the correct type.

Connectors can be as follows:

VGA. Just a few years ago, this was a standard connector for most monitors and computers.

Now, to combine an old PC and a new display, or, conversely, an outdated screen and a modern device, an adapter may be required;

DVI. A more modern interface that provides support for analog and digital signals;

HDMI. The connector is suitable for connecting a computer to devices with clear digital signals - for example, televisions and plasma panels.

It is often found not only on PCs, laptops and TV sets, but even on tablets (in the form of miniHDMI);

DisplayPort (mini DisplayPort). An interface that has a number of advantages even over HDMI.

It’s not very common, but it allows you to connect multiple screens with high resolution (up to 4K);

USB. A standard port found on computers for more than 15 years. Not very suitable for transmitting high-quality images and is not often found on monitors.

However, it solves the compatibility problem, for example, for a laptop or netbook with missing connectors for other types of video.

Basically, it is simply impossible to connect the cable incorrectly due to the large number of differences in the plugs.

The only problem that may arise is the lack of suitable adapters. And all you need is to find and buy the appropriate parts.

For laptops with a monitor connector, the task becomes even easier.

And if you need to connect your computer to a TV or monitor located at some distance, you should use WiFi extenders.

Setting up monitors

After 2 monitors have been connected to the computer, operating system usually quickly detects and configures both on its own.

And on each screen you can see the same image, which can be convenient when conveying the same information to a group of users.

Advice: When monitors have different resolutions, the images on them are automatically adjusted. Therefore, it is advisable to use screens with the same aspect ratio (4:3 or 16:9).

However, in some cases automatic settings does not happen - one monitor starts normally, the second shows no signal.

Most often this happens due to a poor signal (especially if splitters for 2 monitors are used).

Another reason is the lack of suitable operating system settings.

To fix the problem, do the following:

• Open the “Display” tab – through the “Start” menu (for W7 and higher) or through the options tab in the desktop properties window (for W XP);
• Select "Screen Resolution Settings".

If both screens are connected, configured and working properly, you will see two images with numbers.

Here you can also adjust the resolution of each display and even its orientation (for example, turning it on its side and working with an image in portrait format).

If one of the screens goes dark, click the Find button.

If the monitor was connected correctly, the system will configure it after a while and allow it to display information.

Now you can press the Win and P keys simultaneously, after which you can see the settings panel on the screen.

By selecting " Duplicate", you get the same image on each display.

When selecting " Expand"The image will be enlarged on as many monitors as are connected to the computer.

There can be not only two, but also three or even 9.

Laptops sometimes have a special button to make it more convenient to connect and configure an additional display.

With its help, you can switch the image from a laptop computer to a large display.

In this case, the laptop may show the same image, part of the image, or turn off altogether if the connection was made to improve the usability of the device.

Two desktops

Often a situation arises when the monitors should not have a duplicate or expanded image, but two completely different pictures.

It is almost impossible to implement such an opportunity using your computer.

To do this, you will need to purchase a professional (or an additional second, which can be ordinary) video card and organize several independent information streams.

To simplify the task, a special device will help, the task of which is to connect two monitors to one computer and organize two work processes.

A device called M atrox DualHead2Go will allow you to work with 2 displays, even with a low-power graphics processor and analog output.

In addition to connecting the adapter itself, for it to work you will need to install the drivers that come with it.

If necessary, using Matrox DualHead2Go you can connect two monitors even to a laptop.

Thus, the mobile computer will receive 3 displays at once, 2 of which will show one information, and the third will show another.

Using your tablet

If desired, you can connect not only a full-fledged monitor or TV, but also a regular tablet as an additional screen.

To do this, you will need to install one of two applications:

• ScreenSlider, working with Android;
• iDisplay works with both Android and iOS.

Each program has two parts - for a computer and a tablet. In this case, both Windows and MacOS can be installed on the PC.

The first part will add a new virtual monitor to the system, the second will start working on the tablet only after the computer’s IP has been entered.

Using both applications, you can stretch the image across multiple monitors or duplicate the image. They will also help set the orientation of the screens.

Conclusions

Once you have managed to connect and configure both monitors, you can get an expanded picture, increasing the level of convenience of work or play.

If, however, some minor problems still arise with the display of data (black bars around the edges or insufficient clarity), it is worth checking the settings of the video card (several video cards) or updating the corresponding drivers.

Many people use an additional monitor (screen) to expand their workspace in order to work with a larger number of open applications. In this article I will tell you how to connect a laptop with a second monitor, which is done very simply and quickly, since the function is available by default.

Miracast technology in Windows 10 (8.1) )

Miracast is a data exchange technology that appeared in 2012, based on Wi-Fi standard Direct. With its help, you can give a presentation or play your favorite game on the second screen. According to the Service Microsoft support, if installed on devices Windows 10 (8.1 ) and there is Wi-Fi adapters, you will probably connect to your wireless display (laptop) and start projecting. Of course, the laptop must be no older than 2013 and be within the coverage area wireless communication(the closer, the better).

If the connection is not established, i.e. the message " PC or mobile device does not support Miracast", the problem can be solved by updating the drivers, and above all the Wi-Fi adapter.

Setting up a second monitor in Windows 10

• To enable Miracast, on the connected laptop via a hot combination Win+I"Open "Options" → next, " System"→ section" Projecting to this computer". Then, after checking the screenshot, make it available wireless transmission data.

• On your main PC, click " Win+P" and in the "Project" panel that appears, select " Expand" (a desktop will be created Windows, where you can move objects with the mouse) or " Repetitive" (same image on two screens).
• Finally, at the bottom of all projection options, click on the link " Connecting to a wireless display" and the "Search for wireless displays / audio devices" will begin → when the one you need is found, select the device in the list. By the way, in the same panel there is "Projection to this computer", which opens the already familiar OS settings section of the same name.

To turn off the second monitor, close the laptop lid, putting it into hibernation (sleep) mode, or move it outside the Wi-Fi zone, taking it to another room.

Dmitry dmitry_spb Evdokimov

Today you won’t surprise anyone with a multi-monitor PC configuration. And soon, we can expect that having a single display on a desk will become the exception, not the rule. This is what people say who have had the opportunity to compare the convenience of working at a computer with one and multiple monitors. And the second option, if you believe their words, is much more convenient than the first.

Statisticians share the same opinion. According to their research, if you connect 2 monitors instead of one, the productivity of personnel involved in processing large amounts of information increases by 15-60%. What can we say about gamers, for whom multi-monitor systems are the only opportunity to plunge headlong into the virtual world?

How many monitors can be connected to one computer? Connection conditions

It is unlikely that anyone is able to give an exact figure possible connections monitors per PC, but 50 or more are definitely possible. It all depends on the budget you are willing to allocate for it. To create video walls from dozens of modules, such as in the photo below, special controllers are used. Their task is not just to display the image on many screens, but also to provide each picture with decent quality.

However, video wall controllers are an extremely expensive solution that not every enterprise can afford. A more affordable option is a video server with several multi-channel video cards. But it can cost the owner several hundred thousand rubles.

The average user, like most of us, does not need such excesses. Homemade gaming systems As a rule, they consist of no more than six monitors, and they can be connected not just to one computer, but to one video card. But to achieve the maximum high quality images, it is better to distribute the monitors so that there are no more than two or three per video camera.

Connecting two monitors is supported by almost any modern video card, even one built into the processor (chipset). Three or more - all AMD models, starting with series 5, as well as NVIDIA GTX 600 and newer.

In addition to multi-channel support, the following are important for creating multi-monitor configurations:

• Availability of outputs on video cards that coincide with monitor inputs (the use of adapters is allowed in extreme cases, when there is no other way to connect). Moreover, AMD requires a mandatory DisplayPort interface on at least one of the displays (with the exception of certain branded video cards with a built-in DisplayPort-DVI adapter). NVIDIA does not impose such conditions.
• Video driver support for all monitor resolutions.
• Sufficient amount of video memory. 2048 Mb is the conditional minimum for a two- or three-monitor configuration in a non-gaming system. For four or more monitors, especially if you plan to use the computer for games, there should be at least 2 times more memory.
• High data bus bandwidth (from 128 bits) and good memory speed (the more, the better). The narrower the tire, the higher the speed should be.

To connect monitors to different video cards, the latter do not need to be combined into SLI or Crossfire. In some cases, in addition to the discrete card (inserted into the connector), you can use the built-in video, if it supports Motherboard BIOS boards (there is an “Always Enable” option for the output of the built-in video card). But in such configurations, each pair of displays served by one video chip operates independently of the other. This means that you won't be able to create a common visual space across all screens.

If your computer is equipped with a single video card, you can connect monitors to several of its ports or to one. To connect 2 or more screens to one video card with 1 input, you will need a signal divider - a splitter. For example, as in the photo below. This modification can distribute a signal to 4 monitors, but the picture quality usually decreases (it depends not so much on the splitter as on the video capabilities). If the flow is barely enough for a single screen, dividing it into “rivulets” will reduce the resolution, clarity and scanning frequency. And the more connections, the lower the quality.

When you connect a splitter to displays with different resolutions, the picture quality on them will be different: on some it is better, on others it is worse. And you won’t be able to correct it individually, except perhaps through the settings of the monitors themselves.

AMD cards that feature Eyefinity technology (powered by GPUs rulers ATI Radeon R800), allow you to connect up to 6 displays to them and combine them into a single visual space. But here everything is tied to the DisplayPort interface, which, unfortunately, not all devices are equipped with.

The following are acceptable combinations of connection interfaces when building multi-monitor systems using AMD Eyefinity technology:

• To combine 3 monitors into one system, one of them must be connected via DisplayPort or miniDisplayPort (miniDP), the second via DVI, and the third via VGA, HDMI or the same DVI.
• If there are 4 monitors, two devices must be connected to DisplayPort, the third to DVI, and the fourth to VGA or HDMI.
• In a five-monitor system, all 5 or 3 monitors are connected to DisplayPort (miniDisplayPort), one or two to DVI, and one, if any, to HDMI.
• The six-monitor configuration provides a connection via miniDisplayPort only.

NVIDIA Surround/3D Vision support for multi-monitor configurations allows you to create a shared gaming space from three monitors. However, for this you will need either a dual-processor video card, or combining two or three cards in SLI. You can connect several more displays to the remaining video outputs; they will work independently of the others.

If you do not have the task of building a video wall to display one picture on several screens, it is not necessary to adhere to the rules described above. Monitors can be connected in any configuration through any interfaces, based on 2 devices per 1 video processor. In this case, each of them will display its own desktop, and you can switch between them, drag windows from one desktop to another, etc.

How to connect and configure additional monitors in Windows

Physical connection of devices

The process of physically connecting a second, third, etc. monitor to the video card ports is not difficult. Simply insert the connectors of the connecting cables into the sockets of both devices, remembering to first unplug them from the outlet.

When creating a dual-monitor setup, use the same interfaces whenever possible, for example, DisplayPort only or HDMI only, so that the image quality on the two screens does not differ much. If there are no identical ports on your video card, connect via different ones, for example, DVI and HDMI or HDMI and VGA. It is permissible to use adapters from one interface to another only in extreme cases, since signal conversion is always accompanied by losses, sometimes significant. The same goes for splitters. If you can do without them, try to do without them.

Once connected, turn on the power system unit and monitors. Recognition of the latter, as a rule, occurs automatically. All you have to do is customize them to suit your needs.

Connecting a second monitor to laptops is done in the same way as to desktop PCs. The only difference is that the video card that will serve the additional screen is determined by the system, not the user.

Multi-display adapters

If the picture quality on the main and additional displays varies greatly, and also if you need to connect not one, but 2 additional monitors to your laptop, a specialized device - a multi-display adapter - will help out. This is a small box with a processor inside, reminiscent of a multiport splitter, and several cables included. One cable connects the box to the output of the video card, the rest are connected to the monitor inputs. It receives power from a USB port or an external adapter.

An example of such a device is Matrox DualHead2Go Digital SE.

Setting up additional screens in Windows 10 and 8.1 and 7

After the first turn on, the image on the additional monitor, as a rule, duplicates the main one. Sometimes the desktop stretches across 2 screens at once. For selection desired mode press the Windows + P (Latin) key combination - this will open the projection panel.

In Windows 10 and 8.1 it looks like this:

In Windows 7 - like this:

The Duplicate option plays the same picture on all displays. “Extend” - makes the second screen a continuation of the first.

If the system is unable to automatically recognize the second display, open via context menu"Display Settings" desktop.

Click the “Discover” button (In Windows 7, “Find”).

If the device is physically functional and connected correctly, the system will most likely recognize it immediately. If not, open the Multiple Displays list and select "Try anyway to connect..." to a monitor that is not detected.

If this does not help, you should check the contacts and, if possible, connect the device with another known-good cable to another video output or another video card.

The “Define” button in the same section allows you to select which of the two displays will be the main (first) and which will be the additional (second, third, etc.).

To change the settings of one of the displays of a multi-monitor system - the size of the displayed elements, brightness level, orientation, resolution, color rendering, etc., click on the rectangle with its serial number in the gray field under the “Customize your screen” heading.

The changes will take effect after saving. You do not need to restart your computer for this.

Additional settings Multi-display configurations are contained in the NVIDIA and AMD Catalyst control panel menus.

Setting up additional screens in Windows XP

To access display settings in Windows XP, also open the desktop context menu and click “Properties”. Next, go to the “Options” tab.

If the second monitor is correctly recognized, 2 display icons will appear in the gray field with serial numbers. “Find” options, like in modern Windows versions, not here.

By default, both screens display the same desktop image. If you want to expand it, click on the second display icon and check the “Extend desktop onto this monitor” checkbox.

Setting up each screen individually is done in the same way as in Windows 10: click on the monitor icon on the gray field and set the desired parameters. The “Screen Resolution” and “Color Quality” options are located here, and the rest - scale, adapter properties, etc., is hidden behind the “Advanced” button.

Most of the settings take effect immediately, but some only after you restart the computer.

Working with two or more monitors is very convenient and enjoyable, as you get much more space for your tasks, and in games, monitors can be combined for a more immersive effect.

Connecting a second monitor to a computer is simple and quick in 99% of cases. You plug the monitor into a power outlet and then into the computer via the appropriate cable (VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, USB-C) into the appropriate slot and Windows automatically detects the additional monitor. After this, options are available in System Settings to expand, duplicate, or display the image on only one of the monitors. If something goes wrong during this procedure and the computer does not see the second monitor (or third, for example), this instruction will tell you a few points that you need to pay attention to. Perhaps some of the tips will help fix the problem.

The computer does not see the second monitor - how to fix it

The reason why your computer refuses to work with a second monitor could be either a software or hardware problem, and therefore you will have to try different tips one at a time. We recommend starting with the simplest tips that will help you understand whether the second monitor is detected by the system at all. It often happens that Windows sees the second monitor, but it is disabled software. In this case, enabling it will be as simple as changing a few parameters in your computer settings.

If connecting a second monitor to your computer does not give any positive results, try simply rebooting it. After that, move on to the next tips.

Is your monitor turned on?

The question may seem very stupid, but it is still worth paying attention to. Many monitors have two switches - a main power button (usually on the front of the monitor for easy access) and a secondary power switch near the power cable. Make sure both These switches are in the “On” position. It will help you navigate this light indication. Almost all monitors are equipped with some kind of LED to indicate the status of the monitor. It should burn. At this stage, it doesn’t matter what color - you must understand that the power is supplied and it works.

Also pay attention to the monitor's power cable. It should be inserted all the way into the screen's power slot, and there should be no noticeable damage to it. If you see flaws or damage on the cable, do not under any circumstances try to connect it to the network!

Is the monitor ok?

Make sure the monitor you connect to your computer is working properly. Disconnect the main screen and connect the second one. If the desired result is not achieved, try connecting the monitor using a different connector. Modern monitors have several connection methods (VGA, HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort, etc.), so try them all if you have the appropriate cables. Try connecting it with the same cable as your main one. Connect the screen to another computer. If it doesn’t start there either, then the problem may be hidden in the screen itself.

Is the cable ok?

Check for physical damage to your cable. Make sure that the fastening clamps of the cable connectors are tightly tightened (this primarily applies to VGA and DVI cables, which in the vast majority of cases are equipped with tightening screws), and that the connector itself is inserted all the way.

If you don't see any physical damage to the cable and all the fasteners are securely fastened, you should try using a different cable. Perhaps the problem is hidden in bent connector pins or other hardware problems invisible to the user's eye. Often another cable solves the problem. When connecting the cable (relevant for DVI and VGA cables), be careful. Always connect the correct way, and do not rush or use excessive force if the cable resists.

If you are trying to connect a monitor using a USB-C cable, you should make sure that this cable supports video signal transmission. Not all USB-C cables are created equal. While they all have the same connector, some only support file transfer and charging, while others can carry video or are Thunderbolt compatible. Your computer must also support USB-C output.

Is the video card/motherboard ok?

Make sure the video output on your motherboard (for computers with integrated graphics) or video card is working. Connect your primary monitor (the one that is likely to work and be recognized by the computer) to the port where you are trying to connect the other monitor. Connecting a second monitor to another computer can also help determine a computer hardware problem.

How do you connect the monitor?

Check if you are connecting your monitor correctly. If your main screen is connected to the video outputs of a discrete video card, the second monitor must also be connected to the second video output. video cards. Connecting to VGA / DVI / HDMI / DiaplayPort / USB-C on the motherboard will not work in this case, since the motherboard BIOS is configured to work with external graphics. Moreover, your processor may even physically lack a video core, which will completely negate the functionality of the video outputs on the motherboard. There is no point in trying to connect the monitor to the motherboard.

Does your card support multiple monitors?

Just because there are two or more connection ports on a graphics card does not mean that you can actually connect two or more monitors. Check your motherboard's user manual to make sure it supports multiple monitors. First of all, this advice is relevant for very old or cheap plug-in video cards.

It happens that the video card supports image output only to two monitors, so when a third monitor is connected, nothing happens. I personally encountered this situation when I tried to connect two monitors to an old laptop. One was detected via the HDMI cable, but the second was no longer identified via the analog video output. In this case, you need to come to terms with the physical limitations of your computer's video adapter.

Is the cable connected directly or through an adapter?

Adapters are a very controversial issue. They are used if the video card or monitor does not have the required connector, and changing the cable or screen is not an option. If you are trying to connect a monitor to a video card using an adapter, make sure that the video card supports converters. First of all, this concerns the adapter from digital to analog signal. Modern video cards are not equipped with ports that output an analog signal, so conventional analog signal adapters do not work. In this case, you need to buy an active adapter with a converter. On older video cards, DVI connectors include a pin for an analog signal, so DVI-VGA conversion is possible using a regular adapter. Newer video cards (Nvidia abandoned the analog signal in the GeForce 10XX on Pascal architecture) do not have the ability to use such adapters.

What about the drivers?

Your system may be running your main monitor via a standard VGA graphics adapter. This is a primitive driver that allows you to render a picture on any video card without drivers. It is capable of transmitting images even through damaged video cards. On some computers, these drivers allow you to display images at a fairly high resolution, which is why inexperienced users They believe that the driver for the video is installed. In this case, trying to connect a second monitor will end in nothing, since the video card simply does not use its capabilities through the software.

It's also worth noting here that there are times when the second monitor was working, but after updating the driver, the video suddenly stopped working. There may be a bug in the new driver that caused the second monitor to turn off. In this case, roll back the driver to the previous version and see if your problem goes away.

"Gluing" monitors

Check if your pair of monitors is running in some advanced mode. AMD has EyeFinity technology, which combines the image from two screens into one large one. In this case, in Windows Settings Instead of two screens, one large wide screen is displayed. Try disabling all these software things, after which the second screen should work.

Unlikely, but worth a try too.

Some argue that different monitor frequencies can cause the second screen to not work. In this case, the monitor itself can be displayed on the screen, but there is no image on it. If you encounter this strange bug, try checking your screen frequency and changing it so that both monitors run at the same frequency.

If you know other methods that can help fix the problem with the second monitor not working, please share them in the comments. Your experience may help some of the readers if we did not mention it in the article.

If you need to connect two monitors to a computer or a second monitor to a laptop, this is usually not difficult at all, except in rare cases (when you have a PC with an integrated video adapter and a single monitor output).

After turning on the computer with two monitors connected to it, they are usually detected automatically by the system after booting. However, it may turn out that when you first load the image, it will not be on the monitor on which it is usually displayed.

After the first launch, all that remains is to configure the operating mode of two monitors, while Windows supports the following modes:

1. Screen duplication - the same image is displayed on both monitors. In this case, if the physical resolution of the monitors is different, problems may arise in the form of blurred images on one of them, since when duplicating the screen, the system sets the same resolution for both monitors (and this cannot be changed).
2. Displays the image on only one of the monitors.
3. Expand screens - when choosing this option for operating two monitors, the working Windows table“expands” onto two screens, i.e. on the second monitor there is an extension of the desktop.

Operating modes are configured in the Windows screen settings:

In all cases, if you have problems with image clarity, make sure that each monitor is set to its physical screen resolution (see,).

Additional information

In conclusion, here are a few additional points that may be useful when connecting two monitors or just for information.

I think we can conclude here. If you have any questions, something is not clear or does not work, leave comments (detailed if possible), I will try to help.