If you’re like the millions of people around the world who like to use their laptop as a monitor, we don’t blame you — there are some serious perks to having access to a second screen and in this guide, we’re going to show you exactly how to do that.
Whether you have one of the best Windows laptops or have recently taken advantage of one of the best cheap MacBook deals, using your laptop as a second monitor can really boost your productivity.
For content creators, students, and those with jobs that require constant flipping between screens and cross-referencing documents, having a dual monitor workstation can be a real lifesaver.
As long as you own one of the best PCs, you will find it easy to extend your laptop screen across multiple monitors. This will allow you to not only mirror your laptop screen on the screen but actually extend it, which means you can display different content on both screens.
How to expand laptop screen
- Connect the appropriate display cable
- Go to settings and click display settings
- Scroll to multiple screens and choose your option
Tools and requirements
● System: Windows 10 or 11
● tools: keyboard and mouse
● Skill level: middle
1. Get the right display cable
When it comes to figuring out how to use your laptop as a monitor, the first step is to get the right display cable for your laptop so you can connect it to a monitor. Your laptop may use an HDMI, DisplayPort or mini-DisplayPort cable or include a docking station, so find the right cable for your needs and connect it to your monitor.
2. Open Settings and Display
Once done, open Settings > Settings > Display. You can also right-click on the desktop and click display settings Or use the shortcut “Windows key + P” to quickly switch between display modes.
If your laptop is connected to the monitor successfully, you should see two or more numbered displays under the “Select and rearrange displays” section. If not, click detection To force Windows to search for another display.
3. Define and expand your displays
If you are not sure about the screen, tap Definition of A number will appear to indicate each offer. You can also rearrange the displays to suit your preferences, just be sure to click on it Implementation Once you are done.
Scroll down to Multiple screens Click on the dropdown menu. From here, you can choose from a variety of options, but the ones we focus on are Expand these offers. Select it to extend your screen across multiple screens, then select the screen you’d like to make your home screen.
4. Extend the laptop screen on macOS
To connect another display to your MacBook, check the ports on your device first to determine if you’ll need an adapter. Once you’ve chosen the right cable for the job, connect it to your monitor and move on to the next step.
Head to the Apple menu and then click on System Preferences > Displays and click ranking tab. Make sure the Mirror Displays box is not checked, then arrange your displays by dragging them to the position you want. To set a different screen as the primary screen, simply drag the menu bar to the screen you wish to use.
Final Thoughts: How to use your laptop as a monitor
For this scenario, we’ll assume that you want to use your laptop as a monitor to display your Windows 10 desktop.
Go to Settings > System > Display on this PC. Change the first dropdown to “Available everywhere on secure networks” and configure the other settings to your liking. Once done, go back to your desktop computer and click Control Center in the lower right corner of the taskbar.
Click communicate And when the laptop you want to use appears, select it. You will then need to accept the connection request on your laptop, and write down a PIN if you chose that option.
Once done, right-click on the desktop and select Desktop settings. In the Display menu, make sure that “Extend the desktop to this screen” is checked. You can then rearrange your desktop and laptop screen however you like.