Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: On Windows
• Method 2 of 2: On Mac OS X
• Tips
• Warnings

This article will show you how to connect two monitors to one desktop computer. This can be done on a Windows computer and Mac OS X, but in the case of Windows, you will need a computer with a video card that supports multiple monitors.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: On Windows

1. 1 Make sure you can connect multiple monitors to your computer. Locate at least two horizontal connectors on the back of the computer case (at the bottom of the panel); these connectors are found on the video card and are used to connect two monitors.
   • Note that two monitors cannot be connected to the video connector on your motherboard (this is the vertical connector at the top of the back of your computer case).
   • Remember, the vertical connectors belong to the motherboard, and the horizontal connectors belong to the graphics card.
   • If there are no described connectors on the rear panel of the case, install a video card.
2. 2 Find out what video connectors are on the video card and on the monitors. To do this, look at the video card connectors and monitor connectors to determine their type:
   • DVI - wide plastic connector with numerous square holes;
   • VGA - Trapezoidal colored plastic connector with multiple holes;
   • HDMI - slim hexagonal connector;
   • DisplayPort - similar to an HDMI connector, but with one edge cut off rather than symmetrical to the other. Required to connect 4K monitors;
   • Thunderbolt - This connector is found on the back of most iMac monitors. marked with a lightning bolt icon. An adapter (for example, VGA-Thunderbolt) can be connected to this connector, with which you can connect to any of the above connectors.
3. 3 Buy the cables you need (if not available). If, for example, a DisplayPort cable is connected to the video card connectors, buy one for each monitor.
   • If your monitors and graphics card have different connectors, buy an adapter or cable with two different plugs (for example, DisplayPort on one end and HDMI on the other).
4. 4 Turn off your computer. This will make it easier to connect a second monitor and avoid problems.
5. 5 Connect the first monitor to one of the video card connectors. If the first monitor is connected to the vertical video connector on the motherboard, disconnect the cable and connect it to the horizontal video connector.
   • If the video connector on the motherboard is different from the connectors on the video card, use a different cable.
6. 6 Connect a second monitor. Connect the second monitor cable to a different connector on the video card.
7. 7 Connect the second monitor to a power source (wall outlet). Do this with the supplied power cable.
8. 8 Turn on your computer and monitors. Press the power buttons on the computer and on each monitor.
9. 9 Open the start menu . Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the first monitor screen.
10. 10 Open "Options" . Click the gear-shaped icon at the bottom left of the Start menu.
11. 11 Click on System. It's a monitor-shaped icon in the Options window.
12. 12 Click on the tab Screen. You will find it in the upper left side of the window.
13. 13 Open the drop-down menu "Multiple Screens". It's at the bottom of the window.
    • You may have to scroll down the page to find this menu.
14. 14 Select the option you want. Select one of the following options from the drop-down menu:
    • Duplicate these screens - the same picture will be displayed on both monitors;
    • Expand these screens - the picture will be stretched across two monitors;
    • Show desktop to 1 only: the picture will be displayed only on the first monitor;
    • Show desktop only 2: The picture will be displayed on the second monitor only.
15. 15 Click on Apply. This button is at the bottom of the window. The second monitor will display part or all of the picture that you see on the first monitor (depending on the option you selected).
16. 16 Click Save changeswhen prompted. The changes made will be saved. Now, along with the first monitor, you can use the second.

Method 2 of 2: On Mac OS X

1. 1 Find out which cable you need. To connect a second monitor to your iMac, you need a cable that matches the connector on the back of your iMac monitor. Locate one of the following connectors on the back of your iMac:
   • Thunderbolt - a small square connector that is marked with a lightning bolt. Connecting a cable to two Thunderbolt connectors is the easiest way to connect two Mac monitors to each other. If necessary, purchase an adapter for any other video connector (for example, a Thunderbolt to VGA adapter).
   • HDMI - slim hexagonal connector. HDMI is a common connector for connecting audio and video equipment, so it can be found on most monitors.
2. 2 Buy the cables you need (if not available). If you need an HDMI cable to connect a second monitor, for example, buy one.
   • If you bought a monitor with outdated connectors (such as a VGA connector), buy a Thunderbolt to Connector or HDMI to Connector adapter (such as Thunderbolt to VGA).
3. 3 Connect the second monitor cable to the back of your iMac. If you are using an adapter, first connect it to the indicated connector.
4. 4 Connect the second monitor to a power source. Connect the power cord that came with your monitor to a power source (wall outlet).
5. 5 Turn on the second monitor. To do this, press the power button on the second monitor. The desktop should appear on the screen.
6. 6 Open the Apple menu . Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the main screen. A dropdown menu will open.
7. 7 Click on System settings. It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
8. 8 Click on Monitors. This monitor-shaped icon is located in the System Preferences window.
9. 9 Click on the tab Location. It's at the top of the Monitors window.
10. 10 Choose how the picture will be displayed on the monitors. If you want the picture to be stretched across both monitors, uncheck the Enable video mirroring of monitors option; if you want the same picture to be displayed on each of the monitors, leave the checkbox next to the specified option.
11. 11 Move the menu bar if necessary. To display the menu bar (the gray bar at the top of the screen) on the second monitor, drag the white rectangle that is at the top of one of the blue monitors to the second monitor.
12. 12 Close the System Preferences window. Close the Monitors window and the System Preferences window. Now, along with the first monitor, you can use the second.

Tips

• Most laptops have HDMI (Windows, Mac OS X), USB-C (Windows, Mac OS X), and / or Thunderbolt (Mac OS X only). To connect a second monitor to your laptop, connect the second monitor cable to the video connector on your laptop, and then set up your monitor in the same way as for a desktop computer.

Warnings

• If the resolution of the second monitor is significantly higher than the resolution of the first monitor, you may experience picture distortion or other problems. Therefore, buy a monitor that has the same resolution as the first monitor.