Without any doubt, multiple monitors help you enhance your computer experience. You get more space to look and work. Also, it increases your productivity and allows you to monitor multiple things in a single go. However, if you have not used multiple monitor setups before, then I will be sharing some of the best multiple monitor setup tips for Windows with you. So you can enjoy the best computer experience possible.
How to Select Monitors Based on your PC’s Graphics Card
Before you set up a dual monitor setup or multiple monitor setup, it is crucial to figure out that your PC can handle all the monitors. How many ports your PC has? What are port types like DVI, HDMI, VGA, or DisplayPort?
The number of supported ports:
If you are connecting monitors directly to your motherboard and not into a GPU. Then most motherboards’ internal graphics can only handle up to two monitors. If you wish to connect three or more monitors, you will need to use a dedicated graphics card with that number of ports.
Also, in most cases, even if you see multiple display ports, your graphics card only supports two monitors at a time. To figure this out, you can go to Control Panel > Device Manager > Display Adapters and note the card’s name. Next, search on the internet about the adaptor and check how many monitors your GPU can support.
Resolution:
The next thing you need to find out is the maximum resolution the GPU supports. If your display adaptor supports the lower resolution, and you buy a monitor with a higher resolution, it will not be worth the money. You also need to check other features such as HDR, DLSS, and more.
Best Multiple Monitor Setup Tips for Windows
- Arrangement of Monitors and Layout
- Display Scale, Resolution, and Color configuration
- Infinite Wallpapers
- Different Wallpapers
- Change Monitor Settings
- Windows Snap Feature
- Keyboard Shortcuts
1] Arrangement of Monitors and Layout
The first thing you can start with is rearranging your display. Windows will automatically detect displays and number them. So you can quickly figure out your monitors.
To identify a monitor, you can go to Settings > System > Display > Identify, and several monitors attached to your monitor will appear with a number assigned to it.
In case your connected monitor is not showing up, then you can detect it by going to Start >Settings > System> Display > Multiple displays > Detect.
To arrange your monitors, you can change how they are arranged. It is pretty helpful if you wish to match they are set up in your home or office.
You can do so from the 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.
You can also change display options. Like you can change your resolution, screen layout, and more. You can find all these options under Settings. Select System > Display. You can also change your monitor orientation by following the below steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Navigate to System > Display.
- Then click on Display orientation and select Portrait.
2] Display Scale, Resolution, and Color configuration
If you are using monitors from different companies, it would be good to tweak your monitor settings a bit. For instance, you can tweak display scale, resolution, and color configuration. And for this, you can follow the below steps:
Go to Settings > System > Display.
Scale: To scale, select a Display. From here, choose how much you wish to scale up. (100, 125, 150, and 175) under scale and layout.
Resolution: You also want to ensure that all of your monitors use the exact display resolution. However, you can choose a different one to make sure both look almost the same. So a combination of Scale and Resolution will help you here.
Color Management
Another thing you can do is customize the color for all of your monitors. You can find the option under Settings > System > Display >Advanced Display > Display Adapters properties.
A small window will now pop up. Go to the Color Management tab > Color management, and another window will pop up. Go to Advanced, click on Calibrate display, and follow all the onscreen steps.
3] Infinite Wallpapers
You can also use the same wallpaper across both the monitors by stretching out. And it is super easy to do so. All you need to do is download a cool wallpaper with a resolution of 3840×1080 resolution and set it as wallpaper, and Windows will take care of the rest. It works best if you have the same monitors.
- Open Windows Settings and go to Personalization > Background
- Next, you need to select a wallpaper that has a size of the combined resolution of all the monitors
- Under Background settings, select the image, and then choose Tiles from the dropdown.
Also, you can keep different wallpapers on both of the monitors. Or you can use the default Windows wallpapers. But having your wallpaper is an excellent thing.
4] Different Wallpapers
Talking about different wallpapers, Windows does allow you to keep other wallpapers on a different monitor. It helps you to differentiate your monitors. So you won’t get confused between your primary and secondary monitor.
All you have to do is go to Personalize > Background and choose a photo and select your monitor to apply the wallpaper on.
5] Change Monitor Settings
On Windows 11 or 10, playing around with the monitor settings is extremely easy. It doesn’t matter if you wish to perform color management, use extended mode, set screen resolution, or anything; it is super easy.
All you have to do is navigate to Settings > System > Display, and you will find all the settings. Like you can keep the taskbar on one monitor only and more.
6] Windows Snap Feature
You can also split-screen when you are using multiple monitors. You can easily snap apps with keyboard shortcuts. You can use Windows + Left Arrow or Windows Key + Right arrow to move an app window across the monitor.
For instance, if you press Windows + Left arrow, The Window snaps to the left of the main display.
Also, you can move the Windows on the other monitor by pressing Windows + Left arrow again. If you press Windows + Left arrow once again, the window goes to its original position but on the secondary monitor. More on this on the Snap & Arrange feature.
7] Master Keyboard Shortcuts
If you want to become super productive and use your computer efficiently. Then learning some keyboard shortcuts will not hurt you. There are a bunch of keyboard shortcuts that make your overall experience pretty awesome. These keyboard shortcuts are:
- Win + Left and Win + Right: Snap the active Window to the left or right side of the current monitor. Also, you can press the buttons again to move it between monitors.
- Win + Up and Win + Down: It allows you to maximize or minimize the current Window. If the Window is currently snapped, it will also resize it from its snapped position.
- Win + Home: This will minimize all windows except the one you are currently working on. So you can free yourself from apps that you are not using.
- Shift + Win + Left and Shift + Win + Right: This will move the active window to the next monitor without snapping it to the edge.
- Shift + Win + Up: This will maximize the Window vertically.
Conclusion
So those were some of the best multiple monitor setup tips for Windows. I hope this has helped you with your query. If you have any additional questions, please let us know through the comments.
Which Software can one use for Dual or Multiple Monitor Setup?
If you are not using DisplayFusion yet, then you must. This one is a third-party app that is designed for multiple monitors.
With the help of this tool, you can gain more control over your monitor settings. Like, you can set wallpapers, create keyboard shortcuts, and align windows to the edges of any display. Also, you can automatically dim the inactive monitor. So you won’t get distracted.
The software is full of features. Also, there is a free version of the software available. So you can download it and play around with the settings. Also, if you do need additional settings, you can always purchase the software.
What Is the Best Layout for Dual Monitors?
In a dual monitor setup, you should place your primary monitor in front of your body and at your eye level. The secondary monitor should be placed at a parallel height to the main display. This way, you will be free from neck and eye strain. Also, you will get to work in a comfortable position and have no issues looking at both monitors.
How Big Should My Desk Be for Two Monitors?
For a dual monitor setup, it is also essential that you have enough desk space. Ideally, your desk should be about 55” wide and 25” deep to set up two monitors.
Or you can go for a more extensive desk if you wish to add additional monitors. Also, a desk that has a 60” or bigger size will be long enough to hold computer peripherals and other accessories pretty quickly.
In case you don’t want to invest in a large desk. Then you can also buy a monitor stand. They allow you to fit two monitors or more in a short space.
