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HP PCs - Using two or more monitors with one computer (Windows 11, 10)

Learn how to duplicate or extend your desktop display. Connect and set up a television (TV) or an additional monitor to your computer.

  • Duplicating (or cloning) the desktop displays the same image on both screens. Duplicating is most commonly used for presentations.

  • Extending expands the desktop display across both screens. Extending is most commonly used to get more workspace.

Check your computer specifications to see if multiple monitors are supported on your PC. You can add another video card to some desktop PC models to provide an additional video connection. When adding another video card, make sure that the new card uses the same drivers as the current Windows 11 or Windows 10 compliant drivers.

Note:

You cannot install an additional video card on laptop PCs. Most laptops support external monitors. Check your product specifications to learn about external monitor support for your model.

Connect the second monitor to your computer

Computers and TVs have a wide variety of video connection types. The video connection on your computer must match the connection on your TV or monitor.

Note:

If your PC only has DVI and your TV does not have a DVI port, you can use a special adapter or converter cable.

Connect another monitor using cables

Connect another monitor to your computer using cables.

  1. Select a connection type based on your second monitor.

    • Monitor: USB Type-C 10 Gbps port , Mini DisplayPort (Thunderbolt) , DisplayPort , DVI , VGA

    • TV: USB Type-C 10 Gbps port , Mini DisplayPort (Thunderbolt) , DisplayPort

    • High Definition TV: USB 5 Gbps port , Mini HDMI , DisplayPort , HDMI , DVI , VGA

  2. Connect the TV or monitor to the computer using the cable you chose.

  3. Connect a power cable to the TV or monitor, and then turn it on.

  4. For TV connections only, change the TV video input source to match the video source connection from the computer (Line-1, Video-1, HDMI, and so on). See the documents that came with the TV for instructions.

    Note:

    Depending on the TV, the image quality might not be as good as that of a monitor.

  5. Turn on the computer.

Connect another monitor with a wireless connection

You can connect to a wireless monitor or other wireless display device such as a TV, projector, or streaming media player using a variety of technologies. It depends on the specifications of your computer and the wireless monitor.

For more information, go to HP PCs - Connecting to a wireless monitor or smart TV (Windows 11, 10).

Troubleshoot your TV setup

If you have problems connecting a TV to the computer, consider the following.

  • Turn on the TV before turning on the computer.

  • Use only one video source per monitor device. Do not connect two cables to the same TV or monitor unless it supports picture-in-picture.

  • Make sure that your TV supports sound with your connection type, or use a separate audio cable connection.

  • If the computer cannot detect the TV, set the TV as the primary monitor device, and then restart the computer.

  • Make sure that your TV input source matches the video source that you are using. On the TV remote control, press the Source or Input button. Input 1, HDMI 1, or S-video or similar options might be available, depending on your TV. If your TV does not have this option, you must use a special video signal processing (not covered in this document). For more information, see the manual for your TV.

  • If you are using a coaxial or S-video connector, set the desktop screen resolution to 800 × 600 (or less).

  • Adjust the aspect ratio to scale the image to the screen you are using.

  • Make sure that the signal format of the TV matches the signal output of the card (for on-board TV-output, this setting can be changed in the BIOS). For standard analog signals, a TV accepts either a PAL (Europe) or NTSC (North America) signal.

Configure the monitor

Configure your monitor for presentations or for more desktop space.

Configure the monitor (Windows 11)

Extend or duplicate the desktop with a second monitor.

  1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop, and then click Display settings.

  2. Scroll to Multiple displays, click the drop-down menu, and then select a display option.

    System Display screen with Multiple displays selected

  3. Click Detect to detect a second display.

    System Display screen with Detect selected

  4. Adjust the screen resolution and orientation, as necessary.

  5. For an extended desktop only, match the monitors on the screen to how they are physically positioned. To identify the monitors, click Identify. Numbers display on the monitors to help you arrange them.

  6. Click Keep changes, if necessary, to save the new display settings.

Configure the monitor (Windows 10)

Extend or duplicate the desktop with a second monitor.

  1. Right-click anywhere on the desktop, and then click Display settings.

  2. Make sure that the correct number of monitors is displayed.

    Selecting screen resolution, display, and orientation

    • If all connected monitors are displayed, continue with these steps.

      Note:

      Two monitors might be displayed as one, with 1|2 in the center, indicating the same screen duplicated on two monitors. To change to an extended desktop display, continue with these steps.

      Cloned display
      Extended display

    • If not all of your monitors are displayed, make sure that the cables are securely inserted, and then click Detect.

      Note:

      If you are using a wireless monitor, you might need to click Connect to a wireless display.

  3. Scroll to Multiple displays, click the drop-down menu, and then select a display option.

  4. Adjust the screen resolution and orientation, as necessary.

  5. For extended desktop only, match the monitors on the screen to how they are physically positioned. To identify the monitors, click Identify. Numbers display on the monitors to help you arrange them.

  6. Click Keep changes to save the new display settings.

Configure the monitor with the display driver

Use the video or graphics card driver to configure screen settings.

  1. Right-click an empty space on the desktop, and then select the settings for the graphics card.

    Your graphics card control panel displays.

    Note:

    The graphics card control panel varies depending on the graphics card configuration. (NVIDIA, Intel, and ATI are a few potential graphics card manufacturers.) The following image is an example of an Intel graphics card control panel.

    Display driver control panel example

  2. Click Display, Arrange, or a similar option, and then click Multiple Displays, if necessary.

  3. Select the display option you want, such as the Clone or Extended option.

  4. Click Apply or Save Profile, if necessary.

Enhance and personalize your monitors (optional)

After attaching an additional monitor, enhance and personalize your monitor.

  • Taskbar: Right-click on the taskbar, and then select Taskbar settings. Click the drop-down menus to set your taskbar preferences.

  • Start screen: On an extended desktop, the Start screen is displayed only on your primary monitor.

  • Background image: Right-click anywhere on the desktop, and then click Personalize. Select images, colors, and themes.

The following images show examples of different images on each screen and one image spanning both screens.

Different background images on each monitor
One image across two monitors

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