One of the biggest advantages of multiple displays is productivity. Apart from a large amount of screen space, you have separate screens to use programs into. It’s also easy and practical, as you can just drag items from one monitor to the other.
You may have seen gamers having steups with multiple screens; however, it is also helpful for editing and routine work tasks. It certainly is a lifesaver when it comes to multitasking, as you will be able to get more work done in less time.
Depending on your user needs, your device’s arrangement will change. You may want to use three monitors for a side-by-side comparison of sheets, working on lengthy documents, video and photo editing, or even streaming while playing games. For writers or graphic designers, vertical orientation monitors may serve better to see long documents or designs.
The setting up and getting everything in place may be time-consuming and confusing, but the result pays off. Now, let’s go and follow these steps on how to set up three monitors.
Step One: Check the Ports
You need at least three video ports in order to run triple screens, which can all be used simultaneously. Start by looking at the availability of your device’s external ports and note what type they are.
If you’re working with a Desktop, check the back of the case, or if you have a laptop, check on the right and left sides. Depending on your device’s model, you may find more than one port in your equipment, which could be DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA.
Many computers have two groups of video ports: integrated graphics AND a graphics card with video ports. If you have that, it’s probably best not to use them simultaneously, or else you will experience lagging when switching between monitors. So, in the case where you have both, a graphics card is the better option since it is more responsive and has a higher resolution and better quality.
Some graphics cards might have three ports, but you may only be able to use two at the same time. Finding your card’s name is the easiest way to determine whether your graphics card supports various monitors. To do so, go to Control Panel > Device Manager > Display Adapters and Google it with the monitor setup you’re looking to run.
If your device doesn’t already support triple monitors, you need to buy extra hardware. You can get an external multi-display adapter, a USB to HDMI adapter, a docking station, or an additional graphics card.
Step Two: Check for the Necessary Cables
When you’ve confirmed that your device has the required ports to support multiple monitors, or you’ve purchased additional hardware to support them, you need to make sure you have all the necessary cables to connect everything. If you seem to miss any necessary cables or the ports on your monitors don’t match those on your computer, you can find what you need at any tech store (e.g., DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter.)
Once you have everything ready, you can plug them in and follow the next and final step instructions.
Step Three: Setup the Displays in Windows 10
The next step is setting everything up. Decide which display is the main one, which will be on your left, and which on your right. After that, you can continue to Configure display settings on Windows 10 by following these instructions:
- On your display, right-click and select Display settings.
- To find out which screen is associated with each number, select Identify, and then arrange by dragging and dropping the displays on-screen to match your setup. Select Apply to update the arrangement.
Note: If any of your monitors are missing, hit the Detect button and wait for your computer to detect it.
- Select the monitor you want to use as the main display screen, then scroll down and select “Make this my main display.”
- Select the Multiple displays options list and choose “Extend desktop to this display” to expand the work area across multiple displays.
- Then, select “Keep changes.” Furthermore, you can adjunct any additional settings such as scaling, layout, and resolution.
Well, there you have it. We hope this guide was helpful and easy to follow.
