How To Add A 3rd Monitor To Windows 10
Want three monitors for amend gaming or multitasking in Windows? You lot've come to the right place! Later on reading this article, you lot'll know exactly what to do.
5 uncomplicated steps:
- Check if your computer supports triple monitors
- Buy extra hardware if information technology doesn't
- Check if you have the required cables
- Configure your display settings
- Update the drivers for your monitors
Note that we're not talking virtually iii monitors showing exactly the same affair, here. Nosotros're talking about extending your desktop across all 3 monitors, and being able to motion your mouse from one monitor to the next. Like this…
"Seamless", past Jon B, is licensed under CC Past-SA 2.0, cropped from original.
Step 1: Bank check if your computer supports triple monitors
Not all computers support triple monitors – particularly older or cheap computers. To determine if yours does, you lot need to look at its video ports.
Video ports look like this:
To run triple monitors, you need at least three video ports that can all be used at in one case.
To bank check your video ports:
- Check how many monitors your desktop supports
- Cheque how many monitors your laptop supports
Check how many monitors your desktop supports
Your video ports will be on the back of your computer. Count how many you accept, and annotation what type they are.
Next you take to decide if all the ports you lot see can be used simultaneously. There are two considerations hither…
- You probably don't desire to use integrated graphics AND a graphics carte at the same fourth dimension
- On some graphics cards (and some motherboards), yous tin can't use all ports at the same fourth dimension
Yous probably don't want to use integrated graphics AND a graphics bill of fare at the same time
A lot of computers have a motherboard with video ports (called 'integrated graphics') AND a graphics card with video ports. If your computer has this setup, you'll see ii groups of video ports. But don't be fooled by all those ports. Although yous sometimes can run monitors off your integrated graphics and graphics menu at the same time, y'all probably wouldn't desire to. Things will go pretty laggy – particularly when you lot switch between monitors.
Instead, if you take a dedicated graphics card, use information technology rather than the integrated graphics. (Alternatively, you could apply only the integrated graphics, only you wouldn't normally practice that because the graphics carte du jour will do a better chore – higher resolution, meliorate quality, more responsive, etc.)
If you're non concerned nearly lag, and you want to use integrated graphics and your graphics carte at the same fourth dimension, you have to become into your PC'south BIOS and permanently enable your integrated graphics bill of fare. (Do this by going to Configuration > Video > Integrated graphics device > E'er enable. Your menu options may be slightly different.) If you lot don't practice this, any monitors connected to your integrated graphics (motherboard) volition stop working as soon as you plug a monitor into your graphics menu.
On some graphics cards (and some motherboards), you lot tin can't use all ports at the same time
Some graphics cards take more than ports than y'all can apply at one time. Eastward.g. Yours might have 3 ports, but you may merely exist able to utilise 2 at the same time. To determine how many of the ports y'all can use simultaneously, you'll take to consult your graphics card'due south documentation. Alternatively, you lot could Google it; search for the brand and model of your video card, and the number of monitors you want to run. (east.m. "Nvidia GTX 570 three monitors").
The aforementioned applies to motherboards. So if you don't accept a dedicated graphics card, and you run into 3 ports on your motherboard, you may simply be able to utilise ii at the same time. And so you lot'll need to check the motherboard's documentation to see what it supports (or, over again, Google it).
Check how many monitors your laptop supports
If you're using a laptop, chances are that you lot only have one video port on the left or on the right side of your laptop:
Information technology'due south possible yous have two, merely it'southward very unlikely y'all take three. So you won't be able to run triple monitors unless you lot buy actress hardware, as explained below.
If your calculator doesn't take the required ports to run triple monitors, don't give up. Y'all may still be able to do it. Read Stride ii, below to discover out how…
If your computer DOES have the required ports to run triple monitors, y'all can skip ahead to Step 3, beneath.
Step 2: Buy extra hardware if your reckoner doesn't already support triple monitors
If y'all don't have enough video ports on your computer, you can yet accept triple monitors! To make it happen, y'all need to buy one of the following:
Leap ahead to the device you're interested in
- A new graphics card
- An external multi-display adapter
- A USB to HDMI adapter
- A docking station
(You can't just use a normal video splitter, and fastened 3 monitors to it, because that will simply mirror your laptop's display on all iii monitors.)
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A new graphics carte du jour (desktop PCs only)
If yous're using a desktop PC, y'all can buy a new graphics carte that supports triple monitors. (Y'all can't do this for a laptop, because most laptops utilize an integrated graphics menu which is permanently attached to the motherboard.)
You should be able to pick i up from about USD $150 (e.thou. Gigabyte Geforce GTX 1050 Ti).
But before investing in a new graphics card, yous should know that not all graphics cards are compatible with your PC's motherboard. To meet if a graphics card is compatible with your PC, you demand to check your motherboard'due south PCI Limited slot, the size of your chosen graphics bill of fare and the power requirements.
Cheque the PCI Express slot on the motherboard
There are different types of expansion slots on a motherboard. For a graphics card to exist continued, you need a PCI Limited x16 slot. The quickest way to find out if y'all have this slot is to Google your motherboard's manufacturer and model. Alternatively, you lot can open up your computer case to bank check if yous have the slot. (The PCI Express x16 slot should be the longest on the motherboard.)
Cheque the size of your chosen graphics bill of fare
You'll need to be sure that your reckoner case has enough room for the new graphics menu (they're often quite bulky because they have an attached cooling fan).
If y'all're not sure how big your chosen graphics card is, enquire the manufacturer or retailer.
One time you know how big it is, check how much space you have where the card will get. I.e. Locate the PCI Express x16 slot, and imagine plugging something similar the beneath into it. Will it fit, or volition the surrounding cards and cables make it the mode?
Check the ability requirements
A graphics card that supports triple monitors will draw a lot more power than a card that supports just i. E.grand. A standard graphics carte du jour needs between 100W to 300W, just a card that supports triple monitors may need 600W.
If your PC doesn't have plenty ability to support it, your computer may close down unexpectedly or fail to turn on when yous install the new graphics card.
Check your computer's specifications to see how many watts the power supply unit of measurement (PSU) can provide. If yous can't observe any specifications, you lot should be able to encounter the output on your computer'due south power supply. Yous'll need to look inside the case, for something similar this:
"Corsair HX4520 PSU", by Willian Hook, is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
An external multi-display adapter
Even if your system only supports i monitor output, you can still run three independent monitors with an external multi-brandish adapter such as the Matrox DualHead2Go Digital ME.
An external multi-display adapter should exist cheaper than a new graphics card – they retail for approx USD $150. They're as well much easier to install – you just plug one of the supplied cables into your USB port (this powers the adapter) and the other into your Mini DisplayPort or USB Blazon-C port (this sends the video signal from your computer to the adapter).
A USB to HDMI adapter
If you don't have the budget for an external multi-display adapter, you can buy a USB to HDMI adapters. You lot'll demand ane adapter per additional monitor – then if you have one monitor already, but plug two of these adapters into your PC'due south USB ports, attach a couple of monitors to the other terminate, and voila! You have an extended desktop with three monitors!
These adapters are corking if you desire a cheap way to get triple monitors (they price around USD $50), but they don't perform as well as a powerful graphics card or an external multi-display adapter. And then they're non a great choice for gaming or Hard disk video playback.
A docking station
A docking station like the one pictured above allows you to attach up to iii boosted monitors to your computer. You only connect your computer to the docking station with the supplied USB host cablevision, then connect your extra monitors to the docking station's DisplayPort and HDMI ports.
One of these docking stations costs around USD $150.
The drawback of a docking station like this is that it doesn't take any cooling fans. Some users have reported that it heats upward apace, so it may not be ideal for long-term or aways-on use.
Step iii: Bank check if you have the required cables
Once yous've confirmed that your figurer has the necessary video ports to support triple monitors (or you've bought additional hardware to support them), you need to brand sure y'all have all the necessary cables to connect everything.
Recall the video ports you identified on your computer in step i. E.g. If you have ii HDMI ports and one DisplayPort on your figurer, y'all'll need two HDMI cables and a DisplayPort cablevision to connect iii monitors.
Next, y'all need to check the ports on your monitors. East.g. If you're connecting to a estimator with two HDMI ports and 1 DisplayPort, ideally you'll accept ii monitors with an HDMI input, and one with a DisplayPort input.
If you don't have the required cables
If you don't take the cables yous need, you can simply buy them (due east.g. on Amazon). Most cables will cost less than USD $10.
If the ports on your monitors don't match those on your reckoner
If the ports on your monitors don't friction match those on your computer, don't panic. You can but buy an adapter or an adapter cable. E.g. If your estimator has a DisplayPort, only your monitor has just a VGA input, y'all tin get either a DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter like the below, and and so connect from the VGA input of the adapter to the VGA input of your monitor with a male-to-male person VGA cablevision.
Or you can get a DisplayPort-to-VGA cable like the beneath (for less than USD $10) and plug one end into your estimator and the other into your monitor:
Pace 4: Configure your display settings
In one case you take all the necessary hardware (as described in steps i, 2 and 3 above) and you've connected everything properly, it'southward time to set your monitors. Hither's how:
Jump ahead to the section yous're interested in
- Configure your display settings on Windows 7 or viii
- Configure your display settings on Windows 10
Configure your display settings on Windows 7 or 8
1) Right-click on your desktop and select Screen resolution.
You should now see a collection of monitors illustrated, each with a number on information technology.
2) Click on one, so click Identify to see which illustrated monitor represents which monitor on your desk-bound. Due east.g. Click on the monitor marked with a i, and a number one volition appear on one of the monitors on your desk-bound.
3) If whatever of your monitors are missing, click Detect and wait for your computer to find information technology. (If the problem persists, go to pace 5 to update drivers for your graphics production and monitors.)
4) If the organisation on-screen doesn't match how your monitors are arranged on your desk, just rearrange it by dragging and dropping with your mouse.
v) Click the driblet-down card next to Multiple displays and select Extend these displays. You'll and then encounter one continuous brandish that stretches across all of your monitors (i.e. you lot can drag your mouse or windows from one screen to the other).
5) Click Apply to relieve all the changes you made.
Hopefully, when you consummate this step, your monitors run properly! However, if whatsoever issues occur, update drivers may be able to aid! Follow footstep 5 to see how to do it.
Configure display settings on Windows ten
1) Right-click on your desktop and select Display settings.
Yous should at present see a drove of monitors illustrated, each with a number on it.
2) Click on i, then click Identify to see which illustrated monitor represents which monitor on your desk. E.g. Click on the monitor marked with a one, and a number 1 will appear on one of the monitors on your desk-bound.
three) If any of your monitors are missing, click Detect and wait for your computer to detect it. (If the problem persists, become to step 5 to update drivers for your graphics product and monitors.)
4) If the arrangement on-screen doesn't match how your monitors are bundled on your desk, only rearrange it by dragging and dropping with your mouse.
5) If you want, you can customize Scale and layout to change the size of text, apps and other items on your screens. Yous can also accommodate the resolution and orientation.
6) Click the drop-down menu side by side to Multiple displays and select Extend these displays. You'll then see ane continuous display that stretches beyond all of your monitors (i.eastward. y'all can drag your mouse or windows from one screen to the other).
Hopefully, when yous consummate this footstep, your monitors run properly! If you accept whatsoever problems, try updating your drivers as described in step 5 below.
Step five: Update your graphics drivers and monitor drivers
To ensure your triple monitor setup runs smoothly, and to forestall problems like loss of signal and blackness screens, you should update the drivers for both your graphics carte and your monitors. There are two ways you can do this:
- Option 1 – Download and install drivers manually
- Option 2 – Automatically update your graphics drivers
Option 1 – Download and install drivers manually
To manually get the latest drivers for your graphics menu and monitors, you tin become to all the manufacturers' websites, discover the right drivers for your device models and version of Windows, then manually download and install each.
Choice 2 – Automatically update your graphics drivers
If you don't take the time, patience or estimator skills to manually update the drivers for your monitors and your graphics card, you lot can practice information technology automatically with Commuter Easy. All it takes is a couple of clicks.
Driver Piece of cake will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don't need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you lot don't need to risk downloading and installing the wrong driver, and you don't demand to worry about making a mistake when installing.
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Piece of cake will and then browse your computer and detect whatsoever problem drivers.
3) Click Update All to automatically download and install the right version of all the drivers that are missing or out of appointment on your system. (This requires the Pro version – you'll exist prompted to upgrade when you click Update All. If you lot don't desire to pay for the Pro version, y'all tin all the same download and install all the drivers y'all demand with the free version; you simply have to download them one at a time, and manually install them, the normal Windows way.)
Hopefully, later on post-obit this guide, you've been able to get your triple monitor setup working perfectly.
If not, delight contact Commuter Easy's support team at support@drivereasy.com or go out a comment below.
Source: https://www.drivereasy.com/knowledge/set-up-a-triple-monitor-on-windows-7-8-and-10-step-by-step/
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