How to Extend Display on Windows 11: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide

With the rapid evolution of technology and the increasing demand for multitasking, more people are opting for multi-monitor setups. Extending your display on Windows 11 can enhance productivity, facilitate smoother workflows, and provide a better overall computing experience. If you’re looking to enhance your workspace by extending your display across multiple monitors, this comprehensive guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

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An extended display allows users to spread their desktop across multiple monitors. This gives you more screen real estate, enabling you to work with multiple applications side by side without the hassle of constantly switching between windows. For gamers, it can provide a more immersive experience, while for professionals it can streamline tasks such as video editing, graphic design, and programming.

Increased Productivity: Studies show that having multiple monitors can boost productivity significantly as users can multitask more efficiently.

Enhanced Gaming Experience: For gamers, multiple screens can provide wider fields of view.

Improved Collaboration: Extended displays can help in remote collaboration by allowing screen sharing across different monitors.

To extend your display, having the right cables and monitors is essential. Generally, you’ll need:

Monitors: Ensure the monitors you are connecting support the resolution you want and that they are compatible with your graphics output.

Graphics Card: Your computer must have a graphics card that supports multiple displays. Most modern graphics cards offer this capability.

Cables and Adapters: Depending on the type and number of outputs on your graphics card, you may need HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, or VGA cables and adapters.

The first and foremost step is to physically connect your additional monitors to your computer. Here’s how to do it:

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【DisplayPort to Dual HDMI Adapter】 With a DP1.2 to dual HDMI 2.0/1.4 conversion, this adapter enables extended display on dual monitors for Windows PCs, supporting both SST and MST modes. Note: macOS only supports screen mirroring (no extended mode).

【4K60Hz Ultra HD】This hdmi splitter for dual monitors delivers stunning 4K@60Hz resolution on a single display or 4K@30Hz when extending to dual monitors. Fully backward compatible with 2K/1080P/720P resolutions. Important: Must connect directly to your computer's DisplayPort - incompatible with docking stations/hubs/adapters.

【Plug and Play】Featuring a hassle-free setup, this HDMI splitter for extended display works instantly. Here's how to use it: 1. Connect it to your display with a 4K@60Hz HDMI cable. 2. Power it via USB if needed. 3. Plug the DP connector into your PC's DisplayPort.

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Check the back of your computer and the connection ports on your monitors. Common ports include:

HDMI: A widely used interface that transmits both video and audio.

DisplayPort: Offers higher resolutions and refresh rates than HDMI in many situations.

VGA: An older standard that may still be available on some monitors.

USB-C: Some newer monitors support USB-C connections for video.

Once you’ve identified the appropriate ports, connect your additional monitors using the appropriate cables. Ensure both your PC and monitors are powered off during this step to avoid any potential damage.

Plug one end of the cable into the monitor and the other end into the corresponding port on your computer.

Do this for any additional monitors.

Once everything is connected, power on your monitors first, and then start your PC. This will allow Windows 11 to detect the new displays automatically.

After connecting the monitors, you need to configure the settings in Windows 11 to extend your display. Here’s how to do it:

Right-click on the Desktop: When you’re on the Windows 11 desktop, right-click anywhere.

Select ‘Display settings’: In the context menu, click on the ‘Display settings’ option. This will open the Display settings window.

In the Display settings menu:

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Extended Mode and Mirror Mode: dual Display port splitter 1 in 2 out supports both extended and mirror modes. It adds dual DisplayPort monitors to your DisplayPort desktop/laptop/graphics card as a DisplayPort splitter for dual DisplayPort monitors. Windows OS supports both MST and SST, while macOS only supports SST (Mirror Mode AAA/ABB). *Do not connect to other DP docks or hubs. *Most laptops and PCs with integrated graphics may only be able to mirror the screen (ABB/AAA).

DisplayPort 1.4:This DisplayPort to dual DisplayPort splitter supports dual monitors at 4K@60Hz. *Requirements: 1. DisplayPort 1.4 output port on your PC/laptop; 2. Dual DisplayPort input monitors that both support 4K@60Hz resolution and DSC. This DisplayPort monitor splitter is widely used with various display devices such as computers/laptops/graphics cards with DisplayPort ports.

Micro USB:This DisplayPort dual monitor adapter comes with one Micro USB cable. *Before use, you need to connect the micro USB power supply cable to the USB port of the PC or power adapter. This supplies power to the built-in chipset of the DisplayPort hub.

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Scroll down to find the ‘Multiple displays’ section.

Click on the ‘Detect’ button. Windows should automatically detect your connected monitors. If it does not, you may have to check your connections again.

Once detected, Windows 11 will represent your monitors as rectangles. You can drag and rearrange these to match the physical layout of your monitors. This step is crucial for helping Windows understand how your monitors are positioned relative to each other.

Click and drag the rectangles to arrange them in the order that matches their physical arrangement on your desk (e.g., left-to-right, stacked).

Click ‘Apply’ once you have arranged them correctly.

To extend your display:

In the ‘Multiple displays’ dropdown menu, select ‘Extend these displays.’

Click ‘Apply’ to confirm.

Now, your monitors should function as one continuous desktop. You can open windows and drag them across both screens seamlessly.

Once you have successfully extended your displays, you may want to adjust specific settings for optimal performance.

For each monitor, you may want to adjust the resolution settings:

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Multi-Screen Display Adapter: THANDBLE DisplayPort to HDMI MST Hub. It can connect your DP device to a maximum of three monitors to drive mirroring and extended modes. It is not compatible with Mac OS system. (Note: PCs with integrated GPUs can only support mirroring mode or can only extend one monitor)

4K Ultra High Definition Resolution: The DisplayPort Splitter for 3 Monitors supports a resolution of up to 4K@60Hz. You can use up to three monitors simultaneously. The vivid images can bring you even more stunning screen colors and contrast. It is also backward compatible with 2K@120Hz/60Hz and 1080P@120Hz/60Hz. (Note: It is required to connect to a 5V 1A power supply interface. The USB C power cord is included in the package)

Wide Compatibility: We have adopted top-notch chips, making it compatible with all the devices equipped with DP/DP++/DisplayPort++ source ports on the market, such as desktop computers (HP, Dell, Lenovo), graphics cards (AMD, NVIDIA). It can simultaneously connect to three televisions, monitors and projectors equipped with HDMI ports. (Please ensure that your graphics card supports at least 18Gbps， otherwise, you will not be able to achieve multi-monitor extended display)

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In the Display settings window, select the monitor you want to adjust by clicking on its rectangle.

Scroll down to the ‘Scale and layout’ section.

Under ‘Display resolution’, choose the optimal resolution from the dropdown list. It’s usually best to select the recommended resolution for your monitor.

You can also adjust the scale of text, apps, and other items on each monitor:

Under ‘Scale and layout’, you can increase the size of text and other UI elements by selecting a percentage (like 100%, 125%, 150%, etc.).

Ensure that the scale is set appropriately for each monitor, especially if they have different sizes or native resolutions.

You can also change the orientation of your monitors:

In the same Display settings menu, scroll to the ‘Orientation’ dropdown.

Choose between ‘Landscape’ and ‘Portrait’ as needed. This can be particularly useful for document editing, programming, or using apps that benefit from a vertical layout.

Windows 11 allows you to adjust the color settings for each monitor:

Click on the monitor you wish to adjust.

You can alter brightness, contrast, and even color profile, depending on your monitor’s capabilities, which can enhance your viewing experience.

With Windows 11, managing your taskbar across multiple displays has improved. Here’s how:

To customize taskbar settings for multiple displays:

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【4K60Hz UHD 】Fairikabe DisplayPort to Dual DisplayPort splitter adapter resolution supports up to 4K 60Hz, add dual display port monitors to DisplayPort PC, laptop or dekstop. Ideal for multi-stream display in schools, meeting rooms, houses of worship, and retail stores, providing ultra-high-definition display content. *To achieve the max resolution of 4K 60Hz for dual monitors, please note the dual displayport monitors need to support DSC and 4K 60Hz and the computer's DP output port is DP 1.4

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【DisplayPort 1.4 】This DisplayPort to Dual DisplayPort splitter support dual monitors with 4K@60Hz.*Require: 1. DisplayPort 1.4 output port on PC/laptop; 2. dual display port input monitors both support 4K@60Hz resolution and DSC. This displayport monitor splitter can be widely used on display devices with DP ports, such as computer/laptop/graphics card with display port output ports

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Go to Settings by pressing Windows + I.

Navigate to Personalization and then select Taskbar.

Scroll down to Taskbar behaviors.

Here, you can select if you want your taskbar to show on all displays or just the main one. You can also configure how taskbar buttons appear, whether combined or separate.

If you encounter problems while extending your display, here are some troubleshooting tips:

If a monitor is not detected after connecting:

Ensure the cable connections are secure.

Restart your computer.

Try connecting the monitor to a different port or using a different cable.

If a monitor’s resolution doesn’t appear correct:

Check the resolution settings in Display settings and ensure that the correct monitor is selected.

Make sure that your graphics drivers are up to date. You can visit the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers.

Flickering or distortion may be due to:

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4-in-1 USB-C Hub with Dual HDMI: Upgrade your workspace with this compact USB-C to Dual HDMI adapter, featuring 2× HDMI (up to 4K), USB-A 3.0 (5Gbps), and 100W Power Delivery. One cable delivers display expansion, fast data transfer, and charging—perfect for home office, productivity, and multitasking.

Dual 4K Display – Device Dependent: Supports dual displays up to 4K@30Hz, or single HDMI output up to 4K@60Hz for ultra-clear visuals. Ideal for spreadsheets, presentations, streaming, and creative work.⚠️Note: Actual resolution depends on your host device, HDMI cables (HDMI 2.0 or higher), and monitors. Both the USB-C port and connected devices must support video output.

100W Power Delivery and USB Data Transfer: Dual HDTV Adapter for 2 Monitors supports up to 100W fast charging (Does not come with a charger) and features a USB port for connecting various USB-C devices like hard drives, printers, projectors, keyboards, mice, and more to laptop and more. ⚠️Tip: Audio output may require selecting HDMI as the default sound device in system settings.

📌📌📌Important Compatibility Notice – Your laptop’s USB-C port must support video output (DisplayPort Alt Mode).This adapter will NOT work with USB-C ports that only support charging or data. Not suitable for some laptops such as HP Pavilion / Lenovo IdeaPad models without DP Alt Mode (check for a DP logo next to the USB-C port).

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Incorrect refresh rate settings. You can adjust this in the Display settings under Advanced display settings.

Outdated graphics drivers. Always make sure your drivers are up to date.

For advanced users looking to get the most out of their multiple monitor setup, you might want to explore some additional settings.

Ensure that each monitor is correctly color calibrated. Windows 11 offers a color calibration wizard:

Search for "Calibrate display color" in the Start menu.

Follow the prompts to adjust brightness, contrast, and color balance.

For users engaged in graphic-intensive tasks, explore advanced settings through your graphics card control panel (like NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software). These applications allow you to tweak various parameters that can enhance your experience.

With Windows 11, you can take advantage of virtual desktops. This allows you to organize your workspace better by creating different desktops for different tasks.

Open Task View by pressing Windows + Tab, then click on New Desktop.

You can drag applications from one desktop to another, making it easy to switch contexts while using your extended displays.

Extending your display in Windows 11 opens up a world of possibilities for productivity, creativity, and fun. Whether you’re a professional seeking to streamline your workflow or a gamer looking for an immersive experience, configuring multiple monitors can greatly enhance your computing tasks. With simple steps, you can connect your monitors, adjust settings according to your preferences, and enjoy a productive work environment.

By following this comprehensive guide, you have set yourself up for success in utilizing an extended display. Enjoy exploring the enhanced world of multitasking and the capabilities that come with using multiple monitors. From productivity to entertainment, the possibilities are endless with the right dual- or multi-monitor setup!

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