This is how you set up multiple screens optimally

How many screens do you use now? Especially in recent years, the use of two or more screens has increased in popularity. Windows has the necessary options to enjoy such a multi-monitor setup even more. This is how you set up multiple screens.

We start with the basics: adjusting the different screens, so that you can use all screens optimally. You use the Windows settings window for this (via the key combination Windows key+I† Choose System / Display† For optimal operation, let Windows know how the monitors are physically positioned relative to each other. If you fine-tune this position, windows can be spread over two screens, for example, and the mouse pointer moves seamlessly from one screen to the other.

Choose a display and drag it to the correct position relative to the other display. Are the screens aligned correctly? click on To apply† To find out which screen you are adjusting, click on Identify† The unique number makes it clear which screen you are dealing with. Through To detect let your Windows search for existing displays again. That feature only works properly when the screens are turned on.

align scale

Do you use screens with different resolutions? In practice this should not be a problem, but sometimes the resolutions are very different. For example, screen elements on one screen may be larger than on another. To better align the views, adjust the scale.

In the section Scale and Layout (Windows 10) and Scale and layout (Windows 11) choose the desired scale at Resize text, apps, and other items† Change the scale first on the screen with the highest screen resolution. If the scale 100% is, choose a higher scale, for example 150%†

Extras for Windows 11

Are you using Windows 11? This has a number of smart innovations that make the use of two screens even more interesting. In the settings window, choose System / Display† Then flip the section Multiple displays from. The first option – Remember window locations based on connection to a monitor – ensures that your windows never get lost again.

Are you using a second monitor and have you opened multiple windows on it? As soon as you disconnect the screen (for example because you take your laptop with you), Windows remembers which windows were shown on the screen. If you connect the screen again later, these windows will be restored immediately.

You will also find the option Minimize windows when disconnected from a display† That option ensures that the windows on an external screen are minimized to the taskbar on the remaining screen at lightning speed as soon as you unplug the screen. This will prevent the windows from getting lost.

modes

When using multiple screens, you can choose between different display modes. You can find the options at Multiple displays† With the option Duplicate these displays the content is the same on all screens. To properly increase the workspace, choose Extend these displays† This allows you to spread the windows across the different screens.

To temporarily use one screen, you can choose Show only on 1 or Show only on 2† Windows always uses one main screen. The main screen is the primary screen, which includes the start menu. You can designate the desired screen for this yourself. Select the screen and choose Set this display as the main display†

It is also always possible to switch between the different modes at a later time. We use the Action Center† Click this button and choose Project† Then choose between PC screen only† Duplicate† To expand and Second screen only† Do you prefer to use the keyboard? Press Windows key+P and repeat until the desired mode is selected.

find windows

You may recognize it: you are working on several screens and decide to disconnect one of the screens. Then you try to open a minimized window via the Windows taskbar again, but the window flies out of view (to the previously undocked window). How do you get this window back?

Press shift and hold this key while right-clicking the taskbar button of the missing program. Choose Move† Then drag the mouse until the window reappears.

Adjust orientation

Did you know that you can also adjust the orientation of the screens? For example, you can use one screen horizontally (landscape), while you use another screen vertically (portrait). The latter mode turns out to be particularly useful in practice when you work with long pages (eg websites) or large pieces of text: after all, you have to scroll less. Such a vertical position can also be useful for programmers (working with many lines of code).

Go to the section Scale and Layout (Windows 10) or Scale and layout (Windows 11) and choose at screen mode in front of landscape† In addition, you have the option to mirror the information on the screen: choose Landscape (mirrored) or for Portrait (mirrored)†

Unit

If you use multiple brands of screens or different types of screens, it is unfortunately not obvious that every screen has the same appearance. Things such as white balance and color temperature can differ between the screens and you can see that immediately if you have placed the screens next to each other. To make the screens more united, you can enlist outside help.

Through https://kwikr.nl/screenbright you will find the free program ScreenBright. That once opened, you choose white background† Then adjust the color temperature and white balance using the vertical and horizontal sliders. You perform these steps on each screen, so that the appearance forms a single whole. One side note: ScreenBright is not supported by every display. If this is the case, you will receive a notification.

Show taskbar

Determine on which screen the Windows taskbar should be shown. Right click on the taskbar and choose Properties (Windows 10) or Taskbar Settings (Windows 11). By default, the taskbar is shown on all screens. Bee Show taskbar on all monitors put the slider on Out† Move the taskbar to the desired screen: first make sure that the taskbar is not locked: right click on it and check if Lock taskbar is turned off. Drag the taskbar to the desired screen.

In Windows 11, uncheck Show my taskbar on all monitors in the section Taskbar Behavior† In Windows 11 you can also indicate on which taskbar the open apps should be shown. Choose the desired location from the option When using multiple monitors, show my taskbar apps on† For example, do you want the apps to be displayed on all taskbars, regardless of the screen they are active on? Then choose All toolbars†

Customize taskbar

Take the opportunity right away to optimize the appearance of the taskbar. Right click on it and choose Properties (Windows 10) or Taskbar Settings (Windows 11). To make the bar more compact, choose Using small taskbar buttons† You also determine whether similar windows can be grouped (Combine toolbar buttons†

You can also go to the option Show toolbar buttons on indicate on which taskbar the buttons should be displayed. This option is important if you show a taskbar button on every screen, so there is a main taskbar and a subtaskbar. Finally, you determine how the buttons on the other toolbars should be displayed. Choose Always† hide labels† When taskbar is full or Never†

Background

You can give each screen the same background, but you can also choose an extra wide background. You can then spread this over the different screens, so that it forms a single whole. A good website for this is www.dualmonitorbackgrounds.com† The makers have collected a good amount of backgrounds, which you can place over two or more screens. Click on a background for details. This way you can see, among other things, what resolution the background has.

Often you can get the backgrounds in different parts. Set the background. Are you using Windows 10? Open the Windows settings window (Windows key+I) and choose Personal Settings / Wallpaper† In the menu Background choose you Image† click on To leaf through and choose the background you want. With the option Choose the desired view then choose Across multiple displays†

Do you use Windows 11† In the settings window, choose Personal settings† Bee Customize background to your personal preference choose you Image† click on Browse photos (in the section Choose a photo) and point to the image. Finally you choose Across multiple screens at the option Adjust image to fit your desktop†

DisplayFusion

With the external program DisplayFusion only you can exercise more control when using multiple screens. The program costs about 30 euros, but you can try it for a month and then continue to use a limited version.

Handy is the option Monitor Blur: the screens that you are not using are temporarily dimmed. This ensures a quiet working environment. In DisplayFusion, choose Turn on monitor blur† With the option Monitor Blur Mode do you choose Blur idle monitors† After this you choose the color that is used when dimming (via Monitor fade color†

The option is also interesting triggers† These are predetermined actions that must take place. For example, you can indicate here that a newly opened window on screen one is always automatically moved to screen two. You can create the triggers yourself. click on To add and determine the action (in our example: Move screen to selected monitor†

Next, take a look at the section Mouse management† With the option Prevent the mouse cursor from snagging on misaligned monitor edges, make sure the mouse always moves seamlessly from one screen to another. Also handy: the option to always be able to move the mouse, regardless of whether you have reached the extreme screen. Choose Move the mouse cursor to the other monitor from the left/right side of the screen (or via the option Move the mouse cursor to the other monitor through the top/bottom of the screen†