Today, PC users have two or more monitors in their arsenal. The smaller display is used for office applications, while the larger display is preferred by gamers for running colorful games. However, having only one system unit, users often wonder how to connect and configure a second monitor in Windows 10.
Preparations before setting up a second monitor in Windows 10
Before connecting the second screen to a Windows 10 PC, you need to make sure that the selected monitor contains VGA, HDMI, DVI standards, which are also available on the rear interface panel of the system unit itself (the video card must support the ability to connect two displays). Thus, by connecting 2 monitors, the user can use different connectors of the plugs. It is recommended to install the main screen with the one with the best characteristics.
The first step is to connect both monitors to your Windows 10 PC using the appropriate cables.
After connecting 2 displays, you can adjust the clarity (and other parameters) and the position of the desktops on the monitor.
Setting up a second monitor on a Windows 10 computer
Setting up a second monitor on Windows 10 is as follows:
- Press "Win + P" to bring up the "Projection" menu and choose how to use the second monitor. A small window will appear.
- Next, we select the option of using an additional display. In most cases, the options are "Extend" (create a second blank Windows 10 desktop) or "Duplicate" (completely duplicate the screen content on the second monitor).
IMPORTANT! If the installed monitor, for some reason, is not detected by the Windows 10 operating system, then you can try to manually force the system to recognize it. To do this, right-click on an empty space on the desktop and select the "Screen settings" item in the menu that opens.
A new window will open. Under the image of a small monitor, click on the "Detect" button.
Alternatively, you can open "Settings", "System", "Screen" and follow all the same actions.
If after this manipulation the image on the monitor does not appear, you should change the screen resolution and make sure that the cable is connected correctly.
In the case when the cable is connected correctly, but there is no image, we recommend installing or updating the video card driver. After updating the software in the additional parameters of the screen, you need to make the following settings:
- Select "Graphics adapter properties".
- A new window will open. The adapter type should contain the name of the video card, not the base adapter from Microsoft.
- If the video card is not set as the main device, you should click on the "Properties" button and change the settings.
It is important to note that installing a second monitor is a straightforward process. However, you need to be careful when connecting monitors and adjusting picture display parameters.
The developers of the new Windows 10 have hidden some functions that are easily accessible in earlier versions of the OS so that users cannot even find them without special instructions. For example, many owners of computers who have switched to a new system immediately face the problem of how to change the screen resolution in Windows 10, because there is no longer the usual menu that allows you to set the display resolution. In the "Ten" it can be set by a completely different modified method. Here are the specific steps you need to take to change the screen resolution on a Windows 10 PC, and recommendations for how to deal with the complications that come with adjusting settings.
Through system settings
First, let's consider the quickest and easiest method for solving the question: "How can you adjust the resolution settings for displaying images from the computer screen on the Windows 10 operating system?"
It is required to carry out the following sequential actions:
Note: it often happens that after the adjustment, the picture on the PC monitor disappears completely (empty black display). In this case, it is recommended to just wait about 20 seconds, as a rule, provided that there is no action taken by the owner of the PC, the system automatically restores the original state of the monitor.
Using Control Panel Tools
Below are the steps on how to change the screen resolution through the control panel:
Associated difficulties during parameter adjustment
Windows 10 supports 4K, 8K image quality. The OS automatically selects the appropriate parameter that matches the characteristics of a particular monitor. But sometimes the "Ten" cannot cope with this task on its own, and at the same time, there are no optimal indicators in the list of available values for the number of display pixels.
In the Windows 10 operating system, many common operations are performed differently than in Windows 7 or Windows Xp. For example, in Windows 10 there is no longer the familiar screen settings window, in which you could change the resolution. Now the screen resolution is changed in a different way. In this article, we will show you how to change in Windows 10.
In order to change the screen resolution on Windows 10, you need to right-click on the desktop and select "Display Settings".
This will open a window with screen settings. Here you need to click on the link "Additional screen options".
This will open a window with a list of available permissions. Select the required screen resolution and click on the "Apply" button.
After choosing a resolution and clicking on the "Apply" button, a window will appear asking you to save or mark the changes. Here, just click "Save Changes".
That's it, you have changed the resolution on Windows 10. It should be noted that in some cases the resolution may not change. The list of available permissions may be grayed out and not open. This means that you need to install new graphics card drivers that support the Windows 10 operating system.
In addition, you can change the screen resolution using the video card driver. Below we will describe how this is done using examples from AMD and Nvidia.
How to change the screen resolution in Windows 10 using AMD drivers
If you are using a graphics card from AMD, then right-click on the desktop and select "AMD Catalyst Control Center".
After that, you will see a window in which you can select the screen resolution, screen refresh rate, color quality, and other parameters of the monitor.
In order to change the screen resolution, simply select the desired resolution from the list and click on the "Apply" button.
How to change the screen resolution in Windows 10 using Nvidia drivers
For Nvidia video cards, the screen resolution is changed in a similar way. First you need to open the Nvidia Control Center. This can be done by right-clicking on the desktop or using. After the Nvidia Control Center has opened you need to go to the "Display - Change resolution" section.
Remember to save your changes after choosing your preferred screen resolution.
Users in various forums complain that they cannot change the screen resolution in Windows 10. They report that the screen resolution dropdown does not display all available resolutions or only displays the current screen resolution. If you are also unable to change the screen resolution in Windows 10, try the following steps. I recommend that you restart your computer once before performing the fix.
More often than not, you cannot change your screen resolution without installing the correct graphics display driver.
Method 1... Press the button combination Win + X and select from the menu " Device Manager". Next expand the column" Video adapters"and you will see if the video driver is installed or not. If the display driver is not installed, you will see the entry" Microsoft Basic Video Adapter"instead of recording a video card, then right-click on it and click update. If the update failed, then go to the video card manufacturer's website and download from the official site.
Method 2... Sometimes restarting the graphics driver can fix the problem. Press the key combination at the same time Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B... Your computer will beep once and your screen may flicker. Check if you can change the screen resolution in the options.
