Macbook pro multiple monitors how to#
Macbook pro multiple monitors for mac#
Macbook pro multiple monitors full#
Macbook pro multiple monitors mac#

Macbook pro multiple monitors mac#

Still not having any luck? There is one other reason that could stop your Mac working with an external display: In the past Apple has made changes to macOS that have stopped some third-party adapters working with extra displays.

Click on Detect Displays: This should cause your Mac to see the external monitor.

Press the Alt/Option key: This should make the Detect Displays button appear.

Connect your monitor and Mac and open System Preferences > Displays.

Still, to put your email or Twitter app on a separate screen, as one example, they should suffice. 3D gaming is definitely out of the question and video playback in anything other than standard definition will probably be choppy. We haven’t tested any but we’re certain performance won’t be as good as with a monitor attached directly. Just search for something likeĪll the above solutions are somewhat hacky.

Macbook pro multiple monitors for mac#

There are also some no-brand devices on eBay and Amazon that offer the same functions as the Diamond product, and are cheaper to boot – although be sure to check for Mac compatibility.

By connecting one to a MacBook Pro, as one example, you could utilise up to three displays: one built in, one via the existing DVI/HDMI/DisplayPort, and one more via USB. Matrox’s Mac compatibility listing, where you’ll also learn the maximum possible output resolutions – it’s unlikely you’ll be able to run all three displays at 1080p, for example.īVU range lets you run a separate external display via nothing more than a USB 2.0 port.

To learn if your Mac is compatible, check out If your Mac is from 2011 to around 2016, chances are it offers Thunderbolt 1 or 2 rather than Mini DisplayPort, although the two are compatible. If you see a Thunderbolt symbol besides what looks like a Mini DisplayPort, your Mac has a Thunderbolt port. The Thunderbolt port looks the same as Mini DisplayPort (below) and is backwards-compatible with that port. Thunderbolt first appeared on Macs in around 2011, then in 2013 Apple introduced Thunderbolt 2. A USB 4 port can only support one display, while Thunderbolt 4 can support two 4K displays.

Macbook pro multiple monitors full#

Thunderbolt 4 will always have a full 40Gbps bandwidth, while USB 4 starts at 20Gbps, but can also reach Thunderbolt 4’s 40Gbps. There isn’t a huge difference between USB 4 and Thunderbolt 4, and Thunderbolt 4 devices support USB 4. If you are adding a second monitor to a Mac mini you will see something like this: The options are a little different if you are attaching a desktop Mac, like a Mac mini, to a monitor as it doesn’t have it’s own display. You can also select ‘Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available’ and you will see a status menu in the menu bar making it easier to turn this off and on again.If you want to mirror the display on both (or multiple) displays go to System Preferences > Displays > Arrangement and choose Mirror Displays.Drag this white bar to the screen you wish to be dominant. A white menu bar will be shown at the top of one of the screens.Drag the illustrated displays into the arrangement you require.Do not select the Mirror Displays tickbox (unless you want the second screen to show the same content as your original screen).Identify which Apple adapter and cable you need to connect the Mac and the monitor by following the guidance in the Which Port section below.The steps are relatively simple, but as you will see the first step is the hardest!

Macbook pro multiple monitors how to#

You may also be interested in how to use an old iMac as a second display. To find out more see: How to use the same mouse and keyboard with two Macs.Īnother thing to bear in mind if you were hoping to add two external displays to your Mac is that while some Macs can support up to five additional displays, the M1 Macs, including the MacBook Air and 13in MacBook Pro can only support one additional display – although there is a workaround, read: How to connect two or more external displays to Apple M1 Macs. In Monterey Apple added the ability to use one keyboard and mouse with two Macs, or a Mac and iPad, which could suit your new way of working. We look at how to use your iPad as a screen for your Mac in a separate article, along with which iPads and Macs support the feature. This may suit you if you don’t already own an external screen, but note that you do need a supported Mac and iPad. It is also possible to use an iPad as a second screen – an option that Apple added in macOS Catalina, and then enhanced in macOS Monterey.