Multi-monitor Setups made easy!
For some people, one display just isn’t enough. Craig Grannell shows how several can benefit you, connectors you’ll encounter, and a host of clever apps
There was a time when you would be thrilled at getting your hands on a ‘gigantic’ 17-inch CRT monitor that weighed about as much as a hatchback. Today, though, genuinely huge flat-screen displays are cheap, and so you might be tempted to grab one (or perhaps even two), attach it to your Mac and revel in acres of desktop space.
Should you? That depends. We scoured the web for actual science about the benefits of multiple displays. Unsurprisingly, quite a lot of it was written by companies that make displays. Still, the gist of the more impartial research is this: having access to more pixels can boost your efficiency – to a point. It depends on the tasks you’re doing and how you best focus on them.
This article, then, explores the ins and outs of using multiple displays. It’s designed as a primer for the features within macOS, an overview of enhancements provided by third-party apps, and also to give you ideas of how to best use several screens.
So, whether you’re feeling hemmed in by your tiny MacBook Air, or want to offload tasks to a second screen – be it connected to your Mac, or a remote iPad – read on for essential tips and insight that’ll help you get more value from all those extra pixels.
Configure your displays 1Arrange displays
In System Preferences’ Displays pane, use the Arrangement tab to define the relative virtual positions of your displays (they don’t have to be side by side). Drag the menu bar strip to the display you want to be considered the main one.
2Set resolutions
A display’s resolution can be adjusted in the Display tab. Default is the recommended resolution, but Scaled offers others. Holding å and clicking Scaled may reveal more options beyond the initial range that’s shown.
3Mirroring options
By default, additional displays extend your desktop, giving you more room to work. But should you want the same image to be shown on your Mac and all connected displays, put a check mark next to the Mirror Displays item.
4Detect displays
External displays should be automatically detected by your Mac (but ensure the correct input is selected on your monitor if it has manual controls). If not, hold å so the Gather Windows button becomes Detect Displays and click it.