Have you ever been amazed by someone juggling crazily between multiple screens at work or seen someone in rapid action mode? You must have wondered what was going on! The truth is that having more than one monitor increases productivity by about 20 to 50%!
Due to this, you can be multitasking more efficiently, while copying and pasting, editing pictures or videos, and making comparisons take much less time. Sometimes, you might need to add more monitors to your device if you want to perform speedily like a pro.
Whether you’re working or gaming at the office or home, today you’ll learn How to run dual monitors with one HDMI port?. Or how do I use two monitors with one HDMI port?
Initial Steps That How to Connect Two Monitors to a Laptop with One HDMI Port?
Checking whether your laptop is capable of handling multiple monitors is the first thing to do before connecting monitors. No matter which version of Windows you run, from XP/ Vista to 7-10, most laptops can handle it.
Graphics Card
Your laptop’s graphics card needs to be capable of supporting multiple displays simultaneously. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about it. On the website of your laptop manufacturer, you can find information about your graphics card.
Identify the card using its corresponding official website and check its specifications. Information about whether multiple monitors are supported should be easy to find, as the information will directly state that. You’d need to purchase and install a video card that supports additional monitors if your laptop’s built-in graphics card does not support them.
Availability of Ports
Make sure your laptop has ports that can connect to your monitors and that your laptop has ports that can connect to your monitors.
One of the below-defined ports must be on your monitor and laptop.
- HDMI
- VGA
- Display Port
- USB-C
- DVI
The monitors and the laptop will be more convenient if they both have HDMI interfaces, given that we are looking to connect them via HDMI. Adapters don’t have to be purchased for this connection.
HDMI Port Crisis
Your laptop should be equipped with dual HDMI interfaces if you intend to connect both monitors via HDMI. In this case, what should you do? Does your monitor or laptop’s HDMI port not work? Here are three possible solutions.
Adapters
Most laptops have a built-in HDMI port. Or if you haven’t an HDMI port you can install it easily by connecting an adapter. In the case of connecting 2 monitors to a laptop using VGA and HDMI, an adapter is a great solution. The reason this is the case is that you will only need a VGA-to-HDMI converter to transform your VGA port.
Switch Splitter
An alternative solution to the single port issue is this smart hack. Two HDMI ports can be obtained from a single hardware interface of the device using a switch splitter. Then, you can connect the laptop to this device via its one port, and then use two HDMI cables to connect the two monitors using the two new HDMI interfaces that this splitter offers.
Docking Station
Using docking stations to connect two monitors to your laptop via HDMI is yet another clever hack. As well as a versatile range of conveniences, it has numerous ports and functions to ensure it gets the job done.
Procedure for How to Connect Two Monitors to a Laptop with HDMI?
The three methods discussed above can all be used to compensate for the lack of HDMI ports in your laptop- a USB adapter, switch splitter, or docking station. You can connect your laptop using any of the methods.
Adapter
In case you already have an existing HDMI interface. Connect an HDMI cable to the transformed HDMI interface after converting another port into HDMI using its corresponding adapter.
Switch Splitter
Connect the two HDMI cables to the other end of the splitter containing the two new HDMI ports, and split the existing HDMI interface into two with the switch splitter device.
Docking Station
The HDMI port of your laptop remains free since docking stations are connected to your laptop either through a slide lock mechanism on the side or via a USB interface.
Depending on your docking station, you can either use the laptop’s HDMI or the docking station’s HDMI together for both monitors; or, you can use both HDMI ports.
- Double-check that both HDMI cables are working. Make sure your laptop is turned on.
- Connect the laptop and monitors to each end of the cables. You can then obtain two HDMI interfaces from a single HDMI output.
- Click the right mouse button on an empty space on your laptop’s screen.
- Click on “Display Settings” in Windows 10. Go to “Screen Resolution” in Windows 7 or 8.
- Now that you’re in the displaying mode, you’ll observe that there are three displays, 1, 2, and 3. A laptop monitor is shown at 1, while two external monitors are shown at 2 and 3.
- Click on “Apply” for the “Extend desktop to this display” option after selecting the display labeled 2.
- For display number 3, repeat the previous step.
- Once you’ve adjusted your settings, click on the OK button. Your external monitors will be able to be used with your laptop now.
- Other settings can also be adjusted in this way based on your needs.
If HDMI Fails
In case, if both of your monitor’s HDMI ports are broken, you can still connect the displays using your HDMI cables and your laptop’s HDMI ports. The only thing you need to do is to use a different monitor port, and you’ll also need an HDMI dongle. For instance, if you wish to use the monitor’s DVI or VGA ports, you can pick up both VGA-to-HDMI and DVI-to-HDMI adapters.
- Your monitor should be connected to the appropriate adapter.
- As usual, connect your laptop to your HDMI cables
- Connect the HDMI cables to the HDMI connections of the adapters
- Once you’ve completed the installation process on your laptop, continue as usual
Can’t Find The Monitors You Just Plugged In?
The problem is very common and can occur to anyone, with a variety of causes, all of which can be fixed. Try not to panic!
Hardware Fault
It’s probably the easiest reason why your monitors aren’t connecting to your laptop. One of your cables or monitors is damaged, or your connection is loose. Check for loose connections and get a new pair of cables, If the old cables are no longer functioning properly. Get your monitors repaired if they are damaged. Or purchase a new one if the damages are not worth fixing.
Graphics Card Incompatibility
The graphics card on your laptop must be capable of supporting dual external monitors, as discussed at the very beginning. Check the compatibility of your graphics card with external and multiple monitors by finding the exact information about it.
If your current one is incompatible then getting a new graphic card that is compatible is the best option for you. When you install correctly, your problem will be resolved in no time!
Drive Update
It may be necessary to update your laptop’s drivers if you continue to experience problems despite making the above fixes. This can be either done manually or automatically. On the website of your laptop brand, find the right driver for your Operating System and install it by following the steps it requires. An individual who is tech-savvy should be able to do this, as it may be quite tricky and time-consuming.
If you’re like me and have no patience, you can automate driver updating with Driver Easy. It will automatically detect and update outdated drivers for you, both free and paid versions, so you can simplify your driver updates.