How to connect a laptop to an external monitor - News Block

By connecting our laptops to an external monitor, we can significantly improve our productivity. Whether you are a student, a CEO, or just a makeshift PC user, an external monitor will always help you.

Connecting a secondary monitor to a laptop is a simple process and you can use this external monitor to mirror your laptop screen. Or you can use the external one as an extended screen of your laptop.

If you also want to connect a secondary monitor to your laptop, you are in the right place. In this article, we are going to explore how to connect a laptop to an external monitor step by step.

Why is it better to use an external monitor?

Before we dive into connecting a laptop to an external monitor, it’s important to understand why and when we should use an external monitor with our laptop. The benefits of using an external monitor with a laptop are listed below:

Suppose you are a graphic designer and you don’t like to switch between application windows to collect utilities for your project. In that case, you should consider using a second monitor with your laptop.
As an encoder, you can take advantage of an external monitor more effectively. Generally, when we code a website or mobile app, we need to see the result many times. In this case, you can use a second monitor with your laptop.
Two screens are also ideal for users who can view a specific piece of data on a website on one screen for reference while writing another piece of content or email on a second screen.
Dual screens can also benefit those who must keep track of constantly changing data while doing a special project on another screen.
If you’re a gamer, two screens visually expand your gaming landscape so you can better handle any opponent and achieve your goals.
If you’re a student writing an essay, you’ll have your Microsoft Word document on one screen, and therefore the topics you’re researching on your second screen.

Materials needed for connection

Before we start, let’s see what we need to connect our laptop to an external monitor. Some components listed below may not be required for a specific method. That is why I have identified those with a flag.

A working laptop that supports an external monitor. (Required for both methods)
An eternal monitor that supports at least one Media Interface. (If you want to connect your monitor wirelessly, it must support wireless projection)
Connection cable to connect the laptop and the external monitor (for example, HDMI, VGA, Thunderbolt or a Displayport cable). (Required for wired method)
In some cases: You need a dicking station. (If your monitor has a different media port than your laptop)

Connect a laptop with external monitor

There are two ways to connect a laptop with an external monitor. The first way is to connect the monitor directly to the laptop using a video cable. Or the second way is to connect the monitor wirelessly through the network.

In this article, we are going to cover both methods one by one. Next we will see how to configure the Screen settings to use our monitor in a preferred way. So, let’s start with the first method.

Connect a laptop with external monitor using a cable

This is the first and easiest way to connect a laptop to an external monitor. To connect an external monitor to a laptop, you need to follow a few simple steps, such as inserting all the cables into the correct ports and setting the input source of your external monitor.

Step 1 – Connect the cables to the correct ports

In this step, we are going to find out what type of video cable our laptop and monitor have and how to connect those cables correctly. There are numerous types of video interfaces available for laptops, including HDMI, VGA, display port, DVI port, Thunderbolt, etc.

First, check if your laptop has a media port. Generally, the media port is located on the left side of the laptop along with the USB docking station. But, sometime, it may be located on the right side of the laptop. To identify your fort type, take a look at the image mentioned below.

Choose a suitable cable and insert it into the port of the laptop and the monitor. If you noticed that your laptop and monitor have different ports, you can use a media cable converter to connect them. For example, if your laptop has an HDMI port and your monitor has a VGA port, you can use an HDMI to VGA cable converter.

Now insert the power cord into the monitor’s DC input port and plug the adapter into a power outlet. Finally, make sure the monitor is turned on.

Step 2: Set up your monitor’s input source

On your external monitor, look for a physical button that is labeled Source. If you discover one, press it repeatedly until the monitor displays the preferred source.

If there is no such button, open the monitor’s OSD (On Screen Display) and navigate through the menus to find the input source. Then select the input source you have chosen to connect the video cable to.

Connect a laptop with an external monitor using a wireless connection

In this age, all devices offer ultra-modern features. Some high end monitors have Miracast built in. Miracast is a wireless technology that connects video cards and monitors without any cables.

If your device supports Miracast, you can connect your laptop to an external monitor without any cables. Make sure your laptop and monitor support Miracast technology.

To connect your laptop to an external monitor without a cable, just follow the steps below:

On your main computer, right-click on the desktop and select “Screen settings“.
In the display settings window, scroll down and click “Connect a wireless display“.

A panel will appear on the right side of your screen, from there
find your monitor name and click on it.

After clicking on the name of your monitor, the connection may take a while. After that, you will see your laptop screen mirrored on the external monitor.

Configure the settings to use the external monitor

After successfully connecting the laptop with an external monitor, it’s time to configure the Windows settings for the external monitor.

To set up the external monitor, follow the steps below:

Right click on your desktop and select “Screen settings“.
In the display settings window, scroll down to the
multiple screens section.
Click the multi-view dropdown menu and select “Extend desktop to this screen“.

Now the external monitor will work as an extended display of your laptop screen. By placing the monitor on the side of your laptop, you can open multiple windows at the same time.

Finally, you need to arrange the position of the monitor from the top of the display settings. To do that, click on the screen and drag it to your preferred position.

Ending…

Connecting the laptop to an external monitor is a very simple task. You just need to connect your laptop to your external monitor using a video cable and set the input source to your preferred input method from your monitor’s menu.

The process of connecting a laptop to an external monitor is always the same, however what brand of monitor are you using? Share this article, if you like it. and continually visit our website for this kind of how-to guide.