How to Make 2 Monitors Into 1 | Combining Dual Monitors Into a Single Display

To increase productivity and efficiency in multitasking or enhance your computer experience, you may need to merge two monitors into one single display. But do you know how to make 2 monitors into 1?

You can easily make 2 different monitors connected to your PC into one single monitor from the display settings.

In this article, we have provided a step-by-step guide on how to make two monitors function as a single including under which conditions you can do that. Let’s read on to learn about them below.

What are the Requirements for Using 2 Monitors as 1 Monitor?

Before we move directly to the points, let’s learn about the conditions that you need to meet to make your two monitors a single display. Here are the requirements for that:

1. Two Monitors: Obviously, you’ll need two monitors.
2. Two Display Ports: Old motherboard normally contains a single port to connect one monitor. In that case, you’ll need to install a graphics card to use two monitors. However, modern motherboards often come with two display ports where you can easily use two monitors.
3. Compatible Cables with Ports: you’ll need monitors with compatible input ports such as HDMI, DisplayPort, etc. to connect them to the motherboard.

If your PC meets all these requirements, then you’re good to make your two monitors into 1. But if these criteria aren’t fulfilled, try to manage all these things before merging two monitors.

Steps to Turning Two Monitors Into One Extended Screen?

Now, let’s come back to the track about how to make 2 monitors into 1. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Connect Monitors

The first thing you need to do is connect both monitors to your computer using the appropriate cables and adapters. Make sure both monitors are powered on and recognized by your system.

Step 2: Adjust the Display Settings

Here are the steps to adjust display settings:

For Windows

Navigate to Settings > System > Display and click “Detect” under the Multiple Displays option.

Then, choose “Extend these displays” to make 2 monitors into 1 single monitor.

Quick Tip: Press Windows Logo Key + P and select Extend.

For macOS

Navigate to System Preferences > Displays and click on the “Arrangement” tab. From there, check the “Mirror Displays” option.

For Linux

Access Display Settings and choose the extend displays option. However, the navigation to these settings may vary for the different distributions of Linux.

After making the adjustment, click “Apply” to save the changes.

Pro Tips: Things to Customize After Merging 2 Monitors Into 1

1. Arrange Monitors: You can drag and drop the monitors to 1 and 2 to set the left and right positions of the monitors.
2. Resolution and Scaling: Adjust the resolution and scaling settings to ensure the content looks consistent across both monitors. This prevents elements from appearing too large or too small on either screen.
3. Customize Display Settings: Depending on your preferences, you can choose which monitor is the primary display, adjust the orientation (landscape or portrait), and set other display-related settings.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (FAQs)

How to Make 2 Monitors into 1 for NVIDIA GPU?

To merge multiple displays from the NVIDIA control panel, you have to open the NVIDIA Control Panel navigation tree pane and navigate to Display > Set up multiple displays. From there, you need to start the NVIDIA Merged Display Wizard by clicking Set Up Merged Display. From there, select the source and target display and merge them.

Why Is My Second Monitor Showing Up As 1/2?

Your second monitor might show up as 1/2 if the current settings are set to Duplicate Displays. To separate them into Monitor 1 and Monitor 2, you need to select Extended.

Can I Plug 2 Monitors with My Motherboard?

Whether you can plug 2 monitors into your motherboard simultaneously depends on whether your motherboard support dual display or whether it has two port to connect monitors. If your motherboard has 2 HDMI or DisplayPort, then you can plug 2 monitors into your motherboard. Otherwise, you need to buy a graphics card to use multiple monitors.

Conclusion

The easy way to make or merge two monitors into one single display is explained above. With the right hardware and the simple steps outlined above, you can now easily achieve an extended display setup that boosts your productivity and multitasking capabilities. We hope you’ve found this guide helpful on extending your two monitors into 1. If you still have any confusion, ask anything regarding this topic in our comment section below. Thanks for reading!