You spend hours staring at the small screen of your laptop PC every day. This situation can cause muscle tension or back pain. To put an end to these inconveniences and preserve your neck, know that it is possible to connect a second screen to a computer running Windows. We explain how it works..
Why use a second screen with your laptop
With the confinement and the development of teleworking, we have never spent so much time in front of our laptops. But beware, these computer tools are equipped with a small screen. In addition, they are placed very low in relation to the heads of the users. Sitting in front of your laptop, you are forced to lower your eyes to look at the screen.
This position (far from being ergonomic) will cause muscle contractions and generate pain in the back. Most of the time, this back pain appears after several hours of work. But over time, the symptoms get worse..
To stop feeling the pain in the shoulders, neck and back, the trick is to adopt a better position by raising the screen of your laptop. We find on the net supports for PC able to place the screen in front of your eyes. But be careful, to work, these devices need an additional keyboard.
An additional screen offers the advantage of being able to take advantage of a larger workspace. In addition, LCD monitors display better picture quality while providing good contrast and comfortable definition. Once adopted, it is difficult to do without..
Connect a second monitor in Windows
Laptops have become more and more powerful in recent years. There is still an area where they can never compete with desktops. This is the size of the screens.
Fortunately, it's pretty easy to expand your workspace with the help of adding a second screen. Most laptops have a dedicated port for connecting a second monitor.
Before going any further, you will need to identify the display ports available to your machine. On laptops, these are usually found on the sides of the keyboard. Some ports may seem familiar to you, for example HDMI, USB Type C or VGA.
Then go check the ports offered on your screen. You will then have to buy a cable that can connect your two devices. In the event of a problem, do not hesitate to consult the instructions for use of your PC. You will find it for download on the manufacturer's website.
Configure your second screen
Once you have connected your monitor to your laptop PC using the appropriate cable, you will need to configure Windows to recognize it. Here are the steps to follow on Windows 10.
- Click on the start button (Windows logo)
- Tap the Settings icon in the shape of a cogwheel
- Select the window section in the new window that has just opened
- Choose the display item in the left column
- Normally you should see your second screen appear.
- If the latter does not appear, you will have to click on the option to detect
- Then select your monitor
- Click the multiple display drop-down list
- Different options are then available to you
- Duplicate: the second screen displays everything that appears on your PC computer screen
- Extend: The Windows desktop is displayed on two different screens.
- Second screen only: only the monitor is used
Then it's up to you to choose the configuration that meets your needs. Note that it is possible to modify the monitor management options directly from the keyboard of your laptop using the Fn key.
