Most people who read this will probably think using their laptop as a secondary monitor is as simple as connecting it to their desktop via an HDMI cable.
Unfortunately, the HDMI output on your monitor is not an input. It can be used to display your laptop image on a monitor or TV, but that’s not what we’re looking to do here. How To Use A Laptop As A Monitor
However, just as it makes no sense to purchase a new graphics card for your gaming PC if you already own one that is fully functional, purchasing an extra monitor solely for a dual display setup can be a hard pill to swallow.
No need to fear; we’ll show you the easiest way to use a laptop as an additional monitor.
How To Use A Laptop As A Monitor
Connecting Your Laptop To Your Desktop
Most people reading this will probably think that using your laptop as a secondary monitor is as simple as connecting your desktop to your laptop via an HDMI cable.
However, what most users don’t realize is that the HDMI output on your monitor is only an output; it cannot be used as a second monitor for another device.
You can use it to display your laptop image on a monitor or TV, but you’re not going to be able to do what we want here. If you want to use your laptop as a secondary monitor, we’ll need to take an alternative route.
Don’t worry—this method is still very simple to complete. In this article, we’ll explore a number of ways to use your laptop as a second monitor and the benefits of doing so.
The methods for doing this will vary. You can use built-in Windows features to make your laptop a secondary display, or you can stream a game onto your laptop from your desktop.
How to Use Miracast With a Laptop
The first method requires the use of the built-in Windows feature Miracast. We’re going to use Miracast to turn your laptop into a secondary monitor.
How To;
- To set up your laptop as a second screen for your desktop computer, open up the Start menu and go into “Settings” (the gear icon).
- Inside Settings, find and select “System” (the icon of a mouse).
- In the menu on the left-hand side, find and click on “Projecting to this PC” (under “Connected Devices”).
- The first drop-down menu needs to be set to Available, allowing other devices to project onto it.
To use your laptop with another computer, you will need to Follow Step:
Click on the Notifications/Action icon, which is in the bottom right-hand corner of your computer screen (The speech box in the bottom right next to the time).
- Connect your laptop to an external projector. On the notifications tab, select Connect.
- To protect your PC’s display onto a secondary monitor or TV, click “Connect to a projector” on the “Project” pane.
- To complete the process, you need to return to your laptop and click the “Display Settings” button on your desktop.
- Inside the Display settings menu, make sure that the “Multiple Displays” option is set to Extend desktop to this display.
- Your new setup is ready to use. Simply drag and drop your desktop icons onto the new monitor and you are good to go
Miracast Connectivity Issues
It has been noted that some people have struggled to use the Miracast method, as it requires both the laptop and projector to support Intel HD graphics.
Some people with dedicated graphics cards have not been able to use this feature because of this limitation. Moreover, your desktop computer will require a wireless connection to the laptop.
I know many gaming computers use an ethernet cable to reduce latency issues. In this case, you’ll need to purchase a wireless network card or some form of wireless adapter.
Best Buyer’s Guide and Reviews
Best RAM For Ryzen 9 5900x and 5950x
Leave a Reply