Add Monitors Using a USB External Display Adapter

These are adapters which turn your USB port into one or two external display ports.

Use a Thunderbolt Port to Add a Second Monitor

If you have a newer laptop, you might not even realize you have a special port on your computer called a Thunderbolt port. These ports are available on both macOS and Windows 10 laptops. This port is usually located near the power adapter port. The latest USB Type-C connector is a small, oval port that packs powerful technology developed by both Intel and Apple. Older versions are more rectangular in shape and might be found on older laptops.

Try a Display Port Splitter Adapter

Older display port splitter devices used to be primarily for switching between two external monitors or display the same video output on two screens. However, if you’re looking to connect two monitors to a laptop, you’re probably hoping to extend your display rather than mirroring. Thankfully, newer display port splitter adapters are capable of taking the single HDMI or DisplayPort output from your laptop and extending the video display output across two or more monitors.

Choosing How to Connect Multiple Monitors

When it comes to adding multiple screens to your laptop, your choice comes down to the hardware capabilities of both your laptop and your monitors. Whether you’re working with older technology or the latest laptop and monitors, there’s a solution to extend to multiple displays.