- Connecting your laptop to a monitor is simply a matter of using the appropriate cable; most Windows laptops use HDMI or USB, and MacBooks will use USB or Thunderbolt.
- After connecting the monitor, choose to duplicate or extend the display in the Display Settings windows on Windows or System Preferences on a Mac.
- You might need to get an adapter to connect your monitor to a MacBook if the display doesn't have the appropriate connector for your laptop (USB-C or Thunderbolt).
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No matter how big your laptop is, connecting it to a separate monitor is always a great way to add extra space and keep your windows organized. It's also especially useful for gamers who want to play their favorite titles on a bigger, faster, and more vibrant screen — even the best gaming laptops can benefit from that.
And luckily, it doesn't take much work to connect your laptop to another monitor. All you'll need is the right kind of cable.
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Whether you have a MacBook or Windows laptop, the basic steps to connect to a separate monitor are the same. First, you'll need to confirm what kind of video connection your laptop and monitor support.
HDMI is the most popular kind of video connection around today, but some devices may have other ports like USB, VGA, DisplayPort, or DVI. If your laptop and monitor don't share the same video connection, you can usually find an adapter that enables you to convert one of the above connections to the format you need.
You'll also need to make sure that whatever cable you have can support the resolution and refresh rate you want to display. A standard 18Gbps HDMI cable can handle 4K at 60Hz, but if you have a gaming laptop, you'll probably want a 48Gbps HDMI cable that can transmit 4K at up to 120Hz. But remember, your monitor and laptop also need to support these display settings in order to enable them.
Once you have the right cable, just plug one end into your laptop and the other into your monitor. If the new monitor is on and plugged in, your laptop should automatically recognize and start using it.
If nothing shows up on the new monitor, you might need to initiate the connection yourself. To do that on a PC, right-click a blank spot on your desktop and select Display settings, then click Detect.
On a Mac, open the System Preferences or System Settingsapp and click Displays, then hold down the Option key and click Detect Displays. If you're using a Mac with an M1 or M2 chip, you might also need to open the Privacy & Security menu and use the Allow accessories to connect option.
You can also use these menus to choose whether you want your two screens to mirror each other, or if you want them to extend, meaning they both act as a separate screen you can move between. And if you extend the screens, you can also drag-and-drop the monitor icons so they're in the same positions they are in real life.
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William Antonelli (he/she/they) is a writer, editor, and organizer based in New York City. As a founding member of the Reference team, he helped grow Tech Reference (now part of Insider Reviews) from humble beginnings into a juggernaut that attracts over 20 million visits a month. Outside of Insider, his writing has appeared in publications like Polygon, The Outline, Kotaku, and more. He's also a go-to source for tech analysis on channels like Newsy, Cheddar, and NewsNation. You can find him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher, or reach him by email at wantonelli@businessinsider.com.
Freelance Writer
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.
