How to Duplicate, Extend, or Switch Display to a "Second Screen" in Windows 8 and 8.1
Information
This will show you how to use Display Switch to change the presentation mode of your main display from your Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, or Windows RT 8.1 device or PC to display on the PC screen only, duplicate on another screen, extend across another screen, or on the second screen only.
OPTION ONE
To Change Display Presentation Mode in Charms
NOTE: This replaced Presentation Mode in previous versions of Windows.
1. Do either step 2, 3, or 4 below for how you would like to open Second screen.
2. Press the :winkey: + P keys, and go to step 7 below.
3. Press the :winkey: + R to open the Run dialog, type displayswitch.exe, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below.
4. Open the Charms bar, click/tap on Devices, and do step 5 or 6 below for what Windows 8 you have.
5. If you have Windows 8 or Windows RT, then click/tap on Second screen, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
6. If you have Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1, then click/tap on Project, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
7. From here, you can select (click/tap on) how you want your display to project on the second screen. (see screenshots below)
NOTE: If you select the Second screen only option and a second screen is not found by Windows 8, then you can wait 15 seconds for the display to automatically revert back to your main display.
- PC screen only - The second screen is ignored and only the main display is used.
- Duplicate - The main display is mirrored on the second screen.
- Extend - The main display is extended across the two screens and allows you to have a desktop that spans two screens or to use Metro on one screen and the desktop on the other.
- Second screen only - The main display will be disabled and only the second screen is used as your new main display.
OPTION TWO
To Change Display Presentation Mode in "Screen Resolution"
1. Open Screen Resolution settings.
2. Select a display (screen/monitor) that you want to change the Mutiple Displays configuration of. (see screenshots below step 3)
NOTE: If needed, you can click/tap on the Identify button to have the display number appear on each display (screen/monitor) briefly to help know which display you are selecting.
3. Select the Mutiple Displays configuration you want for the selected display, and click/tap on Apply. (see screenshots below)
4. If the selected Mutiple Displays configuration looks good to you, then click/tap on Keep changes. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If not, then you could either click/tap on Revert or wait 15 seconds to automatically revert back to what it was set to prior to changing it.
5. When finished, click/tap on OK in the Screen Resolution window to close it. (see screenshots below step 3)
OPTION THREE
To Change Display Presentation Mode in PC settings
NOTE: This option is only available in Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1.
1. Open PC settings, and click/tap on PC & devices on the left side. (see screenshot below)
2. Click/tap on Display on the left side of PC & devices. (see screenshot below)
3. At the top on the right side, select a display (ex: monitor) that you want to change the configuration of. (see screenshot below step 2)
NOTE: If needed, you can click/tap on the Identify link to have the display number briefly appear on each display to help know which one to select.
4. Under Multiple displays on the right side, click/tap on the drop down menu, select the configuration you want, and click/tap on the Apply button. (see screenshot below step 2)
5. If the selected display configuration looks good to you, then click/tap on Keep changes. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If not, then you could either click/tap on Revert or wait 15 seconds to undo the change and go back to the configuration that was set prior to changing it.
6. If you like, repeat steps 3 to 5 for any other display you wish to change the configuration of.
7. When finished, you can close PC settings if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
Related Tutorials
- How to Create a "Second Screen" Shortcut in Windows 8
- How to Change the Screen Resolution of Displays in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Change Screen Orientation in Windows 8 and 8.1
- Change Your Desktop Background and Slide Show in Windows 8 and 8.1
- How to Hide or Show the Taskbar on Multiple Displays in Windows 8
- How to Set to Turn Off the Display after Specified Time in Windows
- How to Change Your Main Display in Windows 8 and 8.1
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