Second Screen Shortcut - Create in Windows 8

How to Create a Second Screen Shortcut in Windows 8 and 8.1​

   Information

Second Screen (aka: Display Switch) is used to change the presentation mode of the main display (screen) of your Windows 8 device or PC to display on the PC screen only, duplicate on another screen, extend across another screen, or on the second screen only.

This tutorial will show how to create or download a Second Screen (aka: Display Switch) shortcut in Windows 8, Windows RT, Windows 8.1, and Windows RT 8.1.

   Note

• 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.

EXAMPLE: "Second Screen" in Windows 8

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OPTION ONE

To Download a "Second Screen" Shortcut for Windows 8

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1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the ZIP file below.​

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Second_Screen_Shortcut.zip​

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2. Save the .zip file to the desktop.​

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3. Open the .zip file and extract (drag and drop) the Second Screen shortcut to the desktop.​

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4. Unblock the Second Screen shortcut.​

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5. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.​

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6. When finished, you can delete the downloaded .zip file if you like.​

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OPTION TWO

To Manually Create a "Second Screen" Shortcut in Windows 8

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1. Right click or press and hold on a empty area of the desktop, and click/tap on New and Shortcut.​

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2. Copy and paste the command you want below into the location area, and click/tap on the Next button. (see screenshot below)​

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(Second Screen (Windows 8) or Project (Windows 8.1) flyout)​

%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe​

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OR​

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(PC screen only)​

%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /internal​

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OR​

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(Duplicate)​

%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /clone​

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OR​

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(Extend)​

%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /extend​

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OR​

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(Second screen only)​

%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe /external​

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3. Type Second Screen for the name, and click/tap on the Finish button. (see screenshot below)​

NOTE: You can name this shortcut anything you would like though. ​

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4. Right click or press and hold on the new Search Apps shortcut, and click/tap on Properties.​

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5. If you like, you can Pin to Taskbar on desktop, Pin to Start screen, add to Quick Launch, assign a keyboard shortcut to it, or move this shortcut to where you like for easy use.​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Duplicate, Extend, or Switch Display to a "Second Screen" in Windows 8 and 8.1

 

[btakasper]

Is there a way to create just a shortcut to extend the display without having to use the second screen shortcut and then click extend? Not that it's a big deal, but i'm just trying to extend the display with a single click from desktop or start screen and also have another shortcut to go back to monitor only. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello btakasper, and welcome to Eight Forums.

I suppose that you could create a .vbs script like the ones below to do this. It's basically running the display switch shortcut, and simulating key strokes for the arrow keys and Enter to do this.

The problem is where you start off at. You may need to adjust how many UP or DOWN arrow keys to send.


If you start at "PC screen only", this will send two DOWN arrows and Enter to set "Extend" display.

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run "%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe"

WScript.Sleep 500
 
WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{DOWN}"

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{DOWN}"

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{ENTER}"

If you start at "Extend", this will send two UP arrows and Enter to set "PC screen only" display.

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Run "%windir%\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe"

WScript.Sleep 500
 
WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{UP}"

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{UP}"

WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell").SendKeys "{ENTER}"

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[pcRat]

Works great. Any chance to get it on context menu?

 

[Brink]

Works great. Any chance to get it on context menu?

Hello Ron,

Here you go.

View attachment Add_Second_Screen_to_Desktop_Context_Menu.reg

View attachment Remove_Second_Screen_from_Desktop_Context_Menu.reg

 

[pcRat]

Thanks Brink, it makes life easier.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome.