How to Use the Laptop as a Monitor?

Posted By: rylee

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Using Your Laptop as a Monitor

So, you are looking for an option to extend your desktop display and use your laptop as the second monitor.

Usually, the HDMI port that comes with the laptop will work only for outputting the display and will not work as the video input. So, you have to convert the screen of your laptop to a larger display.

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Supplies needed to use your laptop as a monitor:

To attain the objective, you have to keep a few tips in mind that will perfectly work for windows-based laptops and desktops.

The supplies enlist a primary computer that you are planning for using, the laptop that will work as a second screen, and the updated version of the Microsoft Windows 10 on both the monitor and the laptop.

Method 1. Using a laptop as a second monitor

Enabling your laptop

  1. Open the Settings app on the laptop that you want to use as the second display >  select system > select projecting to this PC and then carry on with the next steps.
  2. In this step, you will come across one message: Windows PCs and phones can project to this PC. Here, you have to change the settings from ‘always off’ to ‘available everywhere. The other option available is to customize the ‘available everywhere on a secured network option depending upon the network security and location.
  3. When you see the message after the project to this PC, you have to choose between the first time only/every time a connection is requested options.
  4. When the system asks for a required PIN for pairing, you have to create the PIN when you are concerned about the other devices projecting data to the laptop screen. It is a recommended step for public connections as well as shared devices.

Connecting your laptop

  1. This is the step where you have to work for the projection. Go to a laptop that you want to use as the primary device > press windows key + P.
  2. Make a selection of the criteria the way you want the screen to be displayed.
  3. Now choose to extend if you want the laptop to act as the second monitor thus giving you the additional screen space.
  4. Now you have to see the laptop device name when you are opting for a connection.
  5. Now proceed towards approval of the action and you can start using both the screens right away.
  6. Once you have finished using the laptop as the monitor > select disconnect.

Method 2. Using Miracast

Availability of the built-in Miracast Technology will act as a connection to your laptop and is an easy option for that you won’t require connectors cords or wireless dongle.

You will never need 2nd cable or wire for connecting the primary computer to the laptop.

The video ports available on the laptop are only for the output and will never allow visual/audio information to go into the laptop from the outside entities.

  1. Open task bar > click on the icon for Notifications
  2. Select the button Connect that you will get on the notifications window.
  3. You can see that the main PC will look for the device available for connection on the screen. When you get your laptop name appearing there on the screen, you have to select it.
  4. You have to accept the connection request and then look at the laptop to receive the request.
  5. Right-click on the desktop of the PC you are having and select the option display settings.
  6. Now go to the display menu > change the section for multiple displays to extend the desktop to this display.

Now you have successfully set the laptop as your monitor. You can use the monitor for merely giving multiple documents while also performing other actions as per your preferences.

Method 3. Using a third-party tool

When you are not satisfied with the two ways mentioned above, you can try the third-party application that will be available for the systems.

For using the Space Desk, you have to download the application from the official website. For the laptop, you have to download the space desk software for the secondary machine.

You can use it as the second monitor. Again for the main PC, you will have to download the space Desk drive software for Windows primary PC.

  1. Install the software on both systems and then restart it for finishing the process.
  2. You have to make sure that both the systems are connected to the same Wi-Fi or LAN network.
  3. Go to the laptop and then click on the launch of the application.
  4. The system starts automatically detecting the primary computer available on the list.
  5. It will recognize your system when you have to click on connect.

With these processes, the setup is ready for operation. You can use it to get multiple tasks solved without further hassles.

Summing it up

When you are using your laptop as a monitor, you will get plenty of benefits. Some of them are like- you can use it for multiple purposes and experience increased productivity.

Again, the dual-screen also becomes a huge benefit to the marketers in the long run. They can copy and share the media files while posting updates at the same time.

How do I connect my laptop to a monitor?