Despite the fact that the possibilities we have in terms of configurations of multiple monitors on PC are very wide (since we can connect a large number of screens to a single PC), the most common configuration is with two screensand we are going to base our tutorial on this postulate, in particular because when we talk about screen mirroring, it is in fact the situation in which it makes the most sense.
How to Mirror Your PC or Laptop Screen
Before starting to get to the heart of the matter, it is essential to define what exactly the term “duplicate screen” means, even if it is true that its name is already quite explicit: literally, this technique will allow us to see twice a video output signal to two or more screens simultaneously. In other words, we will have the image repeated, cloned or duplicated (whatever you want to call it) on several screens, which will display the same video image and at the same time.
In the image that we placed above these lines you have a very clear example, in which we double (or rather triple) the screen of a laptop on two additional external monitors, which makes it exactly identical in all three places (in this case, the video sender is the laptop).
Prerequisites, what do you need?
We are talking about PCs, and so the requirement is logically that you must have at least one PC and two monitors. In addition, the PC must have several video outputs to be able to connect the two monitors, although it is true that there are also other techniques to duplicate the screen wirelessly, for which one would have to use, for example, a wireless HDMI (with this system, connects a transmitter to the video source and receivers to the monitors).
When you want, for example, to mirror the screen of your PC or laptop to a TV, some modern models support this operation even wirelessly, using the local WiFi connection. However, and we repeat it, since what interests us is the PC ecosystem, this is what we are going to explain to you next. So stick with this: you need a PC with multiple video outputs, and as many monitors as you want to mirror, logically connected to the PC’s video outputs.
Configuration and commissioning
We assume you already have the PC with both monitors connected; Once that’s done, setting up screen mirroring is really quite simple, and in fact, Windows should automatically detect both monitors. Alternatively, right-click on any empty space on your desktop, then select “Display Settings”. There you will see that there is a section that says “Various screens” and this is where you have to go by clicking the left mouse button to display it. Next, click on the Detect button that we have indicated for the operating system to detect your monitors.
Once the operating system detects your two screens, you can OK and close this window, then press the key combination WIN + P. When you do, you will see that a menu appears in the lower right corner of the main screen which will allow you to select the behavior of the second monitor.
Here you have the following options:
- PC screen only: The sub monitor will be turned off and only the image will be displayed on the main monitor.
- Duplicate: this is the option that interests us to duplicate the screen; will make it the same on both.
- Enlarge: This is the extended desktop mode.
- only second screen: Unlike the first option, it will only display the image on the secondary screen.
Can a screen be mirrored and a third screen used as an extended desktop?
It is possible that you have more than two screens connected to the PC, and you want to duplicate one of them but use the other as an extended desktop… is it possible to do this configuration? The answer is yes. You’ll have to go back to “Screen settings” as we showed you in the previous step, and in the menu of the different screens you can select how you want each of them to behave.
What is screen mirroring used for?
As we mentioned at the beginning, the normal thing when you have several monitors connected to the PC is to use them to have a larger viewing area and to be able to distribute the windows over several screens, so that, for example, you can be played on one monitor while on the other you have Discord or your favorite streaming tool. However, why would you want to see the same thing on two screens at the same time?
Show others what you see on your PC screen
It’s quite common to have a PC or laptop connected to a large TV, especially in presentations (imagine you’re in a meeting and want to show everyone a PPT presentation you have on your PC) . Likewise, it could be used to put media content on your PC and see it on a big screen which is not normally the one you use for the PC.
Use a larger external monitor with your laptop
It is also very common for people who work with laptops to feel uncomfortable using such a small screen for such a long time. For this reason, it makes perfect sense to want to connect the laptop to an external monitor (in addition to a keyboard and mouse) to be able to work more comfortably, and even at a higher resolution than the laptop. laptop screen itself.
You can also mirror the screen of your tablet or mobile
Another of the utilities that we can find in the screen mirroring mode is to transmit the content of your smartphone or tablet to a larger screen. Here, what we explained to you before is gone, but if you think you can have the PC on the main monitor and the mobile on the secondary screen, things change.
As you can see, mirroring the PC screen can be very useful depending on the circumstances, and while it may not be as useful for everyday life as extended desktop mode, it also has a certain utility and is just as easy to configure.
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