Changing the mode of external displays (Windows 10)

Information

External displays are used for a variety of reasons, whether it’s a projector for a classroom or extra monitor for an office, they can be set up in different ways depending on what they’re being used for. You can also change the mode whenever you like if you want to use the display for multiple purposes.

Solution

1. With the external display connected, press windows key + p on your keyboard
   
2. A menu will appear on the right listing the different modes your display can run in.
   

PC screen only: Will only use your laptop’s built in screen (for a desktop computer, it will only use 1 of the displays connected)

Duplicate: Will have every display show the same image. This is most commonly used with projectors.

Extend: Will have each display extend the screen, giving you more space to work. This is most commonly used with external screens as you can move windows between screens to make working with multiple windows easier.

Second screen only: Will only use the external screen connected to a laptop. (If there are more than 1 displays connected to the computer, it will use the 2nd display.

Tips

You can also get to these settings by:

1. Click the action center button in the bottom right of your screen
   
2. Choose Project