Having more than one monitor is a big deal nowadays, and obviously, with all that multitasking that we need to perform and that our might little beasts can help us perform, it wouldn’t be fair to not have an at least dual monitor set-up. Although it is super fun, the task of managing the two monitors at once can be a bit arduous, especially figuring your way into it the first time around. The first step of setting up your regular dual monitor set-up is to identify which one of the two or three do you want to be designated as your primary monitor.
Once you know which one of these do you want to be as your primary monitor, we will help you change your primary display to that one on Windows 10. First thing first, the option of setting one of your monitors as primary will only appear if the display is extended to both or all of the monitors in use. Otherwise, it will treat all the monitors as the same, and they will all act as the primary, which means you’ll see the same display on each monitor, rendering their purpose completely useless. So, let’s teach you how to extend your display across all monitors before switching to the primary option appears.
Extending the Displays
- Right-click on any empty space upon your desktop, and a drop-down menu will appear.
- Click on the “display settings” option, and a new window with display settings will open up.
- On this window, you will find the Multiple display section as you scroll down. This is where you’ll find the drop-down menu from where you can select the “extend these displays” option.
Voila! Your displays are extended, and now you can choose a primary one between the two (or more).
Switching Primary Monitor
Once you have extended the displays, you will find that now one of your monitors is working as primary by default and the other(s) as secondary. We’ll now dive into the process of switching your primary monitor from one to another.
- Right-click on any empty space upon your desktop, and a drop-down menu will appear.
- Click on the “display settings” option, and a new window with display settings will open up.
- Right at the top, you’ll see the currently attached display monitors, and each is identified by a number. Click on the display number which you want to make primary, and the settings for that monitor will appear below.
- Navigate to the “multiple displays” section, and check the box next to the “Make this my main display” option.
Now the selected monitor will function as your primary display. Sometimes, your graphic card’s application will be overriding the system’s display settings. Due to which you’ll have to go follow the same process but through the GPU’s display application, be it AMD, Intel, or Nvidia.
Frequently Asked Question
Can I select a primary monitor without extending the displays?
If you have not selected the extended displays option, then the computer will treat all of the monitors as primary.
Can I switch between the monitors, selecting one after another as primary to see which one works best for me?
Yes, you can easily switch between the two (or more) and see which one works best for you as the primary display.
Will this method also work for a dual monitor set-up attached to a laptop?
Yes, you can use the same method on a dual-monitor set-up with a laptop, and you can switch to any monitor as the primary display other than the laptop’s main screen.
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