How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor? – Getting Started

Every bit impressive as laptops and notebooks are, their single-display form factor can be a fiddling too restrictive.

This is specially the instance for persons who multitask and demand to launch several apps or programs than the average computer user.

Any electric current laptop should be able to connect to whatever external display you take, but you might demand to be artistic.

Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to configure laptops and then that they can be used with other monitors.

For example, Dell laptops have a graphics card adapter port built into the motherboard.

You can apply this port to connect your Dell laptop to an external monitor, which tin can come in handy when yous're displaying your PC'southward contents to a larger audience.

This means y'all can connect your Dell laptop to a couple of external monitors. So are you ready to get the about out of your Dell laptop by connecting it to an external monitor?

Read on to detect several ways you tin can exercise this.

Can Your Dell Laptop Connect To An External Monitor?

Most external displays are compatible with Dell PCs, which means y'all necessarily don't need a Dell-branded monitor. In addition, most laptops take at least 1 port for video output.

Some of the most common ports you lot'll find in Dell laptops include:

  1. DisplayPort: The DisplayPort is quite similar to the HDMI port; however, ane of its corners forms a 90-caste bending, and the other is aptitude inwards.
  2. HDMI: This is a six-sided trapezoid-shaped port about iii-quarters of an inch wide.
  3. VGA: VGA is less common present; it comprises fifteen holes with 2 pins on either side.
  4. USB-C: This is an oval-shaped port found on many modern PCs. However, note that not all USB-C ports support a connectedness to an external monitor. Therefore you connect your Dell PC to an external monitor using a USB-C cable if you encounter i of the following:
  • If you see a thunderbolt with an arrow at the base of operations next to the port. This means the port supports Thunderbolt 3; yous can employ a USB-C compatible display.
  • If you lot spot an icon with a white 'P' inside, it means the port is uniform with DisplayPort, and you can use a DisplayPort or USB-C compatible external display.

The Setup Process

Follow these steps to hook upward your Dell laptop to an external display:

  1. Start by confirming if your GPU supports external monitors. Next, yous tin can open Dell's website and cheque your laptop's GPU specifications. This info is labeled as 'Number of Displays' or something close to that.
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
  1. Side by side, head to the 'Dell Drivers and Download' page to get the latest graphic drivers and optimize your video. The website should routinely detect your PC model, and you can select information technology under 'This PC' to get the latest drivers if it isn't already up-to-date.
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
  1. Connect the monitor to your PC and a power outlet and ensure it'southward turned on. Some external monitors crave that you pick the input source before you can come across the display turn on. Make certain that the cords are connected well before you lot proceed.
  2. Next, press and hold Windows + I on your keyboard. The Windows push is the one with the Windows Os logo on it. Ensure you press and hold the keys at the same time.
  3. Then click on 'System.'
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
  1. Side by side, click on 'Brandish'; this choice is in the sidebar to your left.
  2. Adjacent, click on 'Extend these Displays' under the 'Multiple Displays' section. You lot tin can besides decide to display the contents only on the first or second monitor or even mirror the contents of your laptop'due south screen to the external monitor.
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
  1. Then scroll up the 'Display' card to reorganize your screens. If the 2nd monitor is connected properly, you'll see two boxes at the top with numbers inside.
  2. If yous can't see both of your monitors, you can click on the "Detect' push button below.
  3. Next, click on the 'Identify' push to see the display represented by each box.
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
  1. Then elevate the boxes to reorganize them to match your actual physical setup. This is vital in ensuring your mouse moves functions properly on both monitors.
  2. Finally, click on 'Apply.'
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor
How to Connect Dell Laptop to Monitor

Final Thought

As y'all tin see, it'southward relatively easy to connect your Dell laptop to an external monitor.

In one case you have your dual monitor setup, y'all tin personalize them past irresolute the resolution, adding a taskbar to the second monitor, and changing the background of each monitor.

How to employ a laptop as a monitor

How To Connect Dell Laptop To Monitor