Laptops are great because they are portable, so you can take them to use wherever you want. This means they are very convenient, but did you ever consider using your laptop as a monitor or second screen?
Why it is Better to use a Laptop than Buy New Equipment
Using a laptop will save you money! By using your laptop as a monitor, you don’t have to invest in another dedicated computer just for a monitor.
The laptop doesn’t need to be in perfect working order, because you don’t need all the laptop’s features to use it as a monitor. As long as the screen and operating system still function, you’re good to go.
So, you don’t have to have a less than perfect laptop sitting around, unused. You are also saved from having to figure out how to dispose of it correctly, or having to add it to landfill.
Increase your Productivity
Using your laptop as a monitor can help you increase your productivity because you can view two documents or projects side by side, making for easy comparison.
The Advantages of a Second Monitor
Think of the times you have had to toggle between two applications, software tools or browser windows and you can see how having a second monitor would be really helpful.
Some examples of the advantages of a second monitor is using one monitor to do research and the other to write a report, or to keep a dedicated display for chat or messaging applications.
You can set up alerts and real-time notifications on a single display. Most importantly, you can watch something you enjoy on one screen, while you work on the other.
How to Use your Laptop as a Monitor
This is how to set up the laptop. Windows 10 desktop is one of the most popular in use, so this information is for Windows 10 desktop.
Go to ‘Settings > System > Projecting to this PC’. The first drop down menu should be changed to ‘Available everywhere on secure networks’. Then, you can configure the other settings with your own preferences.
After that is done, go back to your desktop PC and click on the ‘Action Center’ icon on the bottom right-hand corner of your taskbar.
Click on ‘Connect’, and when the laptop appears that you’d like to use, select it. You will then need to accept the connection request on the laptop. There is an option to use a pin, and if you do, then this is when you type it in.
Then, right-click on your desktop and select ‘Desktop Settings’. There will be a display menu, where you select ‘Extend desktop to this display’.
Once that’s done, right-click on your desktop and select ‘Desktop Settings’. In the display menu, make sure you select ‘Extend desktop to this display’. You can then rearrange your desktop and laptop display however you like.
There are sure to be other things that you will discover to do with a second monitor once you give it a try!
