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Applies to these editions of Windows Vista:

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Set up multiple monitors

When you connect an additional monitor to your mobile PC, Windows automatically detects the monitor and displays your computer's desktop. You can then choose how you want your desktop to appear and customize the display settings, such as screen resolution and color depth.

  1. Manually connect the monitor to your mobile PC.

    If Windows can't identify the monitor, open the New Display Detected dialog box by using one of the following methods:

    • Press the keyboard shortcut that turns on an additional display.

      The FN+F5 keyboard shortcut is used for this purpose on many mobile PCs. To determine which keyboard shortcut turns on an additional display, check the information that came with your mobile PC, or go to the manufacturer's website.

    • Open Windows Mobility Center by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Mobile PC, and then clicking Windows Mobility Center.

      Then, on the External Display tile, click Connect display.

    Note

    Note

    Windows Mobility Center is available only on mobile PCs.

  2. In the New Display Detected dialog box, select one of the following display options, and then click OK.

    • Mirrored.  Mirrors, or duplicates, your desktop on each display that you connect. Mirrored is the default display option. This option is useful if you plan to use your mobile PC to give a presentation on a projector or a fixed display in a conference room, such as a wall-mounted plasma display or TV-type monitor.

    • Extended. Extends your desktop across all of the displays that you connect. This option is useful if you want to increase your desktop area.

    • External display only.  Shows your desktop on each display that you connect, but not on your mobile PC display. This option is useful if you're using a mobile PC and you want to conserve battery power. You can also use this option when you play a DVD on a mobile PC that supports full-screen video playback on only one display.

    If Windows can't identify the monitor that you connect, it automatically applies the last display settings that you used for that type of monitor and asks whether you want to keep the settings. Click OK to keep these settings.

    If you click Cancel or do nothing, the Display Settings dialog box appears so that you can manually choose the display settings.

    Note

    Note

    To select different display settings at any time, open Display Settings in Control Panel.

    Open Display Settings by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, clicking Personalization, and then clicking Display Settings.

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