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Extending over two external displays

i have a MacBook Pro, I want to extend over 2 external displays so will have 3 separate images on 3 screens including the MacBook. How can I do this?

Posted on Mar 29, 2020 2:37 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 29, 2020 5:26 AM

TaffD1000 wrote:

i have a MacBook Pro, I want to extend over 2 external displays so will have 3 separate images on 3 screens including the MacBook. How can I do this?



See if you still have this option >System Preferences>Displays

press the option key while you're in Displays— You'll get a Detect displays button (bottom right).


there is a checkbox "Show displays in menu bar". If you check it, you get a new icon in the menu bar that has "Detect Displays" as its first option.


Use external monitors with your Mac - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202351



Mirror 2 of 3 displays


Click the ? at the lower-right of the "Arrangement" tab of "Displays" system preference.

"To set up a combination of displays showing mirrored and extended desktop images, set up the three displays as an extended desktop, and then Option-drag a display icon onto another display icon to mirror the two displays."



When you select Mirror Displays, your Mac chooses a resolution that BOTH displays appear capable of showing completely. Then it switches both displays to exactly the same display-generator Hardware, and they are expected to be perfectly in sync displaying the same data. This may be less than ideal.


Try using Extended Desktop Mode instead of Mirror Display Mode. Mirror display also mirrors the display resolution. Extended desktop mode allows you to select the native resolution of the external display.


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 29, 2020 5:26 AM in response to TaffD1000

TaffD1000 wrote:

i have a MacBook Pro, I want to extend over 2 external displays so will have 3 separate images on 3 screens including the MacBook. How can I do this?



See if you still have this option >System Preferences>Displays

press the option key while you're in Displays— You'll get a Detect displays button (bottom right).


there is a checkbox "Show displays in menu bar". If you check it, you get a new icon in the menu bar that has "Detect Displays" as its first option.


Use external monitors with your Mac - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202351



Mirror 2 of 3 displays


Click the ? at the lower-right of the "Arrangement" tab of "Displays" system preference.

"To set up a combination of displays showing mirrored and extended desktop images, set up the three displays as an extended desktop, and then Option-drag a display icon onto another display icon to mirror the two displays."



When you select Mirror Displays, your Mac chooses a resolution that BOTH displays appear capable of showing completely. Then it switches both displays to exactly the same display-generator Hardware, and they are expected to be perfectly in sync displaying the same data. This may be less than ideal.


Try using Extended Desktop Mode instead of Mirror Display Mode. Mirror display also mirrors the display resolution. Extended desktop mode allows you to select the native resolution of the external display.


Mar 30, 2020 11:27 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks. I don’t get the detect displays button. My MacBook pro is. 13.3 2017, 2 thunderbolt sockets so should support two powerful displays.


i currently have the VGA display and the HDMI display running through a third party multi adaptor with VGA HDMI and 3 USB B on. They run fine but screen mirror each other. I want to able to extend across 3 displays including my MacBook.


Do I have to connect 1:1 from Display 1 VGA to Adaptor to Thunderbolt Port 1, Display 2 HDMI to Adaptor to Thunderbolt port 2?

see photos attached.

Extending over two external displays

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