How do I properly connect and use a BENQ monitor with my MacBookAir?

Hi,

Connect your MacBook Air to your BenQ monitor using a high-speed Thunderbolt/USB-C cable or an HDMI cable with a USB-C adapter. Plug one end into your Mac, the other into the monitor, then power it on and select the correct input on the monitor's physical menu.

1. Establish the Connection

• USB-C / Thunderbolt: If your BenQ monitor supports USB-C, use the included Thunderbolt/USB-C cable. This single cable carries video, data, and charges your MacBook Air.
• HDMI / DisplayPort: If your monitor uses HDMI, connect an HDMI cable from the monitor to an adapter or multiport hub (like a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter) plugged into your MacBook Air.
• Note: MacBook Air models with base M1, M2, or M3 chips natively support only one external display.

2. Configure Your Display in macOS

1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings (or System Preferences).
2. Click on Displays.
3. Select your BenQ monitor to change its settings.
4. Extend or Mirror: Choose whether to "Use as Extended Display" (to stretch your desktop across both screens) or "Mirror".
5. Arrange: Click the Arrange... button to align the positions of your Mac screen and BenQ monitor virtually, allowing your mouse to move naturally between them.

3. Optimize Display & Color Settings

• Resolution & Scaling: In the Displays menu, select a resolution. If text appears blurry, adjust the scaling options or disable "Font Smoothing" in your Appearance settings.
• M-Book Mode: BenQ monitors often feature a built-in "M-book mode" designed to match the color profile of MacBook displays. Use your monitor's OSD (On-Screen Display) joystick/buttons to navigate to Color > Color Mode and turn it on.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter a "No Signal" message, consult the BenQ Usage Guide to check input sources or test a different connection cable.

marylynnfromredlands wrote:

Adding Monitor to MacBook - I have a MacBookAir, 15 inch and I want to add a seperate monitor. The Mac has 8 GB of memory. Im using the Tahoe 26.51 OS. I bought a BENQ monitor model GW2490-B.

BenQ – BenQ GW2490

This is a 23.8", 1920x1080 pixel monitor with a maximum refresh rate of 100 Hz. It has one DisplayPort v1.2 input, and two HDMI v1.4 inputs.

You should be able to connect it to your MacBook Air using either DisplayPort or HDMI, and appropriate adapters and cables. Whether you can add a second monitor would depend on which 15" MacBook Air you have. The M2 MacBook Airs can only drive one external monitor. The M3 MacBook Airs can only drive two with their lids closed. M4 and M5 MacBook Airs can drive up to two external monitors at the same time as the built-in screen. (The M1 MacBook Airs only came with 13" screens, so we know you don't have one of those.)

When I connect it with cables as described in guidebook, I see my screen from my laptop, but cant adjust or do anything on the big screen. Do I have enough memory to add a monitor?

You have enough memory to add a monitor. If you opened hundreds or thousands of windows at a single time, you might eventually run into problems, but that's not what you asked about.

Sounds like you may be

• Running the monitor in mirror mode, or
• Running it in extended desktop mode, but failing to drag windows from the built-in screen over to the external one

I would suggest running the monitor in extended desktop mode.

Extend or mirror your Mac desktop across multiple displays - Apple Support