how do I use an external monitor (not Apple) with my Mac Book Pro?

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how do I use an external monitor (not Apple) with my Mac Book Pro?

Hello!

I have a 2011 Mac Book Pro, upgraded to El Capitan at the Genius Bar.

I bought an external monitor, and it does mirror the mac books screen, but I need to know more about how to use an external monitor. I want to work on photos and movies on the 24" screen. I haven't found any directions from Apple regarding El Capitan. Please let me know if you have any information.

By the way, I had had lots of problems with this Mac Book Pro. I bought it 2011, doubled the ram, and purchased Apple Care for 3 years. I paid for this computer by the month. It's had some difficulties, I had to replace the logic board and the ram while under Apple Care. Since then I've been to the Genius Bar 3 times because it won't start up. Or it starts, and then the screen goes black. While I appreciate the Genius Bar, I think I have a lemon.

Is there any recourse? I paid for this mac book pro by the month (it was about 2K after adding more ram and applecare).

Thanks for any advice and suggestions!

Anne

Mac Book Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Nov 26, 2015 6:08 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 26, 2015 6:18 PM in response to filmcell

To use your screen NOT mirrored, turn off mirroring in

System preferences > Displays ...

... and arrange the two screens as they appear on your workbench. Drag up right left or right until their relative positions are accurate. Then the mouse moves freely across the boundary between the displays, and can drag a window with it. This presentation is called "Extended Desktop".

You are free to drag windows across the boundary between the displays, or even park them half on each display and they will scroll "the right way". Many Video editors put the movie output window by itself on the big external, and the controls and palettes on the built-in.

if one screen is unresponsive, you may have to disable "Displays have separate spaces" in

.

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