As an owner of multiple monitors, I know how frustrating it can be when trying to figure out how to hook them all up to one computer. After much research and testing, I’m here to share with you a step-by-step guide on how to successfully hook up four monitors to one computer! I’ll explain the different hardware and software options available to you, and provide detailed instructions on how to get the job done.
If you’re lucky, you can directly connect four monitors to your computer if your system has four video ports. Alternatively, you can use a docking station or daisy-chain connections to hook up multiple monitors to one PC.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Know what your GPU supports: Determine the number of displays your computer’s GPU can handle. |
| 2 | Set BIOS settings to multiple display: Enable multi-monitor display in your computer’s BIOS settings. |
| 3 | Hook up the monitors to your PC: Choose from one of the following methods: |
| – Directly connect monitors to PC ports | |
| – Use a docking station | |
| – Daisy chain connection |
Table of Contents
Step 1: Know What Your GPU Supports
Here’s what you need to do to know how many monitors your computer can handle:
- Right-click on the desktop.
- From the dropdown menu, select “Display settings.”
- Choose “Advanced display settings.”
- Under display information, you’ll find the graphics card’s name your system runs.
- Look up your card’s specifications on the manufacturer’s website to know the number of displays it supports.
Here’s how to know the motherboard your laptop has:
- Press the Windows icon in the taskbar.
- Type “Command prompt” or “CMD” and then enter.
- In the command prompt, enter “wmic baseboard get product, manufacturer, version.”
- Look up your motherboard’s specifications using a search engine. It needs to have a “dual display” or “multi-display” feature to hook up external monitors.
Step 2: Set BIOS Settings to Multiple Display
Usually, Windows software will detect the monitors you connect to automatically. Still, you might need to change the BIOS to multi-monitor to enable multiple-screen display.
Here’s how to configure BIOS settings to enable multiple displays:
- Turn on your computer or restart it if it’s on
- While Windows is starting, press the following keys to access BIOS:
- Acer: press F2, Delete, or Ctrl+Alt+Esc (for old PCs)
- Asus: press F2 for most PCs, Delete, or Insert key
- ASRock: press F2 or Delete
- Dell: press F2, F12, or Delete. Older models use Ctrl+Alt+Delete or Enter
- HP: press F10 or Esc
- Lenovo: press F1 or F2. For old PCs, use the Ctrl+Alt+Insert key or Ctrl+Alt+F3
- MSI: press Delete or F2
- Samsung: press F2
- Sony: press F1, F2, or F3
- Using the side arrows, select “Advanced mode.”
- Navigate to “Onboard devices.”
- Use the down arrow key to reach “IGPU Multi-Monitor” or a similar option and change it to “Enabled.”
- Press F10 and “Ok” to save changes and restart your PC.
Step 3: Hook up the Montiers to Your PC
Now, several ways can help you connect four monitors to one PC, including:
- Connect four screens directly to your PC
- Docking Station
- Daisy chain connection
Let’s discuss each method in detail!
- Directly Connect Monitors to PC Ports
This connecting method is more common for computers. However, if your laptop has four output video ports, that’s a promising start. Still, you’ll need to make sure the system’s GPU can handle four monitors at once by googling its specifications, as mentioned earlier.
The types of video ports you’ll usually find are HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA ports. You’ll likely find at least one of the former ports on the monitors.
All you need to do is power the screens. Then use HDMI, VGA/DVI, and DisplayPort cables to connect each monitor to the corresponding video port on your PC.
That said, if you notice the screens getting laggy or unresponsive, you’ll need to purchase an extra graphics card to support multiple screens.
- Docking Station
You can simply use a docking station if your PC doesn’t have enough ports. You’ll likely need the former option if you’re using a laptop.
Here’s what to do:
- Power the monitors and the docking station.
- Plug the docking station into your laptop.
- Using the appropriate cables, connect your monitors to the docking station.
- Turn on the monitors and then your PC.
3. Daisy Chain Connection
Daisy chaining your monitors means connecting them in series to each other instead of hooking up the screens individually to the PC.
Only DisplayPort 1.2 or Thunderbolt 3 cables are compatible with this technology. You’ll also need monitors with Thunderbolt or DisplayPort input and output.
Here’s how to daisy chain four monitors:
- Plug the four monitors into a power supply.
- Using a Thunderbolt cable, connect the plug-in port of the first monitor to your PC.
- Connect another cable to the plug-out port of the first monitor.
- Connect the first monitor to a second monitor by plugging the Thunderbolt cable into the plug-in port of the second monitor.
- Hook up the second monitor to the third monitor and then the third screen to the fourth one by repeating the above steps.
- Turn on the monitors and then your PC.
Conclusion
So, how to hook up four monitors to one computer? For most computers with four video ports, you can directly connect the monitors to the PC. That’s as long as the graphics card can support multiple screens at the same time.
For laptops, you can use a docking station or an external graphics card. The former solution is necessary if you notice a laggy performance.
Alternatively, you can use the daisy chain connection if you own advanced monitors with Thunderbolt 3 or DisplayPort 1.2 plug-in and out ports. That said, you should enable multiple screens in the BIOS so that your PC detects all four screens once connected.
