Do you own a MacBook Pro? Want to add a monitor to a MacBook Pro?
Upgrading your workspace with time is a very good idea, especially if you are working from home. According to studies, your workspace does affect your mood, energy, productivity, and efficiency of your work. If before ‘work from home’ was implemented, you used work on two monitors, then you know how easy and burden-free it was to get your work done. If you didn’t have two monitors to work with, then we suggest you give it a try. Once, you get comfortable using two monitors you won’t go back to working on just one. Having your MacBook Pro connected to an additional monitor will benefit you by saving time on shifting between the tabs leading to more efficient and accurate work results. If you are planning to add a monitor to a MacBook Pro, then you have come to the right place! This article will walk you through various methods on how to add a monitor to a MacBook Pro.
Compatibility Issues To Consider While Connecting MacBook Pro To An Additional Monitor
Different MacBooks have different requirements to connect an additional monitor. Hence it is important to find out which monitor your MacBook can handle and which monitor specifications it cannot handle. Below we have mentioned how to make use of technical specifications on Apple’s Website.
- Navigate to Apple’s official site.
- Now, type the model and year of your Mac into the search bar of the site and press the enter key.
- Next, click on the “Support”.
- Search and find your Mac’s listing in the search result and then click on it.
- Scroll down and search for the dual display and video mirroring option.
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- Compatible cables and adapters for a Mac
Whether you prefer using a Thunderbolt cable or a Mini DisplayPort cable. Or an HDMI connection cable to set up an old MacBook, you will have to verify a few things, before using them. We suggest you double-check all the ports in your MacBook and check whether your monitor is compatible port-wise or not.
- Number of displays that can be supported
Different MacBook Pros with different specifications can support different numbers of display systems. A MacBook Pros with the new M1 chip can support only one monitor. However, the MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 ports can support an external display in each port.
How To Add A Monitor To A MacBook Pro In Extended Display Mode?
You can add a monitor to a MacBook Pro to extend its display setup and give yourself the benefits of two screens. Follow the steps given below to add a monitor to a MacBook Pro through extended display mode:
- Attach your MacBook Pro and the additional monitor using a relevant connecting cord.
- If you are not sure of which display ports you have on your MacBook Pro model or the cord options of your MacBook Pro. Then, you can check the MacBook Pro model guide on apple’s official website. This model guide has listed everything you need to know about your MacBook Pro ports. It has broken down the MacBook by model year and lists the number of Thunderbolt ports, and links to model specification.
- Click on the “Apple” icon located at the top left corner of your machine’s menu bar.
- Now, click on the System Preferences and then go to the Displays.
- In the Displays section, you should see an “Arrangement” tab for your MacBook Pro and another display window for the additional monitor that you have selected.
- Now, click and drag on the display icons to our preferred orientation. By looking at the screen you will be able to make out which display you are actively moving when it is outlined in red. You will also be able to see the red outline in real-time on the edges of the affected display.
- If you click and drag the white menu bar above the display icon to the second monitor. Then you will be able to change the main display assignment.
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How To Add A Monitor To A MacBook Pro Via Mirrored Display?
To duplicate what you see on your MacBook Pro just follow the steps given below:
- Click on the “Apple” icon located at the top left corner of your machine’s menu bar.
- Now, click on the System Preferences and then go to the Displays.
- In the Displays section, you will see an “Arrangement” tab go to it and open the Mirror Displays dialog box beneath the display icons.
- Now, you will be able to see both the display icons stacked on top of one another and the “Mirror Displays” box as checked.
- After finishing all the above steps, you will be able to see the same content on both screens.
How to Add A Monitor To A MacBook Pro Via Airplay?
You can even add a monitor to a MacBook Pro via AirPlay, but the only thing is your compatible Smart TV will act as the monitor here:
- To begin with, click on the “Apple” icon located at the left corner of the menu bar.
- Now, go for the “System Preferences” option and then go to the “Displays” option. Here, look for the “AirPlay Display” dropdown menu at the bottom of the window.
- Select an available option for the AirPlay streaming using the “AirPlay Display” dropdown menu.
- Select the dialog box located next to “Show mirroring options in the menu bar when available”. Selecting this will reveal the AirPlay icon on your MacBook Pro’s menu bar.
- Now, input the code, if it is your first time. You will find the code on your smart TV.
- You can use the TV in mirrored or extended mode using the display preferences. You can even adjust resolution settings if desired.
- Select “Stop AirPlay” to disconnect from your TV display, from the AirPlay dropdown menu.
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Hopefully, this guide helped you to add a monitor to a MacBook Pro. If you face any issues while connecting a monitor to the MacBook Pro then you can visit the Apple Help website and get cleared of your issues.
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