Connecting a monitor to a laptop is a fairly simple process with the right HDMI cable. But what if you don’t have the right cable, the right adapter, or the right port to do it? If not, you’ll need to get creative with other methods, and fortunately there are few.
Finding out how to connect a monitor to a laptop without HDMI can be a tricky task. for those who are not technically savvy. You’ll want to keep reading to discover the best methods for doing exactly that.
If your laptop doesn’t have an HDMI output, you can add an external monitor using another type of connection, such as:
- Wireless screen mirroring
- DisplayPort
- VGA
- USB-C
- An adapter (HDMI to DisplayPort, VGA or USB-C)
- Via Docking Station
We have listed 6 different methods you can use to connect to a Non-HDMI Monitor. Read on to learn more about these methods.
1. Get Connected with Wireless Screen Mirroring
If you have a laptop and monitor, but don’t have an HDMI cable available, many people think they’ve run out of connectivity options. What do you do in a case like this? Wirelessly mirror your laptop screen to one monitor.
Wireless screen mirroring uses your network to extend a laptop screen across one or more monitors.
Often used as a way to present on big screens, stream content from one device to another for viewing, or play cross-device video games (eg, play a game on a tablet and display it on a a Smart TV).
This functionality is especially useful when you want to work simultaneously on two different applications and want to view them on the laptop screen and monitor them side by side.
Wireless screen mirroring can be used with any Internet-connected Windows PC or laptop that has Intel WiDi technology. If your PC does not have this technology built-in, you can purchase it as an add-on feature.
There are two main types of wireless screen mirroring:
Miracast: Miracast is an industry standard designed to mirror the screen of a smartphone, tablet or PC to the TV without having to use cables or a network connection.
Google Cast: Google Cast is the technology used in Chromecast and the Google Home range of products to wirelessly send content from mobile devices and laptops to compatible TVs, speakers and other devices.
2. Use DisplayPort
DisplayPort is a digital display interface developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). The interface is primarily used to connect a video source to a display device such as a computer monitor, although it can also be used to transmit audio, USB, and other forms of data.
DisplayPort was designed to replace VGA, FPD-Link, and Digital Visual Interface (DVI). The interface is compatible with other interfaces, such as HDMI and DVI, through the use of active or passive adapters.
DisplayPort is the first display interface to rely on packet data transmission, a form of communication digital data found in technologies such as Ethernet and USB.
Each of these packets contains the data needed to update a small portion of the screen known as a macroblock. By separating most of the data into small pieces in this way, DisplayPort is able to maintain high data transfer rates through its cables.
The standard has been discontinued for nearly four years as of October 2019. 2008 after it was criticized for having licensing issues. However, it was finally released in December 2009.
DisplayPort 1.2 was released in March 2010 and added support for multi-streaming and stereoscopic 3D (3D Vision) content, along with several optional color spaces that were designed.
DisplayPort requires a cable with DisplayPort connectors on both ends. The cable may be labeled DP or mDP. You can also use an adapter cable to convert the DisplayPort connector to another type, such as VGA, DVI, or HDMI.
DisplayPort ports are similar to HDMI ports in design. The port looks like HDMI on one edge while the other edge is flat.
3. Use VGA
If your laptop doesn’t have an HDMI port, you can still connect it to a monitor via VGA. You’ll need a VGA cable and a VGA adapter (if your laptop doesn’t have VGA ports), which is a small piece that plugs into your laptop’s USB port.
You’ll also need to make sure that your monitor and laptop support the same type of connection.
These steps apply to most laptops and monitors, but if you can’t get these settings to work, be sure to check your user manual or contact the manufacturer for help.
4. Use USB-C
One of the latest types of USB cable has the ability to transfer video.Modern laptops often come with a USB-C output video option, which will allow you to configure your laptop to display video on the monitor over USB-C.
5. Get an adapter
No matter what type of port you’re missing, the problem can always be solved with an adapter. So a laptop that doesn’t have HDMI ports can still be connected to a monitor that has HDMI ports using an adapter that converts HDMI to DisplayPort, for example.
Most adapters these days are affordable, and some of them offer multiple types of connections, which is extremely useful if you have a lot of cables and different devices. It’s also a big plus for those who have a mix of old and new devices, as there can be some compatibility issues.
6. Docking Station
Docking stations give your laptop a place to dock your computer. The cables then connect to the dock instead of the laptop, making it easy to connect and disconnect all peripherals by simply undocking the laptop and vice versa.
Most docks Docks have ports for HDMI, DisplayPort, and VGA. That way, you can connect your monitor(s) to the docking station and access them by docking your laptop, regardless of what video connection ports your laptop has.
Docking stations require a proprietary cable (which comes with the docking station) or one of the cables listed above. Check the documentation that came with your docking station for information on which cables are compatible.
How to Connect Two Monitors to a Laptop with a Single Video Port
If you want to find out How to connect two monitors to a laptop that only has one video port You will first need to make sure that your laptop has a video port that is capable of driving two external displays.
If not, you’ll need to purchase a USB video adapter or a docking station with multiple video ports; however, most laptops should be out of the box.
For those without a USB video adapter, you can simply purchase these relatively inexpensive products that allow you to connect an additional monitor or projector via USB 3.0/2.0 ports, without the need for another video port. . !
Simply plug the adapter into your computer’s USB port (higher speeds are better), plug the second monitor’s cable (HDMI, DVI, or VGA) into the adapter, and you’re done! Most adapters support LCD and LED monitors.
Once you have the necessary equipment (an HDMI cable and your trusty laptop), you’re ready to connect your monitors.
To get started, you’ll want to plug the monitor into an outlet near your laptop and connect it to the computer using an HDMI cable.
Then open the control panel folder on your laptop and click display settings (you won’t see it if you’re not in “category” view – just click “view by” at the top and change it from icons to category). Click the “identify” button (a big number 1) to label which screen is which.
To arrange them, first choose “extend desktop” and then drag each screen until they line up in the way that works best for you.
If one monitor is taller than the other, you can use the resolution dropdown in display settings to adjust your resolution accordingly so everything lines up correctly.
Using An HDMI splitter or adapter with only 1 port available does not give you two unique displays. Instead, the same video signal (image) is sent to and displayed on two different monitors.
Connecting your computer to a docking station will give you additional ports, allowing you to connect multiple monitors.
Although it may require some creativity and a little more technical knowledge to connect your monitor to a laptop without the use of HDMI, these methods can be quite useful if you don’t have a cable nearby.
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