The Best Methods for Connecting 2 Laptop Screens with HDMI

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Mirror your laptop screen to another computer for work or play

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: December 20, 2024 Fact Checked

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Can I connect 2 laptops with just an HDMI cable?

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Using an Adapter

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Using an External Monitor

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Video

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Tips

If you have two laptops, you have likely considered how helpful it would be to connect them with an HDMI cable. Since some laptops do not have an HDMI input port, it is likely impossible for you to connect your computers with just an HDMI cable. However, there are other ways to mirror the screen of one laptop to another, or to connect a laptop to an external monitor. This wikiHow article will teach you how to mirror one laptop screen to another using a video capture card and set up an external monitor as a secondary display.

Connecting Laptop Screens with an HDMI

Connect a USB capture card with HDMI on your secondary laptop.
Install OBS on your secondary laptop.
Connect the capture card to your primary laptop using HDMI.
Open OBS and click I will only be using the virtual camera.
Add your capture card as a source in OBS.
Select your capture card as an input in the Device menu.

Section 1 of 3:

Can I connect 2 laptops with just an HDMI cable?

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You most likely cannot use only an HDMI cable to connect multiple laptops. Most laptops only have an HDMI OUT port, so the HDMI port only sends information instead of receiving information. More expensive laptops, like gaming-specific laptops, have an HDMI port that works both ways, IN and OUT, so you could use that kind of laptop as a secondary screen.
- Check your user manual to see what kind of HDMI port your laptop has built-in.
- If your laptop has an HDMI OUT port, continue reading to learn how to use an adapter (with a capture card) to connect more than one laptop.
- If you have a laptop with an HDMI IN/OUT port, you can simply attach an HDMI cable.

Section 2 of 3:

Mirroring Your Screen With an Adapter

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Purchase a capture card. Depending on your needs, explore different capture card options and choose the capture card that looks right for you. We recommend using a USB capture card with an HDMI In port for this method, which you can find easily on Amazon.
- If you are mirroring a program that should be seen in high resolution and have a high frame rate, you should buy a capture card that can handle those demands.
OBS, or Open Broadcaster Software, is a program designed for video recording and live streaming, but in this case, it is perfect for mirroring your screen. On the laptop you will use as a mirrored display, download the software, then open the installer and follow the steps onscreen.^{[1]
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Plug your capture card into your secondary laptop. Connect your capture card to the laptop with OBS installed using the built-in USB.
- If your laptop does not have a USB port, you can buy an adapter.
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Connect your primary laptop to the capture card with an HDMI cable. Insert one end of an HDMI cable into the laptop you would like to mirror, then insert the other end of the cable into the HDMI port on the capture card.
- After connecting the capture card for the first time, the secondary laptop will likely display something like “Setting up a device”.
On your secondary laptop, open OBS, then select I will only be using the virtual camera. Click Next twice, then Apply Settings.
In OBS, click the plus sign under “Sources” towards the bottom left of the screen, then select Video Capture Device. Next, type a name for your capture card in the textbox under “Create new” and hit OK.
Click your capture card in the Device dropdown menu. The capture card should be named something like “Video Capture”.
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Verify your choice and resize your OBS window. After selecting the correct capture card, you should see the screen of your primary laptop in OBS. Select OK, then adjust the sizing of your OBS window to finish setting up your mirrored display.
- If your mirrored display is lagging, click Settings in the bottom right of the OBS window, then go to the Video tab and select a higher FPS. Try experimenting to strike a balance between seamless mirroring and a framerate your laptop can handle.

Section 3 of 3:

Using a Monitor as a Second Screen

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1
Purchase a monitor and plug it in. Find a monitor that fits your needs, then connect it to a power supply.
- For relatively low-intensity tasks like surfing the web or typing up documents, you can use a less expensive monitor, but for things like video editing and gaming, consider looking for a monitor with a higher resolution and refresh rate.
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Check the connectors on your monitor. To connect your laptop to an external monitor, you must determine what cable you need. Your monitor will most likely have an HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA input.
- If you need help identifying which port your monitor has, check out this picture.
- Some laptops may not have a port that corresponds to your monitor, but you can still connect the two with an adapter. For example, some MacBooks have only Thunderbolt 3.0 ports, but you can get an adapter that allows you to an external monitor with an HDMI cable (as well as charge your laptop and connect a standard USB device).
Once you know what type of cable you need, connect one end of the cable to your laptop and the other to your monitor.
If your monitor does not automatically detect the input your laptop is using, adjust the input using the button built into the monitor. This button will likely be on the bottom or the back of the monitor and can be pressed to bring up a menu. From there, select the input name that corresponds to the cable type you are using.
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Arrange your displays according to your preference. In the settings of your laptop, look for a category called something like Displays, then adjust the alignment of your displays to your satisfaction.
- According to tech expert Luigi Oppido, you'll see an option to Identify Displays. You can then re-arrange them on-screen to they match the physical orientation of the screens in front of you.

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Tips

While a capture card will let you see the screen of one laptop on another, you will not be able to use the secondary laptop as an extension of your primary computer. If you want another screen that you can use as a workspace, follow the steps above to set up an external monitor.

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