How to Connect a Desktop Computer to a Laptop Monitor

Connect your desktop computer to a laptop with a VGA or DVI cable.

A monitor allows you to view content on your computer system. Connecting two monitors allow you to access more information and data on the same computer. You can connect a desktop monitor to a laptop when the monitor on the desktop computer has gone bad. You will need to connect the monitors with a DVI or VGA cable.Your computer will only have one of the video ports, but will be labeled DVI or VGA based on the model.

Things You'll Need

• VGA or DVI cable

Instructions

1. Find the Digital Video Interface (DVI) and Video Graphics Array (VGA) ports on the computers.

2. Use the video cables to connect the desktop monitor to the laptop. Connect one end of the DVI or VGA cable in the video port of your desktop computer. Run the other end of the DVI or VGA video cable to the monitor of the laptop.

3. Turn on the desktop computer and laptop to view the default desktop on both screens. Hold down the "FN" key on the laptop and press "F8" to toggle back and forth between the desktop and laptop computer screens.

Tips & Warnings

• To connect two computers with different video ports, use a DVI to VGA cable.

References

• Microsoft: Two Monitors are Better Than One