We all love our tech but when it fails us, it also drives us crazy. Thankfully, most problems have been encountered by others, which inspired them to come up with easy fixes you can implement. This is very true when it comes to building your awesome 6 monitor setup.
Fixing your Biggest 6 Monitor Setup Problems
Most of us know the on/off option or reboot approach however, most problems can be fixed by checking your settings such as the following:
- Undetectable Monitors
- Mismatched displays
- No signal or distortions
- Wrong Refresh Rate
- Duplicate versus Extended display
- Games not optimized
Undetectable Monitors
Naturally, the first thing to check in your 6 monitor setup is your cable connections, in case anything comes loose. Furthermore, some cables stop working if they’re too old so you should consider changing them. Also, you should turn your monitor on and off because sometimes that helps when searching for the video feed.
In terms of settings for Windows, simply use the shortcut “Win + P” to get you to “Project”. From there, make sure that the Extend mode is on. On the other hand, Mac users should go to “Displays” from their System Preferences and then click “Detect Displays”.
Mismatched Displays
Sometimes you’ll find that you have different resolutions across your 6 monitor setup. Again, this can be fixed very easily by going into your “Displays” settings. In Windows, you’ll be able to scroll to “Scale and Layout” and then select “Resolution” under the “Display Resolution” drop-down menu. Of course, this assumes that your monitor and graphics card can run at that resolution so you might have to play around with the options available.
Mac users have a similar process to follow in the “Displays” settings. Once opened, you’ll see resolution options straight away that you can also trial and error.
Distortions or No Signal
Perhaps you’re getting that frustrating black screen across your 6 monitor setup? This is because your monitors are not being detected and again, you should first check your cables and connections. Also, sometimes changing the graphics port can fix this problem straight away. Unfortunately, those ports can get damaged more easily than you’d think.
It’s important to keep your drivers up to date as well. Check your graphics driver as this can impact your signal. Another trick is to run the faulty monitor as the primary monitor and simply go back to the basics of a single monitor approach.
Distortions are another troubling problem. However, if you’ve gone through all the other suggestions then the cause is most likely to be your hardware. This is slightly harder to pinpoint but always start by changing ports, then cables. And of course, the last resort is to contact your retailer or manufacturer.
Wrong Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate is another thing that can impact your signal. This setting determines how many times your monitor refreshes per second with any new images. Amazingly, this can be as many times as 240 per second. So if this rate is too much for your monitor to handle then it will simply go blank. You can fix this again in your Display settings by selecting Advanced settings. You’ll then be able to select “Display Information” under “Choose Display” followed by “Display Adaptor Properties for Display # Link”. Finally, you’ll see the “Monitor Settings” drop-down menu from where you can select “Refresh Rate”.
Mac users can simply go into their System Preferences Display, hold the option key and press “Scaled” to bring up the refresh rate menu. You’ll then be able to play around with the different rates.
Duplicate versus Extended Display
The default setting is often to duplicate everything so that all your displays show the same thing with the same resolution. In contrast, extended means that you’ve turned your 6 monitor setup into one large monitor. Depending on what you’re using it for though, you might want to play around with the different options. For example, gaming can be awesome on an extended 6 monitor setup. However, a work project or demo is probably better laid out on duplicate monitors. You’ll also need the multi-display function to make the most out of your 6 monitor setup.
Games Not Optimized
Some games don’t lock within a monitor so your cursor can scroll off into another display. You can accidentally minimize your game, which can be frustrating. The first thing to do is to check the settings within your game and make sure the display is in full-screen mode. Moreover, some apps can help you manage your cursor such as Dual Monitor Tool or DisplayFusion. The final option is to turn off the other screen.
Final Recommendations for Dealing with 6 Monitor Setup Problems
Luckily, most problems have a relatively easy fix. Even some hardware problems are simple, such as replacing cables or using different ports. Most of the problems you’ll face are pretty common so make sure you’ve gone through the suggestions before calling your retailer or manufacturer. Be patient, appreciate the trial and error, and good luck.
