Connecting a monitor to a laptop is a fairly straightforward 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 so? If you don’t, you have to get creative with other methods, and fortunately, there are few of them out there.
Figuring out how to connect a monitor to a laptop without HDMI can be a tricky task for those that aren’t technically savvy. You’ll want to keep reading to figure out the best methods to do exactly that.
If your laptop doesn’t have an HDMI output, you may be able to add an external monitor using another kind of connection, such as:
- Wireless Screen Mirroring
- DisplayPort
- VGA
- USB-C
- An Adapter (From HDMI to DisplayPort, VGA or USB-C)
- Via a Docking Station
We’ve listed 6 different methods you can use to connect to a monitor without HDMI. Continue reading to find out more about these methods.
1. Connect Through Wireless Screen Mirroring
If you have a laptop and a monitor but don’t have an HDMI cable available, many people think they have run out of options for connectivity. What do you do in a case like this? Wirelessly mirror your laptop display to a monitor.
Wireless screen mirroring uses your network to extend the display of a laptop across one or more monitors.
It’s often used as a way to give presentations on large screens, stream content from one device to another for viewing, or play video games across devices (e.g., playing a game on a tablet and displaying it on a smart TV).
This functionality is especially handy when you want to simultaneously work on two different applications, and you 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 doesn’t have this technology built-in, then you can buy it as an add-on feature.
There are two main types of wireless screen mirroring:
Miracast: Miracast is an industry-standard designed for mirroring a smartphone, tablet, or PC’s screen to television 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, though 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 backward compatible with other interfaces, such as HDMI and DVI, through the use of either active or passive adapters.
DisplayPort is the first display interface to rely on packetized data transmission, a form of digital communication found in technologies such as Ethernet and USB.
Each one of these packets contains the data necessary to update a small portion of the screen known as a macroblock. By separating the bulk of the data into small parts in this way, DisplayPort is able to maintain high rates of data transfer over its cables.
The standard was put on hold for nearly four years beginning in October 2008 after it was criticized for having licensing issues. However, it was eventually released in December 2009.
DisplayPort 1.2 was released in March 2010 and added support for multiple streams and stereoscopic 3D content (3D Vision), along with several optional color spaces that were designed.
DisplayPort requires a cable with DisplayPort connectors on both ends. The cable might be labeled as 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 when it comes to 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 through 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 the USB port on your laptop.
You’ll also need to be sure that your monitor and laptop are both compatible with the same type of connection.
These steps apply to most laptops and monitors, but if you can’t get this setup to work, be sure to consult your user manual or contact the manufacturer for help.
4. Use USB-C
One of the latest types of USB cable has the capability 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 via USB-C.
5. Get an Adapter
Regardless of what type of port you’re missing, the problem can always be solved by using an adapter. So, a laptop that doesn’t have HDMI ports can still be connected to a monitor that has HDMI ports by using an adapter that converts HDMI to DisplayPort, for instance.
These days, most adapters are affordable and a few of them offer multiple kinds of connections, which is extremely handy if you’ve got a bunch of different cables and 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 provide your laptop with a spot to dock your computer. The cables are then connected to the docking station instead of the laptop, making it easy to connect and disconnect all of the peripherals by simply undocking the laptop, and vice versa.
Most docking stations 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 either a proprietary cable (which comes with the docking station) or one of the cables mentioned above. Check the documentation that came with your docking station for information about which cables are compatible.
How To Connect Two Monitors To A Laptop With Only One Video Port
If you’re wanting to figure out how to connect two monitors to a laptop that only has one video port, you’ll first need to make sure your laptop has a video port that’s capable of handling two external displays.
If it doesn’t, you’ll have to buy a USB video adapter or a docking station with multiple video ports—most laptops, however, should be good to go.
For those that don’t have 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—no need for another video port!
Simply plug the adapter into your computer’s USB port (the higher speed ones are better), plug in the second monitor’s cable (HDMI, DVI, or VGA) into the adapter and you’re good to go! Most adapters support both LCD and LED monitors.
Once you’ve got the necessary equipment (an HDMI cable and your trusty laptop), you’re ready to connect your monitors.
To start with, you’ll want to plug the monitor into an electrical outlet near your laptop and connect it to the computer using an HDMI cable.
Then, open up the control panel folder on your laptop and click display settings (you won’t see it if you’re not in the “category” view; just click “view by” up top and change it from icons to category). Click on the “identify” button (a large number 1) to label which display is which.
To arrange them, first, choose “extend desktop” and then drag each display around until they line up in the way that makes sense for you.
If one monitor is higher than the other, you can use the resolution dropdown menu in display settings to adjust its resolution accordingly so everything lines up properly.
Using a HDMI-splitter or adapter with only 1 port available doesn’t give you two unique displays. Instead, the same video signal (image) is sent and displayed on two different monitors.
Connecting your computer to a docking station will provide it with additional ports, making it possible to connect multiple monitors.
While it might take some creativity and a little more technical knowledge to connect your monitor to a laptop without the use of HDMI, these methods can become quite handy on the occasion that you don’t have a cable nearby.