Quick Answer
Enable multi-monitor in 4 steps
Open mstsc → click Show Options → switch to the Display tab → tick "Use all my monitors for the remote session". Done.
Step-by-step
Set up multi-monitor RDP
Do this on your local Windows PC. macOS users — see the note at the bottom.
- 1
Open Remote Desktop Connection
Press Win + R, type mstsc, and press Enter. This opens the built-in Remote Desktop Connection client.
- 2
Click 'Show Options' to expand
Show Options reveals tabs at the top. Without this, you can't enable multi-monitor mode.
- 3
Switch to the Display tab
On the Display tab you'll see the resolution slider and a checkbox labeled 'Use all my monitors for the remote session'.
- 4
Tick 'Use all my monitors for the remote session'
This is the key setting. Once enabled, the RDP session spans every monitor connected to your local PC.
Pair this with 'Display configuration' set to 'Full Screen' for a true multi-monitor experience.
Mac users: open the Windows App / Microsoft Remote Desktop, edit the saved PC, switch to Display, and tick "Use all monitors".
Troubleshooting
Fix common multi-monitor issues
Windows open on the wrong monitor
Inside the RDP, drag the window to your preferred screen. Windows remembers per-monitor placement after a few sessions.
Monitors look fuzzy or blurry
Mismatched DPI scaling. Set both local monitors to the same scaling (Settings → Display → Scale & layout) before connecting.
Only one monitor used after connecting
You forgot to tick 'Use all my monitors' before clicking Connect. Disconnect, re-open the client, and re-enable it.
Performance dropped
More pixels = more bandwidth. Lower resolution from the Display tab, or try our Reduce CPU/GPU Usage guide for a quick win.
Pro Tips