PC setups with multiple monitors become more and more popular not only among professionals but also for home users (especially the simplest and most reasonable dual-monitor configuration). Multiple monitors expand your screen real estate, boost your productivity, and give you tons of extra room to spread out your work. Boost the benefit of your multiple monitors with these great tools.
The following table compares some software utilities which extend the multi-monitor abilities of the Windows operating system.
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Current Version
|
8.5.2
|
7.3.2 Pro
|
1.22
|
1.8
|
3.5 Pro
|
Unknown
|
3.2.2
|
0.82
|
1.0.0.2
|
Release Date
|
09.09.2015
|
16.11.2015
|
02.18.2013
|
13.04.2011
|
Unknown
|
Unknown
|
25.12.2012
|
03.03.2012
|
20.11.2013
|
Supported OS
|
Windows 10 /Windows 8.1 /Windows 8 /Windows 7 / Server / Vista / 2008 / XP / 2003 / 2000 (x86 / x64)
|
Windows 10 / Windows 8.1 / Windows 7 / Server / Vista / 2008 / XP / 2003 / 2000 (x86 / x64)
|
Windows 7 / 2008 R2
|
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
|
Windows 7 / Vista / 2000 / XP (x86 / x64)
|
Windows 7 / Server / Vista / XP / (x86 / x64)
|
Windows 8 /Windows 7 / Vista / 2000 / XP (x86 / x64)
|
Windows 7 / Vista / XP
|
Windows 8 / Windows 7 (x86 / x64)
|
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Individual mode[1]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Mirror mode[2]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Mixed mode[3]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Mixed mode 2[4]
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Support of Windows native visual themes[5]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Support of custom visual themes[6]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Classic Start menu for Windows 8
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Start button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Partial[9]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Notification area[10]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Clock
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Clock/Calendar Popup
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Toolbars (Quick Launch, Desktop, Windows Media Player, etc.)
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Semi-transparency
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Thumbnail previews
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Control buttons in Thumbnail previews
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Auto-hide
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Change taskbar buttons' alignment[11]
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Grouping similar buttons
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Multi-preview for group buttons
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Reordering taskbar buttons
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Reordering icons in the notification area
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Minimize all windows
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes[12]
|
No
|
No
|
Yes[13]
|
No
|
Yes
|
Custom taskbar settings per-taskbar[14]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Advanced Windows 7 features
|
Pin buttons to taskbar
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
State icons on buttons[15]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Progress indicators on buttons[16]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Aero Peek
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Control buttons in thumbnail previews[17]
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Show Desktop button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Partial[18]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Aero Shake
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Jump Lists
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Context menus for Jump List items
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Show hidden notification area icons in the special fly-out window
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Fit to the monitor
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Group window operations
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Change specific window's position at startup
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes[19]
|
No
|
No
|
Specific settings for any application
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes[19]
|
No
|
No
|
Display window size and location when moving/resizing
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
MDI windows support
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Move windows between monitors
|
Via additional title bar button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Via additional command in each window's system menu
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Via middle-click on window's title bar
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Partial[20]
|
No
|
No
|
Maximize windows to entire desktop
|
Via additional title bar button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Via additional command in each window's system menu
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Maximize windows just to selected monitors
|
Via additional title bar button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Snap windows
|
To desktop boundaries
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
To each other (from outside)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
To each other (from inside)
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
To a customizable virtual grid
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Aero Snap on edges between monitors
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Partial
|
No
|
No
|
Aero Snap emulation in XP/Vista
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Moving maximized windows
|
Via additional title bar button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Via mouse dragging
|
Yes[21]
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Background & Screen Saver Management
edit
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Custom multi-monitor background[22]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Custom profiles
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Slideshow mode
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Auto-downloading wallpaper pictures from online media library
|
Yes[23]
|
Yes[24]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom image sizing modes[25]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Image flipping/mirroring/rotating
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom color modes[26]
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom image position adjustments per-monitor[27]
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom image scaling per-monitor[28]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Customizable text displayed on the desktop
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom multi-monitor screen saver[29]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Run screen savers on desired monitors
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Desktop profiles[30]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Custom display settings for certain applications
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes[19]
|
No
|
No
|
Toggle any secondary monitor
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Monitor Splitting[31]
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Assign wallpaper profile to desktop profile
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Switch desktop profiles via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Switch desktop profiles via title bar buttons
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Switch desktop profiles via Windows Desktop's context menu
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Switch desktop profiles via command line
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Activate desktop profile at program's startup
|
Yes
|
Yes[32]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Move mouse to next/previous/primary monitor via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Lock mouse within active window
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Lock mouse within current monitor (hard[33])
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Lock mouse within current monitor (soft[34])
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Shrink mouse locking area by custom size
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Custom actions in response to clicks on standard window parts
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Edgeless desktop[35]
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Bypass the Windows 8 Start Screen
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Move Win + X window to mouse position
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Mini Start Screen on current monitor
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Applist instead Start screen
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Adjust window border size
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Send Metro app to desktop window
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Disable taskbar transparency
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Other Multiple Monitor Features
edit
|
Actual Multiple Monitors
|
DisplayFusion
|
Dual Monitor Taskbar
|
Dual Monitor Tools
|
MultiMon Taskbar
|
NVIDIA nView
|
UltraMon
|
ZBar
|
JeS Multi-Monitor Suite
|
Ignore deactivation
|
Yes[36]
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Copy of the Alt-Tab Task Switcher on each monitor
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Exclusions for certain applications
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Title bar buttons management
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Save/Restore position of desktop icons
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Save/Restore position of desktop icons via command line
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Ignore any secondary monitor
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Customize Windows Logon background image
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Hotkeys management
|
Customize key combinations
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
Add custom hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
Mirroring
|
Entire monitor on two or more other displays
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Single window
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Selected part of desktop
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Area around the mouse pointer
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
Run mirror in full-screen mode
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Hardware acceleration support
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Desktop Divider
|
Different working modes
|
Yes[37]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes[38]
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Layout profiles
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Customizable Tiles
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Changing layouts via hotkeys
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Divider title button
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
- ^ Each taskbar displays only applications running on its host monitor.
- ^ All taskbars display all applications.
- ^ Primary taskbar shows all running applications on all monitors, whereas secondary taskbars show only applications running on their corresponding monitors.
- ^ Windows taskbar shows no windows, secondary taskbars show all windows.
- ^ Emulated taskbars look the same as the main taskbar with any native visual theme applied.
- ^ Emulated taskbars look the same as the main taskbar with any custom visual theme applied.
- ^ In beta status yet.
- ^ Secondary taskbars can display a copy of the notification area providing a quick access from any monitor to applications running in background.
- ^ Option to align buttons to the left/right side of the taskbar.
- ^ Via hotkey only.
- ^ Via taskbar's context menu only.
- ^ Each taskbar can have its own settings (including visibility on a specific monitor).
- ^ Like Online/Away status for Windows Live Messenger.
- ^ Like IE/Firefox/Chrome download indicators
- ^ Like Previous/Play/Pause/Next buttons for Windows Media Player.
- ^ Only minimize \ maximize windows by click
- ^ a b c Via application's desktop shortcut.
- ^ Requires to download an add-on.
- ^ With the Aero Snap emulation enabled.
- ^ Ability to stretch a single picture over entire composite desktop or set an individual picture on each monitor.
- ^ Supports two media libraries: Flickr.com, Google Image Search.
- ^ Supports two media libraries: Flickr.com, Vladstudio.com, 500px, Bing image search,Google image search, DeviantArt, WallpaperFusion.
- ^ Set one of the available mode for each wallpaper (center, stretch, etc.).
- ^ Overlaying the custom visual effect (Grayscale, Sepia Tone, Inverted, etc.) on the picture.
- ^ Setting the offset for each wallpaper to the left/right/up/down (relative to the center, in pixels).
- ^ Zooming of a wallpaper for each monitor.
- ^ Ability to stretch a single screen saver over entire composite desktop or run an individual screen saver on each monitor.
- ^ Ability to store various desktop configurations as named profiles and switch between them.
- ^ Monitor Splitting for creating smaller, virtual monitors out of your large monitors, for example, when using AMD Eyefinity.
- ^ Load a desktop profile via command line tool on startup
- ^ Hard lock keeps the mouse pointer within current monitor unconditionally, until the lock is turned off.
- ^ Soft lock holds the mouse pointer on the boundaries between monitors automatically for a specified time; if user continues dragging the mouse to another monitor longer than this time - the mouse crosses the boundary.
- ^ Tool that automatically warps the mouse pointer to the opposite edge of desktop when user tries to drag the mouse beyond desktop limits.
- ^ Application stay full-screen even if it loses focus.
- ^ Divider working modes: 1. Active always 2. Active While the Modifier Keys Pressed 3. Active While the Modifier Keys not Pressed.
- ^ Divider working modes: 1. Show tiles' grid when moving the window 2. Don't show tiles' grid when moving the window.