Use the Display preference tool to configure the monitors that your computer uses.
On most laptop keyboards, you can use the key combination Fn+F7 to cycle between several typical monitor configurations without starting the Display preference tool.
You can drag and move the graphical representations of the monitors in the upper part of the window to arrange how they are connected to form your desktop area. Note that the application displays small 'stickers' in the top left corner of each monitor to help you identify which rectangle corresponds to which monitor.
In contrast to most other preference tools, changes you make in the Display preference tool don't take effect until you click the Apply button, and will revert to their previous settings unless you confirm the changes. This is a precaution to prevent bad display settings from rendering your computer unusable.
Table 8-13 lists the display preferences that you can modify for the currently selected monitor. The currently selected monitor is the one whose graphical representation has a bold black outline. It is also indicated by the background color of the section label.
| Dialog Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Mirror Screens | Select this option to have all monitors show the whole desktop. |
| Detect Monitors | Use this button to make your desktop notice newly plugged in or unplugged monitors. This is necessary, since it would cost too much energy to constantly check for these changes. |
| Resolution | Select the resolution to use for the currently selected monitor from the drop-down list. Resolution refers to the pixel dimensions of the screen. A larger resolution means that more things fit on the screen, but everything will be smaller. |
| Refresh rate | Select the refresh rate to use for the currently selected monitor from the drop-down list. The refresh rate determines how often the computer redraws the screen. A too low refresh rate (below 60) makes the monitor flicker and can cause discomfort to your eyes. This is less of a problem on lcd displays. |
| Rotation | Select the rotation for the currently selected monitor. This option may not be supported on all graphics cards. |
| Show displays in panel | Select this option to show an icon in the notification area that allows you to quickly change the rotation. |