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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.
How to Add a Taskbar to Multiple Monitors in Windows 7: Lockergnome.com
Dual-screen software tools showdown: 3 of the best compared: Neowin.net
Multiple Monitor Software Comparison: MikeDixononline.com
Max Out the Multi-Monitor Magic Under Windows 7:HowtoGeek.com
Finally Get Two Functional Desktops With Actual Multiple Monitors:MakeUseOf.com
Best Software to Manage Dual Monitors:HelpDeskGeek.com
Five Best Tools for Managing Your Multi-Monitor Setup:LifeHacker.com
Multi-monitor software
Category:Microsoft Windows
Category:Windows software