How I use two (or more) external monitors on a MacBook Air
Key things
- Get a dock with DisplayLink technology to support multiple external displays on Apple’s silicon MacBook Air.
- DisplayLink docks are cheaper than getting a higher-end MacBook, especially if you don’t need performance.
- With the Sidecar feature, you could get a similar setup with an external display and an iPad.
The MacBook Air doesn’t natively support more than one external display with the lid open, so I don’t use it as my primary workstation. However, I found a solution to use multiple external displays. You can learn about all of this below.
How do I set up three external displays on my 15-inch MacBook Air M2
The only way I can use three external displays with the MacBook Air is to use the DisplayLink Dock. DisplayLink is a graphics technology that select hubs and docks use to allow each computer to have multiple displays, even if you don’t have multiple HDMI or DisplayPort ports. So you can choose different brands of docks and hubs, such as Ugreen or Baseus, as long as the selected model is compatible with DisplayLink.
If a dock or hub says it’s Mac compatible and has two or three HDMI ports, but doesn’t have DisplayLink, you can’t use it to run more than one external display on a MacBook Air.
If I don’t want to use the dock to connect three monitors, I have to upgrade to an M3 Max MacBook Pro, which will cost me at least $3,499. So instead of spending another $2,300 (or more) to get native multi-display functionality, I tried the $200 Baseus SpaceMate Dock for Mac, which has DisplayLink.
With this dock, I now enjoy three external displays on my MacBook Air plus the laptop’s built-in screen, effectively giving me four displays to work with. In addition to the three screens connected to the docking station, it also includes a mouse, keyboard, microphone, speaker and Ethernet cable.
As a result, I can easily switch my workstation between a MacBook and a Windows laptop simply by moving the USB-C cable between the two devices. I’m also planning to get a USB-C KVM switch so I can conveniently move my workstation between a Windows laptop and a MacBook Air at the touch of a button.
The M3 MacBook Air models can natively support two external monitors if you close the lid. So if you already have that and just want two big screens, you don’t need a DisplayLink hub or docking station.
Installing the DisplayLink driver
After plugging in the dock on my MacBook Air, I headed over to the Synaptics website and downloaded the DisplayLink driver for my computer to recognize my external monitors. After installation, the DisplayLink icon appeared in the macOS menu bar. At this point I just unplugged and plugged in the dock and my laptop immediately detected my screens.
When you connect the DisplayLink dock for the first time, macOS asks if you want the accessory to connect to your Mac. Click
Allow
to ensure it will work with your laptop.
There are several options that you will find in the DisplayLink menu when you click on it, but I recommend selecting these two options: Start automatically after login and Enable 3008x and 2560x experimental modes. You can also use it to switch and rotate your non-primary display, which is especially useful if you want to use other displays in portrait mode as a vertical monitor.
Download:DisplayLink Driver (Free)
Organizing my external monitors
With all three monitors working with my MacBook Air, I had to change settings to make sure my virtual desktop layout matched what it looked like in the real world. To do this, I went to System Settings > Displays in macOS and arranged the desktops to match the physical arrangement of my monitors. Here you can also change the screen resolution of your Mac’s display.
How I use a portable monitor and an iPad to get a similar setup
Of course, docks aren’t the most portable devices, and it’s almost impossible to take my two large external monitors on a plane. So when I travel, I take a 15-inch portable monitor and a 13-inch iPad Air with me. I connect the portable monitor directly to the MacBook via a USB-C hub with an HDMI port. I then use the Sidecar to make my iPad Air serve as another display, giving me three displays.
These three devices would fit nicely in my workstation case and allow me to maintain my workflow wherever I am. It’s not the most portable solution though, as I need multiple cables to connect everything reliably. In addition, I keep all three devices plugged in so that I don’t run out of power while I’m working. If I really want to work in a coffee shop or somewhere public, I use my iPad, but frequently switching apps on a smaller screen slows me down.
This is another way to get a multi-display setup if you don’t want to spend money on a DisplayLink dock. Of course, you don’t have to go all out like I did when building your workstation.
For example, if you don’t want to deal with a dock, you can attach your MacBook Air to a laptop arm and place it next to your primary external display to act as a smaller secondary monitor. However, a DisplayLink docking station would be a worthwhile investment if screen real estate is important to you.