How to connect two or more external displays to an M1, M2, M3 or M4 MacBook

Macworld

While the higher-end MacBooks with M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro and Max chips support multiple external displays, Apple’s lower-end range of MacBooks that use a standard M1 and M2 processor cannot natively connect more than one external monitor, and to do so the M3 has to have its lid closed. This is a massive limitation compared to the previous Intel-based generation of Mac laptops that could run two displays when connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt docking station or hub.

Apple’s M3 MacBook Air models support two external monitors but only if the MacBook has its lid closed in what is known as Clamshell Mode. The M3 MacBook Pro supports a similar feature if at least the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update is installed. We explain how to run dual external displays on an M3 MacBook in a separate article.

The solutions below, however, allow for more than two external displays on plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs with their lids open if you want it. The plain M4 MacBook Air and Pro models do natively support two displays with the lid open but if you want three displays for these MacBooks, then keep reading.

There have also been reports that the M3 MacBook Air with lid closed suffers significant performance decline due to heat build up, so following our advice below still has relevance even for M3 MacBook Air and Pro users who want to hook up to multiple displays and keep their Mac purring at full speed.

Later, we list our tested and recommended software and hardware solutions for adding more than one display to the plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs. You can jump straight to our list of the best DisplayLink docks if you know all about DisplayLink. If not, read on a while.

The solutions we explain here will also help plain M4 users and M2/M3/M4 Pro MacBook users extend to three external displays.

Here are the external display specs for Apple’s current laptops, and what our workarounds can offer:

M1 MacBook Air, M2 MacBook Air and M2 MacBook Pro: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below for up to five displays.

M3 MacBook Air, M3 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Four or more using our workarounds.

M2 Pro MacBook Pro and M3 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four or more using our workarounds.

M4 MacBook Air, M4 MacBook Pro and M4 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Three or more using our workarounds, or five using DisplayLink on certain docks.

M2 Max MacBook Pro, M3 Max MacBook Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. Five using DisplayLink on certain docks.

However, there are ways around these plain M1/M2/M3 limitations, allowing you to run two or more external displays off your MacBook, which we will outline here. In each case, there’s a software download and a docking station, hub or adapter required. 

The simplest solution is to get a USB graphics-enabled docking station or hub, sometimes called a DisplayLink Dock—and we’ve reviewed the best ones later in this article. USB graphics is a software-based technology (DisplayLink or InstantView) that compresses the video signals from the computer to the monitor, enabling you to connect multiple external displays to your M1, M2 or M3 MacBook.

Installing third-party software drivers leads to a slight risk that these might later be unsupported by future updates of the macOS, but the two drivers we recommend are recognized industry standards that we believe will continue to be supported and have been for a number of years already. We therefore can recommend these solutions that have worked for a numbe rof years without problems.

External displays: Big problem for M1, M2 and some M3 Macs

If your MacBook setup includes running more than one external display, you have a major problem: Apple’s basic (non-Pro or Max) M1 and M2 chips simply won’t allow it—at least natively. Apple states in the M1 or M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro tech specs that they support only “one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz”.




Foundry

While the M1 and M2 MacBooks natively support just one monitor, the M1 and M2 Mac Mini does natively support up to two external monitors—one via the HDMI port and a second via USB-C. But the M1 and M2 models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (plus the M3 MacBook Pro) support only a single external display over Thunderbolt.

The M3 MacBook Air models (13- and 15-inch) were the first to support more than one external display—as long as you close the laptop’s lid (known as Clamshell Mode) to allow for the second external display. 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro has a similar limitation. The first display (allowing an open MacBook lid) has a maximum 6K resolution at 60Hz. The second display (requiring the closed lid) can be up to 5K at 60Hz.

The M4 MacBook Air and 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro escape the single-display limit even with its lid open, but if you want more than two displays for that model, you need a DisplayLink dock.

We cover the basics of how to connect your Mac to an external monitor.

Workaround: Install DisplayLink software drivers

You can use a combination of display technologies to get around the M1/M2/M3 MacBooks’ single-monitor limitation. DisplayLink is the most common software solution that you pair with a compatible dock, and SiliconMotion’s InstantView is another. Note that the docks need to state DisplayLink or InstantView compatibility—you can’t just install DisplayLink drivers and hope they work with regular docks and hubs. Here, we’ll refer to them all as DisplayLink docks for brevity.

DisplayLink enable adapters or docks to output video over USB ports that would otherwise support only data connections, bypassing limitations on the number of screens a Mac can support natively (for example, the single-display limitation on base M1, M2, or M3 Macs).

Many multi-display docks use a combination of native USB-C Alternate Mode (native “Alt Mode” video output) and DisplayLink technology. This combination serves as a workaround to the M1/M2/M3 platform supporting only a single external display via USB-C.

Note that DisplayLink requires a third-party driver to be installed on the Mac. In general, setup is straightforward. Some of the docks we review below offer the DisplayLink software when you first connect the dock to your Mac. The DisplayLink macOS app or DisplayLink Manager app are ways of enabling DisplayLink technology on macOS. The app is available as a standalone installer rather than through the mac App Store.

The initial InstantView setup is easier than DisplayLink with the hubs from Hyper and Satechi—but it suffers the same challenge that Apple’s software updates could disable it, which will entail installing a newer version and allowing the necessary security & privacy settings for screen recording, just as with DisplayLink.

You can download the latest version of InstantView software here. The latest version supports macOS 15 Sequoia, 14 Sonoma, 13 Ventura and 12 Monterey.

Neither software solution is complicated and both worked well in our tests as you can read below.




This docking station supports three external displays via DisplayLink, while still allowing the MacBook to show its independent screen.

1. First, download the latest Mac DisplayLink driver. As stated above, some docks, do this for you but it’s always best to use the latest version.

DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App v. 13 is compatible with macOS Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 and Sequoia 15. For macOS Monterey 12, you need version 1.11; for Big Sur 11, look for version 1.9, and v1.5 for Catalina 10.15. It can be managed via the DisplayLink icon in the Apple Menu bar.

Here’s the one fiddly part: you need to enable “Screen Recording” to allow the DisplayLink Manager app to capture pixels and send them to your USB peripheral.

This can be found in System Preferences under Privacy in Security & Privacy; navigate to Screen Recording in the list on the left, then tick the Screen Recording permission for DisplayLink Manager after unlocking the padlock using your admin password. You may need to quit and restart DisplayLink Manager afterward. Don’t worry, DisplayLink isn’t recording your screen—this just lets it do its magic enabling multiple screens.

Installation is straightforward; take a look at the instructions here. Older versions did not support laptops’ closed-display/Clamshell Mode, but 1.8.1 and later do support Clamshell Mode if the MacBook is running macOS 11 or later.

There’s an option in DisplayLink manager to “launch at startup”, or you can drag the DisplayLink Manager to your Login Items in Users & Groups.

2. Then connect the MacBook to a DIsplayLink docking station—the dock must support DisplayLink, as all the reviewed products listed below do.

3. For the first screen you can connect via the dock’s DisplayPort, HDMI or USB-C/Thunderbolt port, and this will be handled natively by the M1/M2 MacBook. If you need to, you can use a USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter.

The HDMI or DisplayPort output uses Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), and as it is basically a pipeline directly to the system’s native GPU, it will behave just like if you hooked up a USB-C to HDMI dongle to your laptop. This requires no user driver installation.

The second and third displays will rely on the DisplayLink software. DisplayLink uses an installed driver and the system CPU and GPU to convert graphics data on the system into data packets. That data is then sent over the cable as data packets and converted back to video information and output to the monitors via the DisplayLink chip in the docking station.

Which dock is best?

A docking station connects to your MacBook via Thunderbolt or USB-C. It then offers multiple ports that your laptop now has access to. These can include new display ports, such as HDMI, as well as Ethernet for wired Internet access, USB-C/Thunderbolt/USB-A ports at varying speeds, audio plugs, and card readers. A simpler hub or adapter has fewer ports but may have all the video or USB ports required.

The main thing to remember here is that the dock, hub or adapter needs to support either DisplayLink or InstantView for the extra multi-screen magic to work. Non-DisplayLink docking stations are great if your MacBook can handle the number of screens you desire but you need more ports and functionality.

Docking station and hub manufacturers are now actively marketing their products as solutions to the M1/M2/M3 external display limitation—docks have to support DisplayLink to work with the software. All the docks and hubs reviewed below require either the DisplayLink download or another similar software solution, such as InstantView, but no further hardware adapter except for the dock or hub itself. And of course, these hubs offer the usual multi-port benefits as well as the external monitor solution.

The best multiscreen hubs and adapters for M1, M2, M3 and M4 MacBooks

Below we have gathered the best dedicated hubs and docks for multiscreen M1/M2/M3/M4. Note that most of these listed (and tested) below use USB-C rather than Thunderbolt, so don’t benefit from the MacBook’s potential pro-level 40-80Gbps data bandwidth but are usually cheaper. If you require bandwidth higher than 10Gbps, go for a DisplayLink-supporting Thunderbolt dock.

We have tested DisplayLink docks that can support up to five external displays and some that max out at two, which we expect will be plenty enough screen space for most people. You can use a five-screen DisplayLink dock even if you need only two monitors, and use the spare ports for other purposes.






Plugable 5 Display USB-C Dock (UD-7400PD) – five 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Supports up to five external displays at 4K 60Hz

3x 8K at 60Hz displays

11 ports

2x HDMI video ports

140W PD laptop charging

2.5Gb Ethernet


Cons

No SD card reader

North America only














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (10Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 5

Let’s begin with the DisplayLink dock that supports the most external displays: the Plugable UD-7400PD allows even M1 MacBook users to run up to five 4K displays at a 60Hz refresh rate. This is made possible by use of the latest Synaptics’ DisplayLink DL-7400 chipset. No other dock can match it. Although five displays is probably overkill for most users, financial and data analysts can’t have enough screens and will love it. You don’t have to add five displays, of course, but this dock is the one that will let you do so.

There are two HDMI ports (one HDMI 2.1 for 8K and one 2.0) plus three downstream USB-C ports to connect either those displays or other devices. There are two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, speedy 2.5Gb Ethernet and an audio jack, but no SD card reader. At the front of the dock, one of the USB-C ports can output power to a connected device at 30W, which is perfect if you want to fast-charge an iPhone or even an iPad.

If you need faster bandwidth, the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink (reviewed below) boasts 40Gbps data transfer and supports four displays for the M3 MacBook Air (while shut in Clamshell Mode), but with it the M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three (one at 6K and two at 4K). 

IT managers will appreciate Plugable’s DockTag technology that works with the UD-7400PD, a web-based solution designed for hot-desking and real-time IT asset management in mixed-platform offices.


Read our full

Plugable 5 Display USB-C Dock (UD-7400PD) review







Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink – three 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2, four for M3/M4















Pros

Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz

One display at 6K 60Hz

11 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4

2x HDMI 2.0 video ports

Speedy SD card reader

96W laptop charging and 180W power supply


Cons

Only three displays for M1/M2

U.K. users need local power cable














Best Prices Today:


$299.99 at Satechi





Connection: Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 4

While plain M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three external displays using this dock when DisplayLink software is installed, M3/M4 and M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro/Max MacBooks can connect to four 4K at 60Hz.

Other docks reviewed here also allow M1 and M2 Macs to connect to three displays, but what we really like about the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink is right there in its name: it’s a full Thunderbolt 4 dock rather than USB-C. It therefore offers 40Gbps data-transfer rates compared to the 10Gbps that you’ll find on most of the other docks reviewed here. The Plugable TBT-6950PD, reviewed below, is very similar to this Satechi dock.

That Thunderbolt port connection also allows one of the three screens to be at 6K resolution (60Hz) while the other two via HDMI will be 4K at 60Hz.

There are two HDMI 2.0 ports plus a generous three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (as well as one upstream TB4 to the laptop). It doesn’t host any extra USB-C ports but the three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps data transfer, 15W power output) are backwards compatible with USB-C. There are two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, too, plus a UHS-II SD card reader, Gigabit Ethernet and an audio jack.

Non-Pro/Max M3 and M4 Macs can connect to four displays using this dock, as long as the laptop’s lid is closed (clamshell mode). It’s also a great option for M1/M2/M3/M4 Pro users usually restricted to two external displays.

U.K. customers can buy direct from Satechi (with a small shipping fee) but will need to purchase a local power cable.

Satechi also sells a 12-port USB-C-based Triple 4K Display Docking Station that supports three 4K displays at 60Hz using DisplayLink. It is priced the same as the Satechi Thunderbolt DisplayLink Dock. Normally we’d always pick a Thunderbolt dock over USB-C but this one hosts a mix of DisplayPort and HDMI ports that offers a more flexible monitor choice than the Thunderbolt dock’s two HDMI and three TB4 ports. If you prefer DisplayPort for your monitor connection you should consider this USB-C dock although a simple USB-C to DisplayPort adapter will work the same magic on the TB dock.


Read our full

Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink review







Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station (TBT-6950PD) – three 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2, four for M3/M4















Pros

Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz

One display at 6K 60Hz

11 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4

2x HDMI 2.0 video ports

Speedy SD card reader

96W laptop charging and 180W power supply


Cons

Only three displays for M1/M2

North America only














Best Prices Today:








Connection: Thunderbolt 4 (40Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 4

This dock is almost identical to the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink dock reviewed above. M1/M2 Mac owners can connect up to three external displays, and M3 and M1/M2/M3 Pro and Max users can attach up to four monitors.

The Thunderbolt port means one of the three screens can be at 6K resolution (60Hz) while the other two via HDMI will be 4K at 60Hz.

The USB ports are at least 10Gbps and the SD card reader is also fast at 312MBps.

The Plugable version has a few advantages over the Satechi: a slightly longer (1m vs 0.8m) Thunderbolt cable, Kensington lock slot and two-year warranty (vs 1 year from Satechi).


Read our full

Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station for 4K Quad Monitors review







WAVLINK USB-C DisplayLink (DL7400) Docking Station – four 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2/M3/M4















Pros

Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz

2x 8K at 60Hz display

2.5Gb Ethernet

30W USB-C

14 ports

2x HDMI 2.0 video ports

Speedy SD card readers

100W laptop charging and 160W power supply


Cons

Pricey for USB-C














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (10Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 4

While the Satechi and Plugable Thunderbolt DisplayLink docks support four displays for the M3 MacBook Air (while shut in Clamshell Mode), the M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three (one at 6K and two at 4K) using those docks. The Wavlink’s newer DL7400 chipset allows for even the M1 and M2 Macs to connect to four displays at impressive refresh rates: 1x 4K at 120Hz and 3x 4K at 60Hz.

As such, if you desire four displays to be hooked up to your M1 or M2 MacBook, the Wavlink dock is the better choice. Plugable’s use of the same chipset on its UD-7400PD dock, reviewed above, supports up to five displays.

It might lack the Satechi and Plugable docks’ faster Thunderbolt connection but it beats them on network speeds with a 2.5Gb Ethernet port—2.5 times faster if your network matches this (it’s backwards compatible with 1GbE).

The USB ports are at least 10Gbps and the SD and microSD card readers are also speedily rated at 312MBps.


Read our full

WAVLINK USB-C DisplayLink (DL7400) Docking Station review







Wavlink Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter – two 5K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Supports two external displays at 5K 60Hz

2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports

2x HDMI 2.0 video ports


Cons

No USB ports, Ethernet etc

No passthrough laptop charging














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (5Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 2

Also from Wavlink this simple, portable and affordable adapter doesn’t give you loads of extra USB ports, Ethernet or card readers like a hub or docking station would, but it offers four powerful video ports: two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0.

Once you’ve installed the DisplayLink drivers, this means an M1/M2/M3 MacBook can run two extended displays at up to 5K (5120-x-1440) at 60Hz using a combination of these video ports. You’d need to use both DisplayPort 1.4 ports for the maximum 5K resolution—the HDMI 2.0 ports max out at 4096-x-2160 at 60Hz.

There’s no passthrough charging so you’ll need to use another of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports to keep the laptop powered up in use.







Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Adapter – two 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Dual 4K monitor support for M1/M2/M3 Macs

Quad 4K model available


Cons

No USB ports, Ethernet etc

No passthrough laptop charging (dual model)














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (5Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 2

Another simple one-function affordable adapter, the Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Adapter (USBC-6950M), pictured below left, uses DisplayLink to enable dual 4K 60Hz displays for M1 and M2 MacBooks with two HDMI ports. Like the Wavlink Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter it’s no dock but it does the multi-screen M1/M2 job you require without fuss.




Plugable

There’s a slightly pricier (but still cheaper than a dock) version, the Plugable Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter (USBC-7400H4) pictured above right, that supports four external 4K displays at 60Hz and features 90W passthrough charging to the laptop.







Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz

12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C

3x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports

Speedy SD and MicroSD card readers

100W laptop charging and 135W power supply














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (10Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 3

This Alogic DisplayLink docking station supports up to three external 4K displays at an impressive 60Hz refresh rate and has an array of useful non-display ports. It can power the connected laptop at 100W and has a decent 135W external power supply so doesn’t require an extra USB-C charger.

The DisplayLink download link is clearly shown in the user manual, and instructions make sense—although you need a magnifying glass to read them!

The DX3 has three DisplayPort 1.4 ports but no HDMI, so you’ll need to add an adapter between dock and display if you prefer HDMI. As you’ll need to buy video cables anyway, this doesn’t matter as prices for straight cable and adapter cable are close enough.

This dock has two card readers: SD and MicroSD, both at top 312MBps UHS-II—allowing you to add inexpensive portable storage to your laptop setup.

It also has Gigabit Ethernet, four USB-A (one with 7.5W charging) and two 10Gbps USB-C (one 100W PD upstream to the laptop, and one 7.5W smaller device charging).

Reviewed below is Alogic’s DX2, which supports two 4K displays at 60Hz and lacks some of the other ports found on the DX3. if you just need two external monitors for your M1/M2/M3 MacBook this may be a cheaper option.







Alogic DX2 Dual 4K Display Universal Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz

10 ports

2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports

65W laptop charging and 100W power supply


Cons

No card reader














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (10Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 2

While we prefer Alogic’s DX3, reviewed above, that supports up to three 4K displays and offers more ports and faster charging for not much more cost, the DX2 is fine if all you require is two top-end monitors connected to your mid-sized M1/M2 MacBook.

It features two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one 10Gbps USB-C with 7.5W charging, three 5Gbps USB-A ports (one with 7.5W), a 3.5mm audio jack and Gigabit Ethernet.







Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) – two 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Dual 4K monitor support for M1/M2/M3 Macs

13 ports

100W PD to laptop

Fast SD card reader


Cons

Not for fast data transfer

North America only














Best Prices Today:








Connection: USB-C (5Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 2

If you don’t require full 40Gbps Thunderbolt, Plugable’s redesigned USB-C–based UD-6950PDH docking station plus free-to-download DisplayLink software can connect two extra 4K/60Hz displays to M1, M2 and M3 Macs. While plain M3 MacBooks can already connect to two external displays, this DisplayLink dock allows plain M3 MacBooks to remain open with the two additional displays attached (otherwise the M3 laptop’s lid has to be closed). M4 and M4 Pro MacBooks can already run two screens natively but using a dock saves the laptop’s built-in ports.

It features an impressive 13 ports including Gigabit Ethernet, SD and MicroSD card readers and five spare USB ports.

You won’t get data transfer any faster than 5Gbps so if you crave the full 40Gbps Thunderbolt bandwidth you should instead consider the more powerful Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink, reviewed above.

You can use both of the dock’s HDMI ports or both DisplayPort or a mix of each, depending on your monitor requirements. Two video ports will always be left empty, but the flexibility is welcome.

No availability outside of North America has yet been announced.


Read our full

Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) review







Ugreen USB-C Revodok Pro 312 Triple Display Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz















Pros

Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz

12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A

Ships with 100W wall charger














Best Prices Today:


€399.99 at Ugreen





Connection: USB-C (10Gbps)

Software: DisplayLink

Max screens: 3

The Ugreen Revodok Pro 312 12-in-1 4K HDMI Docking Station is a quality compact vertical dock that supports up to three external displays on a plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1/M2/M3/M4 MacBook if you install DisplayLink software.

Priced at $240/£299 (recently reduced), it features two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort and can support three 4K displays at 60Hz on a Mac. There are 12 ports in total, including Gigabit Ethernet, card readers, and 10Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports. It connects to the MacBook via 10Gbps USB-C.

You need to install DisplayLink on your Mac—instructions above. Ugreen could make this easier with a link on its site.

Read our full Ugreen USB-C Triple Display Docking Station review.







Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz















Pros

Supports two external displays at 4K

10 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and USB-A

100W passthrough laptop charging

InstantView easier than DisplayLink


Cons

Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz

Requires USB-C charger