If the host system has multiple monitors, you can configure a virtual machine to use multiple monitors. You can use the multiple-monitor feature when the virtual machine is in full screen mode.

Note:

You do not need to use the Windows display properties settings in a Windows guest operating system to configure multiple monitors.

Prerequisites

  • Verify that the virtual machine is a Workstation 6.x or later virtual machine.

  • Verify that the latest version of VMware Tools is installed in the guest operating system.

  • Verify that the Windows or Linux guest operating system is supported.

Procedure

  1. Select the virtual machine and select View > Autosize > Autofit Guest to verify that the virtual machine can resize correctly.
  2. Power on the virtual machine and select View > Full Screen.
  3. On the full screen toolbar, click the Cycle Multiple Monitors button.

    On a Windows host, you can mouse over a button on the toolbar to see its name. The guest operating system desktop extends to the additional monitor or monitors.

  4. (Optional) Click the Cycle Multiple Monitors button again if the host system has more than two monitors and you want the virtual machine to use all of the monitors.

    The order in which the virtual machine uses the monitors depends on the order in which the monitors were added to the host operating system. If you continue to click the button, you return to fewer monitors.