Learn how to display flight instruments on a second monitor in MSFS, X-Plane, FSX and Prepar3D, with pop-out steps and practical fixes.
For general PC flight simulation, set Windows to Extend these displays, open or pop out the required instrument panel, turn it into a separate window if necessary, then drag it to the second monitor. The exact pop-out or undock command depends on the simulator and aircraft.
This method applies to PC versions. Xbox and PlayStation consoles do not provide a Windows-style extended desktop with draggable instrument windows. For help with connections, resolution and screen positioning, see our second-monitor hardware and Windows setup.
How do I move flight instruments to another screen?
The reliable method is to configure the monitor first, detach the panel inside the simulator, and only then move it.
- Connect and extend the display. In Windows Display settings, choose Extend these displays, not Duplicate. On a desktop PC, connect both screens to the dedicated graphics card where possible.
- Arrange the monitor rectangles. Make their on-screen positions match the physical layout. A misplaced rectangle can stop the pointer or panel at what appears to be an invisible edge.
- Load a powered aircraft. Confirm that the instrument works in the cockpit before detaching it. A blank PFD may simply indicate that its battery, avionics bus or display brightness is off.
- Open and detach the instrument. Use the simulator-specific pop-out, undock or viewport command listed below. A normal 3D cockpit gauge cannot always become an independent window.
- Drag the detached window across. Grab its title bar, move it to the second monitor, then resize or maximise it. If the title bar is hidden, temporarily use windowed or borderless mode.
- Test the saved position. Restart the simulator once. Some aircraft remember panel positions, while others reset them whenever the monitor arrangement, scaling or primary display changes.
Which pop-out command does each flight simulator use?
Each simulator handles detached instruments differently, and individual aircraft can override the normal method.
| Simulator | Method | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 on PC | Hold Right Alt and left-click a compatible cockpit display. The detached window can then be moved to the other monitor. Our detailed MSFS instrument pop-out procedure covers supported displays and window handling. | Many glass displays work, but ordinary analogue gauges and decorative cockpit elements usually do not. |
| X-Plane | Use the pop-out control provided on the instrument, often near a corner of a glass display. Some aircraft require a second control to convert the internal popup into an operating-system window. | Pop-out support is defined by the aircraft developer, so the controls and available instruments vary. |
| FSX | Open the relevant 2D instrument panel, right-click it and select Undock Window, then drag it to the second screen. See our FSX panel-undocking and dual-monitor instructions. | A gauge embedded only in the virtual cockpit generally cannot be detached by itself. |
| Prepar3D | Open the aircraft's instrument panel or subview and undock its window before moving it. Menu wording varies between aircraft and Prepar3D releases. | The aircraft must provide a suitable panel or view window. |
| DCS World | Export instruments such as an MFD or UFC through a monitor configuration using the viewport names supplied by the aircraft. | These are exported viewports rather than ordinary draggable cockpit windows. Our guide to placing a DCS UFC on another monitor shows the different workflow. |
Why won't the instrument panel move to the second monitor?
Most failures come from duplicated displays, an instrument that cannot be detached, or a window opening outside the visible desktop.
- The displays are duplicated: change Windows from Duplicate to Extend. Duplicating only mirrors the main view.
- No pop-out cursor or command appears: that gauge is probably part of the 3D cockpit texture rather than a detachable display. Try the aircraft's 2D panel, dedicated popup or exported viewport instead.
- The window has disappeared: focus its taskbar icon and press Windows key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow to move it between monitors.
- The panel is black: check aircraft electrical power and display brightness first. Then restart with both monitors already connected. If every detached panel is black, update the graphics driver and avoid splitting the displays between unrelated graphics adapters.
- Click positions do not match: mixed Windows scaling values can offset mouse input in older simulators. Try matching the scaling percentage on both monitors and restart the simulator.
- The layout resets: keep the same monitor connected, retain the same primary display and avoid changing resolution after saving the panel position.
Can the instrument panel fill the second monitor?
A detached panel can usually be maximised or resized to cover most of the second monitor, although borderless presentation depends on the simulator and aircraft.
Undock the panel before changing the main simulator to full-screen mode, especially in FSX and other older software. If maximising distorts the layout, preserve the panel's aspect ratio and accept unused space rather than stretching circular gauges or map displays.
Do popped-out instruments reduce frame rate?
Detached instruments can reduce frame rate because glass cockpits, moving maps and synthetic-vision displays continue to be rendered in real time.
Start with one or two essential displays rather than exporting the whole cockpit. If performance drops sharply, reduce the second monitor's resolution or the avionics refresh rate where the simulator or aircraft provides that option. Lowering scenery settings may have little effect when the extra workload comes from instrument rendering and desktop window composition.