How do I use two monitors with Microsoft Flight Simulator?

To use two monitors with Microsoft Flight Simulator on PC, set Windows to Extend these displays, keep the main simulator on the primary screen, then drag popped-out cockpit or toolbar panels to monitor two, or add a second render window for another 3D view. Xbox and PlayStation consoles cannot extend the sim across two displays.

What can Microsoft Flight Simulator show on a second monitor?

The best configuration depends on whether you want instruments, utility panels or more outside view.

For most two-monitor desks, we recommend leaving the main 3D view on one display and using the other for instruments or a side view. Splitting the forward view equally across two screens puts the bezel through the centre of the windscreen.

How do I configure two monitors in Windows?

1. Connect both displays to the graphics card. On a desktop PC, avoid connecting one monitor to the motherboard and the other to the dedicated GPU.
2. Extend the Windows desktop. Open Windows Display settings, identify the screens and select Extend these displays. The Win+P shortcut also exposes the Extend option.
3. Arrange the displays correctly. Drag their numbered boxes so their left, right and vertical positions match the physical desk. Otherwise, the pointer may appear to hit an invisible boundary.
4. Choose the primary display. Make the monitor intended for the main simulator window the Windows primary display before launching Microsoft Flight Simulator.
5. Check resolution and scaling. Use each panel's native resolution. Different Windows scaling percentages can make detached windows jump, resize oddly or become difficult to position; matching the scaling values is the simplest fix.

How do I put cockpit instruments on monitor two?

Hold Right Alt and left-click a supported glass-cockpit display or instrument, then drag the resulting window by its title bar to the second monitor. Resize it there and repeat for any other supported displays.

Not every switch, analogue gauge or third-party aircraft screen supports this method. If nothing happens, click the active display area rather than its bezel and confirm that the instrument itself supports detaching. Our detailed cockpit display pop-out procedure covers grouped windows, resizing and common aircraft-specific limitations.

Supported toolbar utilities have their own detach or pop-out button. Once detached, they behave like ordinary Windows windows and can be moved to monitor two; see our explanation of moving simulator toolbar panels outside the main view.

Microsoft Flight Simulator does not always restore every panel exactly where it was, particularly after changing aircraft or monitor geometry. For a fixed home-cockpit arrangement, saving and automatically restoring recurring pop-out layouts avoids repositioning them before each flight.

How do I add a second outside view?

Use Microsoft Flight Simulator's multi-window renderer when you want monitor two to show another 3D perspective rather than instruments.

1. Open the multi-window controls. In Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, these are found under the Experimental options. In MSFS 2024, use the equivalent multi-window controls in Settings; their grouping can differ between simulator builds.
2. Select Add New Render Window. A separate 3D window normally opens on the primary display first.
3. Move it to monitor two. If it opens maximised, restore it to a movable window, drag it across by the title bar and then maximise or resize it on the second screen.
4. Set the viewing offset. Use the available rotation and projection controls to create a left, right or angled view instead of duplicating the forward image.
5. Check the bezel alignment. Adjust the offset until objects crossing between displays have a believable angle and scale.

The added window is another perspective tied to the simulator's camera system, not a completely independent aircraft or camera session. Camera changes can therefore affect the whole multi-window arrangement. The same projection principles are covered in our multi-display geometry and performance guidance.

Why is the second monitor blank or causing low FPS?

• Both screens show the same image: Windows is using Duplicate rather than Extend. Press Win+P and choose Extend.
• The second screen is not detected: connect it before starting the simulator, verify it appears in Windows Display settings and restart the sim after changing the display arrangement.
• A window has disappeared: activate it from the taskbar and press Win+Shift+Left or Win+Shift+Right to move it between monitors.
• Windows are the wrong size: mismatched DPI scaling is usually responsible. Temporarily set both displays to the same scaling percentage, sign out of Windows if requested and reposition the panels.
• Frame rate falls sharply: a second 3D render window must draw more scenery, geometry and pixels. Reduce render scaling, terrain or object detail, or make the secondary window smaller. For instrument-only layouts, lowering the glass-cockpit refresh setting can reduce CPU load at the cost of less fluid display updates.
• A specific instrument will not pop out: the aircraft may not expose that display as a detachable panel. This is not a monitor-detection problem.

Can two monitors be used on Xbox or PlayStation?

No. Extended-desktop and movable-window configurations are PC features. Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PS5 Pro outputs the simulator to one game display, even if additional screens or video hardware are connected.