AMD Desktop and Display Management
Both the Standard and Advanced View contain pages for adding, removing, and configuring desktops and displays. Use these pages as necessary to manage your desktops and displays.
- Add/Remove Displays—Contains pages for managing displays.
- Desktop Management—Contains pages for managing desktops.
- AMD Eyefinity Multi-Display—Contains pages for managing groups of multiple displays. If you are using multiple graphics processors, some actions redirect you to these pages.
- Common Display Tasks—Contains pages for managing displays and desktops.
- AMD Eyefinity Multi-Display—Contains pages for managing groups of multiple displays. If you are using multiple graphics processors, some actions redirect you to these pages.
When you access a page, the associated task is automatically completed if no additional configuration information is required. Otherwise, you are prompted to select the desktops and displays to be configured.
You can also manage desktops and displays through the page in Advanced View. This page provides access to all desktop and display management tasks through a desktop arrangement area and display palette.
Contents
Desktop Modes
You can use multiple displays by connecting more than one display to a single graphics card or by connecting a single display to multiple graphics cards. Note that certain graphics cards may contain more than one graphics processor.
- Duplicated—The desktop is duplicated (including resolution) on more than one display. This setup can be useful for running demos and presentations.
- Extended—The desktop is extended across multiple displays. Each extended display has its own unique desktop area (including screen resolution and refresh rate). This setup can be used to provide additional desktop space.
The Control Center application contains various pages for configuring multiple desktops and displays.
Desktop Numbering
The desktop and display numbering system used in the Control Center application varies from the numbering scheme used by the Windows® operating system.
- When the application is started, existing desktops are numbered in the order that they are found, starting from 1.
- When a desktop is created, it is assigned the first available unused number.
- Displays that belong to a duplicated desktop or AMD Eyefinity display group are all assigned the same desktop number.
To view the desktop numbering for your current display configuration, see the desktop arrangement area and display palette in the page of the Advanced View.
Creating and Arranging Desktops (Advanced View Only)
The page is the central location for configuring your display devices and arranging your desktop in Advanced View. Use the page to perform actions such as enabling and disabling displays, extending or duplicating displays, and arranging desktops.
The page provides access to a variety of desktop and display management tasks through the desktop arrangement area and display palette, respectively. Located above each of these components is an instruction area that provides usage tips for performing your current action. Certain tasks can also be carried out using the Control Center icon in the Windows® system tray (taskbar notification area). To view the tasks that are available for your graphics card, right-click the icon and then click the appropriate graphics card option.
Desktop Arrangement Area
The desktop arrangement area is the main area of the Creating and Arranging Desktops page. It contains a large surface for arranging and configuring desktops. Each desktop is represented by a desktop number bounded by a rectangular box.
The triangular button located in the top right corner of each desktop surface provides access to a context menu for configuring the desktop. You can also access this menu by right-clicking a desktop.
- An asterisk (*) appears in the left corner of the main desktop.
- A symbol consisting of two interlocking squares appears on the bottom right corner of desktops that have been duplicated. If a desktop has been duplicated to more than two displays, the symbol also indicates the number of associated displays for the desktop.
Display Palette
The display palette is located below the desktop arrangement area. It shows all display devices that are connected to your graphics card and detected by the graphics driver.
- Enabled displays are labeled with the appropriate desktop number.
- Disabled displays are not labeled with a desktop number.
- Displays that are physically disconnected from your graphics card but are still detected as enabled by the graphics driver are labeled with a question mark. Such displays are known as “ghost” displays.
- Wireless displays are identified with a Wi-Fi antenna icon.
Use the triangular button in the top right corner of each display icon to configure display-specific properties through a context menu. The availability of menu options vary between the status of your display.
The instruction area above the displays palette also contains a Detect Displays button that you can use to detect newly connected displays if they are not automatically detected by the Control Center application.
Detecting Displays
When a display is connected to your system, it should automatically be detected by the graphics driver and become available for configuration. In the uncommon event where the display is not automatically detected, you can manually force detection of the display. Examples of displays that may require manual detection are CRT monitors.
- Navigate to one of the following pages:
- Standard View—.
- Advanced View— or .
- If you are using the Creating and Arranging Desktops page, click the Detect Displays button. For the Detect Displayspage, no additional action is required.
The Detect Displays and Creating and Arranging Desktops pages are updated to show the result of the detection. Once detection is complete, displays that were previously undetected become available for configuration.
Arranging Desktops
You can change the arrangement of desktops by repositioning them relative to one another. Desktops can be positioned above, below, adjacent, and diagonally next to one another. Use this feature to arrange desktops so that they match the physical layout of your displays.
The desktops are arranged accordingly.
Disabling Desktops
If you no longer need a desktop, you can disable it as long as it is not the main desktop. When you disable a desktop, it is removed from all desktop management pages and can no longer be configured. However, the displays associated with it remain available for selection.
- Navigate to one of the following pages:
- Standard View—.
- Advanced View— or .
- Depending on the page you are using, do one of the following:
- Disable Desktop—Select one or more desktops to be disabled by clicking each desktop or Select All, and clickApply.
- Creating and Arranging Desktops—In the desktop arrangement area, right-click the desktop to be disabled, and then click Disable in the context menu that appears.
- If prompted, confirm your action.
The desktop is removed and is no longer available for configuration. The displays associated with the desktop remain available for selection on various desktop and display management pages.
Setting the Main Desktop
The main desktop shows the Windows® logon dialog box. By default, it is also the desktop that shows the Windows taskbar and the desktop on which full-screen applications (such as games and videos) are run.
When there is only one display available, the desktop associated with it is automatically set as the main desktop. When multiple desktops are available, you can select which one you want to set as the main desktop.
To identify the main desktop, look for the desktop with the asterisk symbol (*) in any desktop management page within the Control Center application.
All desktop management pages, including the Set Main Desktop and Creating and Arranging Desktops pages, are updated to show the new main desktop. Depending on your current display configuration, the Windows taskbar may be moved to the main desktop.
Rotating Desktops
You can rotate a desktop so that it matches the physical orientation of your display.
The desktop is accordingly.
Disabling Displays
If you no longer need a display, you can disable it as long as it is not the only display associated with the main desktop.
If the display belongs to an AMD Eyefinity display group, you must first disable the group before you can disable the display.
- Navigate to one of the following pages:
- Standard View—.
- Advanced View— or .
- Depending on the page you are using, do one of the following:
- Disable Display—Select the display to be disabled and click Apply.
- Creating and Arranging Desktops—In the display palette, click the display to be disabled, and then click Disablein the context menu that appears.
- If promoted, confirm your action.
The selected display is disabled and its associated desktop is no longer available for configuration. However, you can re-enable the display by creating an extended or duplicated desktop.
You can also disable displays by right-clicking the Control Center icon in the Windows® system tray (taskbar notification area), clicking the associated graphics card, and then clicking Disable Display.
Identifying Desktops and Displays
Use the Identify All button within the various desktop and display management pages in the Control Center application to determine which displays are physically associated with each desktop. The types of objects that are identified depend on the on the context of each page.
- If the Identify All button is available in the page that you are currently using, click the button. Otherwise, navigate to one of the following pages:
- Standard View—Any page under the or group.
- Advanced View—Any page under the Common Display Tasks or AMD Eyefinity Multi-Display group. Alternatively, navigate to the page.
- Click the Identify All button. If you are using the Creating and Arranging Desktops page, proceed to the next step.
- In the Creating and Arranging Desktops page, do the following:
- To identify a particular display, select the display in the display palette and then click Identify Display from the context menu of the display.
- To identify all displays or only the displays for a particular desktop, click one of the following options in the context menu of any desktop in the desktop arrangement area:
- Identify—Identifies the displays associated with the selected desktop with the appropriate desktop number.
- Identify All—Identifies all enabled displays with their corresponding desktop number. This option is available only if more than one desktop is configured.
The appropriate desktop number appears on each display. The same number appears on all displays showing the same duplicated desktop.
Duplicating Desktops
When you duplicate a desktop, an exact copy of the desktop, including resolution, is duplicated onto another display. Duplicated desktops can be useful in environments where multiple copies of the same desktop are needed (for example, when conducting presentations using a projector).
Before duplicating a desktop, make sure that the target display is currently disabled. Desktops associated with display groups cannot be duplicated.
The selected desktop appears on both displays and the duplicated desktop symbol (two interlocking squares) appears at the bottom of the desktop icon on the Duplicate Desktop page.
The Creating and Arranging Desktops page is also updated accordingly: if a display was disabled during the duplication process, it appears as disabled in the display palette. If a desktop was removed, the associated desktop icon is removed from the desktop arrangement area.
Extending Desktops
When you extend a desktop onto a display, a new desktop is created exclusively for the target display. Extended desktops can be set to different rotations, resolutions, and refresh rates.
Before extending a desktop, make sure that the target display is currently disabled.
A new desktop is created and becomes available for configuration. The Extend Desktop page is updated with the new desktop.
The Creating and Arranging Desktops page is also updated accordingly: if a display was disabled during the process, it appears as disabled in the display palette. If a desktop was removed, the associated desktop icon is removed from the desktop arrangement area.
Exchanging Displays
If you want to replace the display that you are currently using with another display that is currently connected but disabled, you can do so by exchanging the displays with one another. When you exchange a display, the desktop from the enabled display is moved to the disabled display. As a result, the enabled display becomes disabled and the target display becomes enabled during the exchange.
Display settings, such as screen resolution and refresh rate, are preserved during the exchange. Make sure that the display settings for the enabled display can be supported on the target display before exchanging the displays.
- Navigate to one of the following pages:
- Standard View—.
- Advanced View— or .
- Depending on the page you are using, do one of the following:
- Exchange Display—If there is only one display that can be used for the exchange, it is automatically used to replaced the current display and no further action is required. Otherwise, select the appropriate display(s) for the exchange and click Apply.
- Creating and Arranging Desktops—In the display palette, click Replace in the context menu of the disabled display that you want to use for the exchange.
If prompted, select the desired display from the display palette. Only the displays that are applicable to your action are shown. Certain Desktops & Displays settings become unavailable, and the Cancel button appears in the desktop arrangement area. You can click this button to cancel your action.
If only one display is available for replacement, it is automatically exchanged with the selected display. If multiple displays are available for replacement, you are prompted to select the appropriate one.
- When prompted, confirm your action.
The displays are exchanged with one another if their display settings are compatible with one another. The Exchange Display andCreating and Arranging Desktops pages are updated to show the result of the exchange.
Swapping Displays
If you are working with multiple displays, you can switch the desktop association for each display with that of the other display. When you swap displays, the displays and desktops remain enabled. Only the desktop associated with each display changes. This feature lets you quickly change desktop associations for displays.
To swap an enabled display with a disabled display, use the Exchange Display page instead.
The desktops are swapped between the displays. Display mode settings such as resolution and refresh rate for each display remain the same.
Changing to Extended Desktop Mode
You can quickly change the desktop mode of a display by converting it from duplicated to extended mode or vice versa.
When you change a desktop from duplicated to extended, the duplicated desktop is disabled before it is extended.
- Both displays are currently running in duplicated desktop mode.
- Neither of the displays belong to an AMD Eyefinity display group.
The following procedure describes how to change a desktop from duplicated mode to extended mode using Standard View.
To change the desktop mode when more than two displays are connected, you must use the Creating and Arranging Desktops page in Advanced View instead.
The page updates to show the result of the change.
Changing to Duplicated Desktop Mode
You can quickly change the desktop mode of a display by converting it from extended to duplicated mode or vice versa.
When you change a desktop from extended to duplicated, the extended desktop is disabled before the main desktop is duplicated onto it. In addition, the display associated with the main desktop is set as the preferred display. Therefore, make sure that the desktop that you want to duplicate is set as the main desktop before you begin.
- Both displays are currently running in extended desktop mode.
- Neither of the displays belong to an AMD Eyefinity display group.
The following procedure describes how to change a desktop from extended mode to duplicated mode using Standard View.
To change the desktop mode when more than two displays are connected, you must use the Creating and Arranging Desktops page in Advanced View instead.
The page updates to show the result of the change.
Changing Desktop Modes in Advanced View
If you are using multiple displays the desktop mode for each display can be converted from duplicated to extended or vice versa using a single step.
When changing the desktop mode from extended to duplicated, the desktop for the selected display becomes disabled before it shows the new duplicated desktop. If there is only one desktop available for duplication, the current display automatically shows that desktop. Otherwise, you are prompted to select the correct desktop to be duplicated onto the display.
- Desktop mode change is not available for displays belonging to a display group. To change the mode for such as a display, the group must first be disabled.
- Desktop mode change is not available for a display if it is the only one associated with the main desktop. To change the mode for such a display, you must first set another desktop as the main desktop.
The following procedure describes how to change desktop modes using Advanced View. If you are using only two displays, you can also use Standard View to switch between desktop modes.
