Struggling to Split Ultrawide Monitor Screen? Viral Facebook Post Reveals Dual Screen Challenges with One Laptop

A Facebook user named Rachel recently sparked a discussion online about achieving a dual-screen setup using a single laptop and an ultrawide monitor.

On February 4, 2025, Rachel posted about her desire to utilize the Picture-by-Picture (PBP) feature on her LG monitor, which has two HDMI inputs.

She explained that while her monitor has the capability, she's been told PBP typically requires two separate devices.

Rachel's goal is to effectively divide her ultrawide monitor into two distinct screens for increased productivity, specifically mentioning the need to present a PowerPoint while simultaneously viewing other content.

She clarified that she wasn't looking for software solutions like Microsoft PowerToys or Snap Assist, but a hardware-based approach.

Online Community Offers Suggestions, But Challenges Remain

Fellow Facebook users chimed in with suggestions. One user, Robinson, initially recommended using the split-screen feature within Microsoft Edge.

However, Rachel quickly pointed out that this wouldn't work for her specific use case, as it requires sharing the entire screen, making it unsuitable for presenting a PowerPoint.

Robinson then revised his suggestion, explaining that if Rachel's laptop has two HDMI output ports and her monitor supports Picture-in-Picture (PIP), she might be able to achieve her desired setup.

He emphasized that a single HDMI output cannot be split to display different images on separate ports.

The Technical Hurdles of a Single-Device Dual-Screen Setup

Another commenter, Gaguine, noted that Rachel had previously asked a similar question.

Gaguine theorized that the monitor itself shouldn't differentiate between two separate devices or two outputs from a single device.

They suggested that the challenge might lie with the computer's ability to recognize and manage the monitor as two separate displays when receiving two inputs from the same source.

Gaguine concluded that the only way to know for sure would be for Rachel to experiment and see if her laptop could handle the configuration.

Rachel's quest for the perfect dual-screen setup using just one laptop highlights the technical complexities that can arise even with seemingly straightforward hardware features.

Whether a solution exists for her specific needs remains to be seen.