Before buying an Espresso Display, is it possible to have my first draft open on separate monitor and write my second draft on my MacBook. In split screen function the two windows are too small so looking for dual monitor option
I use the quick reference panel to open one document on the second monitor at the full screen and makes it easy to compare as you write. So both can be full screen.
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Thank you, thatâs helpful to know.
Hello @Helen and welcome.
Can I just point out that @GoalieDad is on Windows, and what is possible for him isnât necessarily possible on Mac.
I canât say for sure as I donât have a second monitor running off any of my computers so have no experience of that, but I would think it possible that you could have one project open on your main monitor and a second on your other monitor. But. personally, Iâd wait for confirmation from a Mac Scrivener user if your decision to buy is purely Scrivener related.
Perhaps @RuffPub knows the answer.
Mark
The dreaded ChatGPT says you can, with the following consideration, which would apply whether youâre opening one project with one docâs version via the QR panel or separate project versions:
I usually use one QRP panel to compare to the editor. But you could use File > Save as to create a duplicate copy of the your project and have one open on one monitor to compare as you move thru the original. If you do make sure your naming convention makes it clear which project is the copy.
The âDreaded ChatGPTâ is not a search engine and can give equal weight to correct and incorrect answers. Often its responses are total BS. I have demonstrated a real incident only today while visiting friends interstate. The wife used Chat GPT to search something and the answer was 100% incorrect. In that case it was easy to prove.
The quote youâve used is a generic one that applies to any situation on a Mac where you want to use a second display as an extension of the first and not mirror. (not quite sure why anyone would simply want to display a mirror of the main monitor)
On a Mac, if you want to compare two drafts, open them both and drag the tab for one of them off onto the second display (assuming youâve used âWindow ⸠Merge All Windowsâ to have all projects open as tabs as I have, rather than individual instances).
It works equally if you have a large display and simply want them displayed side by side.
As an aside, with iPad OS26 now having a real cursor instead of that dreaded dot, it makes using an iPad Pro 13" as a second monitor while traveling so much more productive.
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Thank you, I was interested in how people were using two different monitors to work in one Scrivener project so thatâs useful info.
There isnât a way to break apart parts of the interface, but there are a couple of options for using multiple monitors outside of running multiple projects.
The first option is to use Composition Mode for your active writing. If you go to Scrivener â Settings/Preferences â Behaviors â Composition Mode, you will find multi-monitor options in there. A few basic ingredients:
- Set composition mode to use the monitor you want to do your main writing on.
- Disable the âHide main window in composition modeâ option.
- Make sure âOpen composition mode in its own Spaceâ is disabled along with âBlank out other screensâ (they are by default).
Now you can do all of the organization and research management stuff on one screen, and have a pure writing-focused interface on the main screen.
The other option would be to use Quick Reference windows and drag those to the displays where youâd like them. You can open Quick Reference windows by going to Navigate â Open Quick Reference or by clicking the item in the binder and then tapping the space bar.
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Thatâs perfect, just what I was looking for. Thanks!