This document covers steps to resolve the most common issues enabling video from Plugable products with DisplayLink technology on Mac. In order to use a Plugable DisplayLink device on Mac, the following actions are necessary:   
 

1. The DisplayLink Manager Application must be installed on the host Mac

The DisplayLink Manager Application is available to download here

We have detailed installation instructions available at the links below:

macOS Sequoia version 15, macOS Sonoma version 14 and macOS Ventura version 13 installation instructions

macOS Monterey version 12 and macOS Big Sur version 11 installation instructions

2. The DisplayLink Manager Application must be granted the proper security permissions in order to function properly

The DisplayLink Manager application must be granted ‘Screen Recording’ permissions within the macOS ‘Privacy & Security’ settings in order to function. If these permissions are not granted, then the product will not function.

To be clear, no information is actually being recorded.  The DisplayLink Application only needs this permission in order to generate the image shown within the displays connected to the product.

More information for granting these permissions for the various supported versions of macOS is available at the links below:

macOS Sonoma 14: Screen Recording Permission

macOS Ventura 13: Screen Recording permission

macOS Monterey 12: Screen Recording permission

macOS Big Sur 11: Screen Recording permission

3. The DisplayLink Manager Application must be actively running

The DisplayLink Manager Application must be running in order for the product’s video outputs to function.

When the DisplayLink Manager Application is running, there will be a small DisplayLink icon (which looks like two interlocking displays) located within the Apple Menu bar at the top of your screen. 

If the DisplayLink Manager Application is not running, please open a new Finder window and navigate to the ‘Applications’ folder and then double click on the ‘DisplayLink Manager’ application icon to start the application. 

4. On Apple Silicon MacBooks with macOS Ventura version 13 or later, the Plugable product must be granted permission in order to connect the device to the Mac

For portable Macs with Apple silicon running macOS Ventura version 13 or later, any external USB accessory must first be ‘Allowed’ in order for the device to function. If the device is not ‘Allowed’, then the device will not work.   
 

Apple provides more information on this process at the links below:

macOS Sequoia 15 - Connect accessories to your Mac

macOS Sonoma 14 - Allow accessories to connect to Mac

macOS Ventura 13 - Allow accessories to connect to Mac

If the actions above are not taken, then the Plugable DisplayLink device will not work as expected. If after having taken all of the actions above your Plugable DisplayLink-based product is not working, please reach out to us directly via support@plugable.com and we will be happy to assist you further.    

 

When a Plugable DisplayLink device is not working as expected with a Windows system, the best practice is to disconnect the device from the host system (and remove it's external power source, if it has one) and perform a 'clean' manual installation of the latest version we recommend of the required DisplayLink software driver to help ensure both are in a good state. To do so, please follow these steps:

1. Disconnect the Plugable USB docking station or video adapter from the host system. If the product you are using has an external power adapter (for example a USB docking station), please also disconnect the power adapter from the product so that the unit resets. Please keep everything disconnected until prompted
2. Uninstall any and all software with 'DisplayLink' in the title that is present from within the Control Panel Programs and Features (Apps and Features in Windows 10). Don't worry if these entries are not present or if the process does not work for any reason, just move onto the next step
3. Download and run the DisplayLink Installation Cleaner utility
   • We have a short video that demonstrates this process
4. Once the cleaning utility has completed running, restart the host system (even if not prompted to)
5. Download and install the latest version (that we recommend) of the DisplayLink software driver
6. If you disconnected the power adapter from your product in step one, please reconnect it so the device powers on, then reconnect the product to the host system. If the product is still not working as expected, please restart the host system one more time.

If, after having completed this process, your Plugable DisplayLink device is still not working as expected, please reach out to us directly via support@plugable.com with the output of our PlugDebug diagnostic utility and we will be happy to help

The graphical software utilities provided by Intel, NVIDIA and AMD/ATI are designed to only recognize and work with graphics adapters made by their respective manufacturers. As a result, they will not recognize USB-attached displays connected to a DisplayLink-based docking station or graphics adapter.

It is recommended to use the facilities built-in to Windows to manage the connected displays. These would be the ‘Display Settings’ application on Windows 10 and ‘Screen Resolution’ application on Windows 8.1 and 7. Both of these applications are available by right-clicking on empty space within the Windows desktop and selecting the appropriate choice from the context menu that appears. 

Note: Intel has released an updated 'Intel Graphics Command Center' application that can recognize DisplayLink-attached displays and configure them to a certain extent. However, some of the features within the Intel Graphics Command Center application that are specific to Intel graphics adapters may not work on a DisplayLink-attached display.

The DisplayLink driver does not support color calibration functionality of any kind. Most monitors have built-in controls that can be used to adjust the characteristics of the display, though we realize this approach may not be ideal in all cases. For environments that necessitate near-perfect color reproduction and display calibration capabilities via software, a dedicated graphics card is recommended.

Touchscreens that do not require drivers and use the host’s operating system’s built-in USB Human Interface drivers (HID) to record touch inputs can be made to work with our products, however Plugable does not provide support for doing so due the complexity of multi-monitor touch screen setups.

No, the DisplayLink device's presence on your system will not preclude the use of any of your system’s built-in video outputs.

The use of Powerline-based network adapters in conjunction with the Ethernet port within our DisplayLink-based docking stations or video adapters is not supported.

Windows does not have the ability to adjust the brightness of a display connected using DisplayLink technology. We recommend making use of the display’s internal on-screen menu options in order to adjust the display's brightness.

No, Plugable does not recommend or support using our DisplayLink-based docking stations with a traditional KVM switch. If you simply need to share the dock between two systems, the dock can be manually disconnected from the first system and then manually connected to the second system. 

For those using our USB 3.0 DisplayLink docking station products that would like a more permanent solution that does not require disconnecting the unit from the host system, our Plugable USB 3.0 Sharing Switch can be used as an alternative to share the dock between two systems (please keep in mind that the dock can only be used by one system at a time).

Wi-Fi Performance Issues

Any time a USB 3.0 device is connected to a laptop system, there is a potential that the USB 3.0 connection can generate interference that can affect the performance of the laptop's built-in Wi-Fi adapter.

This behavior is not specific to Plugable products, and Intel has published a white paper on the topic for those who are curious about the technical details. 

So now that we know that this can happen with any type of USB 3.0 connection, how do we solve the problem should it occur? Every person’s setup can be a little different so there will never be one definitive solution, but a few simple approaches can solve the problem in most cases:

• Option One—Move the device as far as away from the system as the USB cable will allow. This will try and ‘move’ the signals from both the USB connection and the Wi-Fi physically further apart. As a corollary to this, if the dock is located very close to the Wi-Fi router itself, placing more distance between the two can help.
• Option Two—Switch to a different USB port on the system, preferably one on the opposite side of the laptop. This employs the same approach as option one, in that physically separating the two signals (in this case the physical proximity of the USB connection and the internal Wi-Fi antennas within your system) can help. If your system has both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, try using the USB 2.0 port first.
• Option Three—Use a USB 2.0 cable, like one used connect to a USB printer, instead of a USB 3.0 cable. All USB 3.0 devices should be backward compatible with a USB 2.0 cable, and when a device is connected at USB 2.0 speeds there is no possibility for the interference.
• Option Four—Switch to using a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection. As the name implies, there are two common sets of frequencies used by most Wi-Fi networks (2.4GHz and 5GHz). If both your wireless router and the wireless network adapter in your system support a 5GHz connection (they both need to, one is not enough), connecting to your Wi-Fi in that manner will prevent the interference from happening due to the two very different frequencies in use.
• Option Five—If using a 5GHz connection is not possible, changing the ‘channel’ of a 2.4 GHz connection can help. Within the 2.4GHz band used for Wi-Fi, there are eleven different channels each using a slightly different frequency. The three most commonly used ones in the United States are channel 1, 6 and 11. Using the manual for your wireless router as a guide, switching channels can potentially help. Ideally you would want to switch the channel to the opposite end of the spectrum for the best results, for example if you are on channel one already try switching to channel eleven or vice-versa

Wireless Mouse or Wireless Keyboard Performance Issues (Radio Frequency Interference)

While the items listed above can help with Wi-Fi interference, there is another type of interference that can sometimes cause problems with wireless keyboards and wireless mice which we refer to as Radio Frequency (RF) interference. 

To expand further, the USB wireless receiver 'dongles' used by many wireless keyboards and wireless mice operate within the same 2.4GHz radio frequency range as many Wi-Fi adapters. 

If a USB 3.0 connection is generating interference, this can affect the behavior of a wireless keyboard or wireless mouse. This behavior typically manifests as inconsistent mouse movement and/or inconsistent or sporadic keystroke registration.

In general there are two methods to mitigate this behavior should it occur:

• RF Option One—Reconnect the USB wireless receiver 'dongle' to one of the USB Docking Station's USB 2.0 ports (if the dock has USB 2.0 ports), furthest away from the USB 3.0 host connection cable. Moving the USB receiver to a USB 2.0 port typically mitigates this interference.
• RF Option Two—In rarer cases when moving the receiver is not enough or if the product in question does not have a USB 2.0 port, adding a short USB 2.0 extension cable can also help mitigate the behavior. In many cases wireless mice or keyboards include such a cable for this very reason, but if one is not available our USB2-2PORT is a good alternative solution.
  
  

In some less common instances on Windows computers, erratic keyboard/mouse behavior can be related to an issue with Intel Management Engine. We've written about this issue and the workaround that may fix it in another article in our Knowledge Base: https://kb.plugable.com/docking-stations-and-video/laggy-mouse-or-keyboard

Plugable’s DisplayLink-based products are supported with macOS with the installation of the DisplayLink software. 

There are different versions of the macOS driver that have been released by DisplayLink (the separate company that makes the primary chip within our DisplayLink-based products, and who also develops the software driver), with each version aligning with different versions of macOS. When first introduced there were several differences between the two driver versions. Over time, these differences have become fewer with updates to both the DisplayLink Manager and macOS, however this article is being retained for historical reference.

A ‘legacy’ version which uses a kernel extension in order to provide its functionality, and a newer ‘DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity’ App which utilizes a new architecture that does not rely on a kernel extension to provide its functionality.

The choice of which driver to use is ultimately determined by one’s OS version and individual specific requirements, since each version offers different capabilities and operating system compatibility. We have provided a comparison table below that highlights their differences in an effort to help our customers make an informed decision.

Links to the latest DisplayLink driver versions for each version of macOS as well as installation instructions can be found on the “Downloads” tab of applicable products, or at www.plugable.com/displaylink

*** Display rotation on Macs with an Apple CPU is accomplished within the DisplayLink Manager Application. It is NOT accomplished via the 'Displays' System Preferences application. More information on this feature is available here: Link

**** There is a 3rd-party application called 'f.lux' that allows the adjustment of a display's color according to the time of day. This functionality is in 'beta' status, and must be enabled within the DisplayLink Manager Application in order to function. This functionality is supported with devices based on the DisplayLink DL-3xxx chipset, DL-5xxx chipset, and DL-6xxx chipset.  However, it is important to note that on DL-6xxx chipsets this functionality is limited to DisplayPort video outputs only. It is NOT supported on HDMI video outputs via DL-6xxx chipsets.

Unsure which version of macOS you have installed? Click on the ‘Apple’ icon in the menu bar on your desktop and select ‘About this Mac’. A new window will open and display the system’s macOS version.

How to install the DisplayLink Manager application

1. Download the DisplayLink Manager from our drivers page here: https://plugable.com/pages/displaylink#macos

2. Open the DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity 1.x.pkg

3. Click ‘Continue’ on ‘Introduction’ page

4. Click ‘Continue’ on ‘Licence’ page

5. Click ‘Agree’ when prompted

6. Click ‘Install’ on ‘Installation Type’ page

7. Input your password when prompted

8. When installation finishes click ‘Close’ on ‘Summary’ page

9. Click’ Move to bin’ when prompted

How to use DisplayLink Manager?

The following steps are to be followed once after installing the app.

1. After installation, the DisplayLink Manager app will start automatically and the DisplayLink Manager logo will show in the Menu Bar. It will be grey when the dock is disconnected (Connection status will show: No monitor detected) and white when connected (Connection status will show: Monitor detected). 

NOTE: The DisplayLink Manager app will only start on its own once after the initial installation. Step 5 shows how to setup the app to always start after logging-in (recommended). Otherwise the app has to be started manually each time (see step 2).

2. In case the app does not show in your Menu Bar, to start it manually, please press ‘command’ + ’space’ and type in DisplayLink Manager, click on the application to open it

a. Alternatively you can go to the Applications folder in Finder and click on the DisplayLink Manager there

3. When first opened, DisplayLink Manager will ask you to turn on notifications for the app. Click on the notification below when it shows up. It will open a Notifications window.

4. Turn on ‘Allow Notifications’ for DisplayLink Manager

5. Select “Launch automatically after logging-in” for the software to start automatically every time you log-in.

6. Screen Recording

NOTE: From macOS Catalina 10.15, the operating system requires the user to permit "Screen Recording" in order for DisplayLink based devices (like Plugable UD-3900) to work properly. The message is generated by the OS and the screen is not actually being recorded by DisplayLink. Approving it enables the DisplayLink driver to access the pixels it needs to render a mirrored or extended screen and send the pixels over USB from your computer to the DisplayLink display. DisplayLink Manager does not store or record any screen content.

a. If you enabled notifications in step 3 you will see the below message if Screen Recording is switched off

b. This message will also show in the DisplayLink Manager app window and there will be an exclamation mark ‘!’ next to the DisplayLink Manager icon.

7. To enable “Screen Recording”

a. Go to System Preferences and click on Security & Privacy

b. In the ‘Privacy’ tab scroll down to ‘Screen Recording’ and click on the padlock to make changes

c. Enter password to allow the system to make changes

d. Tick the box next to ‘DisplayLink Manager’ and click ‘Quit and reopen’ when prompted.

e. Click on a padlock to save the changes.

Other functions of the DisplayLink Manager

Login screen extension (Optional)

This enables the external screens to be available on the login screen prior to the app loading after logging into your account.

1. Download the Login Screen Extension from the link available on the front page of the DisplayLink Manager.

2. Install the extension.

3. Once the installation is complete the extension will show as ‘Installed’

Support

NOTE: Opening a ticket through the Support tab will contact the DisplayLink engineering team in Europe. We recommend contacting support@plugable.com if you have any questions or issues. 

Before you begin

Unsure which version of macOS you have installed on your Mac? Click on the ‘Apple’ icon within the menu bar located at the top of your desktop and select ‘About this Mac’. A new window will open and display the system’s macOS version.

Guided Video Demonstration

For those who prefer, we have a video demonstration of the installation procedure available (an embedded link is below). 

For those who prefer, a detailed text-based description of the installation process (including screenshots) is available within the next section.  

How to install the DisplayLink Manager application

1. Download the correct version of the DisplayLink Manager Application for your version of macOS from here → Link 

2. Double-click on the file you downloaded to start the application installer: 

3. From within the ‘Introduction’ section of the application installer,  click on the ‘Continue’ button to start the installation process:

4. After having read the license information from within the ‘License’ section of the application installer, click on the ‘Continue’ button 

5. Click on the ‘Agree’ button in order to agree to the software license agreement.

6. From within the ‘Installation Type’ section of the application installer, click on the ‘Install’ button:

7. When prompted, please enter your system password and click on the ‘Install Software’ button to start the installation. The installation process will begin:

8. The application installer will notify you when the installation process has been completed. Please click on the ‘Close’ button in order to close the application installer. 

*** NOTE - If the installation process does not complete successfully, please see this knowledge base article --> LINK for a list of potential causes and possible solutions. ***

9. You should see a request from the DisplayLink Manager Application to allow the application to display notifications, when necessary.  Click on the ‘Options’ button within the request and click the ‘Allow’ option:

10. Once the application installation is complete, please connect your DisplayLink device to your Mac

11. Once the device is connected, macOS will notify you that the ‘DisplayLink Manager’ application would like to record the computer’s screen. Click the ‘Open System Preferences’ button in order to grant this access.  

12. The ‘Security & Privacy’ application will open, with the default view showing the ‘Privacy’ tab with the ‘Screen Recording’ option selected by default:

13. Click on the gold padlock at the bottom of the application window to enable changes.

14. If prompted, enter your password and click the ‘Unlock’ button:

15. Click to place a checkmark next to the DisplayLink Manager entry:

16. You will be prompted to Quit and Reopen the DisplayLink Manager application in order for the change to take effect. Please do so:

18. Once this change is complete, the displays connected to your DisplayLink-based product will start working automatically.  

** Please note - The DisplayLink Manager Application does NOT in fact record or store any information. This permission must be granted in order for the DisplayLink Application to access the information it needs in order to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink-connected displays. **

19. Click on the DisplayLink Manager Application icon that is now present within the Apple Menu bar at the top of your screen. This will reveal the DisplayLink Manager Application status window:

20. Within the DisplayLink Manager Application status window, next to the ‘Automatic startup’ section, click to place a checkmark next to the ‘Launch automatically after login’ option. This ensures that the application will be started each time you start your Mac. 

21. In order to receive notifications from macOS while a DisplayLink device is connected to your Mac, you must make a change within the ‘Notifications & Focus’ System Preferences application. 

Click on the ‘System Preferences’ icon (which looks like a gear) within the macOS Dock at the bottom of your screen.  

Click on the ‘Notifications & Focus’ application icon:

22. Within the ‘Notifications’ tab of the ‘Notifications & Focus’ application, next to the ‘Allow notifications’ label, click to place a checkmark next to the ‘When mirroring or sharing the display’ option. This will allow you to receive notifications from macOS while the DisplayLink device is connected. 

23. Once all of the previous steps are done, the installation process is now complete.

How to use DisplayLink Manager for macOS

Once the DisplayLink Manager Application is installed, the application can be accessed via the DisplayLink Manager application status icon located within the Apple Menu Bar at the top of your screen:

** If the DisplayLink Manager Application status icon is not visible within the Menu Bar, then the application has not been started.  Please open a new ‘Finder’ window and navigate to the ‘Applications’ folder.  Within the ‘Applications’ folder, double-click on the DisplayLink Application icon in order to start the application. **

Within the ‘Home’ tab of the DisplayLink Manager Application, there are a few different items listed.  The items listed will vary depending upon which version of the DisplayLink Manager Application that is installed, and the following list describes the features present in DisplayLink Manager version 1.7.1.  

Login Screen Extension

By default, the ‘Login screen extension status:’ section will display, “Available to download and Install”

When an Apple Mac system is first powered on and reaches the login prompt, 3rd-party applications (such as the DisplayLink Manager application) are not yet running.  As a result, DisplayLink-connected displays will not function. 

Downloading and installing the Login screen extension (available by clicking on the ‘download’ link within DisplayLink Manager) will allow the DisplayLink-connected displays to function prior to logging in.  

This is of course an optional feature, and is not required to use DisplayLink devices.  However, this option is useful in certain situations, such as when only DisplayLink-connected displays are connected to the host Mac. 

Automatic startup

As the name suggests, placing a checkmark next to the ‘Launch automatically after login’ option allows the DisplayLink Application to start automatically each time the system is powered on. We recommend checking this option in the interest of efficiency. 

Apple Watch unlock

As the name suggests, placing a checkmark next to the ‘Use Apple Watch to unlock on the login screen’ will allow you to unlock your Mac using an Apple Watch while connected to a DisplayLink device. 

Apple has more information on this process here → https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206995 

** Please note that this feature is not compatible with screensavers. To use Apple Watch unlock with your DisplayLink device, you must disable your screensaver. **

f.lux app support (Beta)

There is a 3rd-party application called 'f.lux' --> https://justgetflux.com/  that allows the adjustment of a display's color according to the time of day. If the f.lux application has been installed, placing a checkmark next to the 'f.lux app support (Beta)' option will enable f.lux to change the color of a DisplayLink connected display.

A few important notes about this feature:

A. This functionality is in 'beta' status, as the label suggests.  As a result, there may be cases where things may not work as expected when this option is enabled. 

B. This functionality is supported with devices based on the DisplayLink DL-3xxx chipset, DL-5xxx chipset, and DL-6xxx chipset.  However, it is important to note that on DL-6xxx chipsets this functionality is limited to DisplayPort video outputs only. It is NOT supported on HDMI video outputs via DL-6xxx chipsets.

System sleep in display-closed mode

Mac laptops running macOS 12 Monterey or newer can be used in one of two ways when used in conjunction with a DisplayLink-based product. 

The first way is with the laptop lid open, with the laptop's built-in internal display enabled.  

The second way is with the laptop lid closed, with the laptop's built-in internal display disabled.  This is known as closed display mode or 'clamshell' mode. 

In order to enter closed display mode while connected to a DisplayLink-based product, the host Mac must have an external power source connected and an external keyboard and mouse connected. 

Placing a checkmark next to 'Power save all displays and sleep in clamshell' changes this behavior, in that closing the laptop lid will cause the host Mac to go to sleep. 

This feature is of course optional, and its use is a matter of personal preference.  

Display rotation and toggle

The functionality presented within this section of the DisplayLink Manager Application will vary depending upon which type of processor is within the host Mac.

Macs with an Intel processor

When DisplayLink devices are used in conjunction with Apple Mac systems that have an Intel processor, a list of all the DisplayLink-connected displays will appear within this section. 

The individual displays can be turned on or off as desired by clicking on the toggle switch next to each display's name. You can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

You can rotate the orientation of the DisplayLink-connected displays within the ‘Displays’ macOS System Preferences application.

Macs with an Apple M1 or M2 processor

When DisplayLink devices are used in conjunction with Apple Mac systems that have an Apple M1 or M2 processor, display rotation must be done from within the DisplayLink Manager Application and the host Mac must be running macOS 12 Monterey or later (display rotation is not available on M1 Macs running macOS 11 Big Sur). 

Each DisplayLink-connected display attached to the M1 or M2 system will be listed next to the ‘Display rotation’ area. Click on the drop-down selection box and select the appropriate degree of rotation. 

If multiple displays are present, you can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

Synaptics (the creators of DisplayLink technology) have more information on this feature here --> Link

In addition to the rotation aspect described above, the individual displays can be turned on or off as desired by clicking on the toggle switch next to each display's name.  As mentioned above, you can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

Before you begin

Unsure which version of macOS you have installed on your Mac? Click on the ‘Apple’ icon within the menu bar located at the top of your desktop and select ‘About this Mac’. A new window will open and display the host system’s macOS version.

Please note, this guide describes the process for macOS 13 Ventura, macOS 14 Sonoma, and macOS 15 Sequoia. There may be differences in the procedure specific to one version of the operating system, and we will call these out when necessary. 

Guided Video Demonstration

For those who prefer, we have a video demonstration of the installation procedure available (an embedded link is below). The video demonstrates the process on macOS 13 Ventura, however the process is virtually identical in macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia. 

For those who prefer, a detailed text-based description of the installation process (including screenshots) is available within the next section.  

How to install the DisplayLink Manager application

*** Note - the screenshots in this article (and the demonstration video) were produced using macOS 13 Ventura, however the process and appearance is virtually identical in macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia. ***

1. Download the correct version of the DisplayLink Manager Application for your version of macOS from here → LINK

2.  Double-click on the file you downloaded to start the application installer: 

3. From within the ‘Introduction’ section of the application installer,  click on the ‘Continue’ button to start the installation process:

4. After having read the license information from within the ‘License’ section of the application installer, click on the ‘Continue’ button

5. Click on the ‘Agree’ button in order to agree to the software license agreement.

6. From within the ‘Installation Type’ section of the application installer, click on the ‘Install’ button:

7. When prompted, please enter your system password and click on the ‘Install Software’ button to start the installation. The installation process will begin:

8. If prompted to access files, click OK:

9. The application installer will notify you when the installation process has been completed. Please click on the ‘Close’ button in order to close the application installer. 

*** NOTE - If the installation process does not complete successfully, please see this knowledge base article --> LINK for a list of potential causes and possible solutions. ***

10. You should see a request from the DisplayLink Manager Application to allow the application to display notifications, when necessary.  Click on the ‘Options’ button within the request and click the ‘Allow’ option:

11. You should also see a request from the DisplayLink Manager Application to start the application automatically each time you log in to your Mac.  Please click the notification and select the ‘Allow’ option

12. macOS will notify you that the ‘DisplayLink Manager’ application would like to record the computer’s screen and audio. Click the ‘Open System Settings’ button in order to grant this permission.  

13. The ‘System Settings’ application will open, with the ‘Privacy & Security’ section highlighted by default. The ‘Screen Recording’ section will be visible on the right side of the application window:

14. Click the toggle switch next to the ‘DisplayLink Manager’ entry in order to grant the required permission. When doing so, you will be prompted to enter your password. Enter your password and click the ‘Unlock’ button to continue:

15. You will be prompted to Quit and Reopen the DisplayLink Manager application in order for the change to take effect. Please do so:

*** Please note - The DisplayLink Manager Application does NOT in fact record or store any information. This permission must be granted in order for the DisplayLink Application to access the information it needs in order to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink-connected displays. ***

16. Once complete, the ‘DisplayLink Manager’ application toggle switch will indicate that the permission has been granted.  The ‘System Settings’ application window can now be closed.

NOTE - In macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 15 Sequoia, whenever the DisplayLink Manager Application is running you will see a notification within the Apple Menu bar that the DisplayLink Manager Application is capturing your screen.  This is both normal and expected behavior. 

17. Click on the DisplayLink Manager Application icon that is now present within the Apple Menu bar at the top of your screen. This will reveal the DisplayLink Manager Application status window:

18. Connect your DisplayLink-based product to your Mac. On portable Macs based on an Apple processor, you may be prompted to allow the accessory to connect.  If you are prompted, please click the ‘Allow’ button in order to allow the accessory to connect:

More information about this process is available here → LINK

*** This process will only occur on portable Macs (such as Mac laptops) that have an Apple processor.  This will NOT occur on desktop Macs or Macs that have an Intel processor. ***

On Macs running macOS Sequoia, upon initial connection of your DisplayLink device you may receive a prompt asking for you to ‘Allow For One Month’ the DisplayLink Manager application to access your screen and audio.  

This prompt is part of a new security feature Apple introduced with macOS 15 Sequoia.

In order to use your DisplayLink-based product, you must click the ‘Allow For One Month’ button within the prompt you received.  In one month’s time, you will be prompted to renew this authorization for an additional month. This renewal process will continue each month thereafter. 

An example of this prompt is included inline below:

Once the product is connected, the DisplayLink Manager Application status window will update with information about the display connected:

19. The notification you received in step #11 to allow the DisplayLink Manager Application to start automatically each time you log in to your Mac should have automatically placed a checkmark next to the ‘Launch automatically after login’ option.  

If the checkmark is not present, please click to place a checkmark next to the ‘Launch automatically after login’ option.  This will help ensure that the DisplayLink Manager Application is running each time you login to your Mac.

*** If the DisplayLink Manager Application is not running, the displays connected to your DisplayLink-based product will not work ***

How to use DisplayLink Manager for macOS

Once the DisplayLink Manager Application is installed, the application can be accessed via the DisplayLink Manager application status icon located within the Apple Menu Bar at the top of your screen:

*** If the DisplayLink Manager Application status icon is not visible within the Menu Bar, then the application has not been started.  Please open a new ‘Finder’ window and navigate to the ‘Applications’ folder.  Within the ‘Applications’ folder, double-click on the DisplayLink Application icon in order to start the application. ***

Within the ‘Home’ tab of the DisplayLink Manager Application, there are several items listed.  The items listed will vary depending upon which version of the DisplayLink Manager Application that is installed and the type of processor within the host Mac (Intel processor or Apple processor). 

The following list describes the features present in DisplayLink Manager version 1.8.0 and later versions:

Login screen extension status

By default, the ‘Login screen extension status:’ section will display, “Available to download and Install”

When an Apple Mac system is first powered on and reaches the login prompt, 3rd-party applications (such as the DisplayLink Manager application) are not yet running.  As a result, DisplayLink-connected displays will not function. 

Downloading and installing the Login screen extension (available by clicking on the ‘download’ link within DisplayLink Manager) will allow the DisplayLink-connected displays to function prior to logging in.  

This is of course an optional feature, and is not required to use DisplayLink devices.  However, this option is useful in certain situations, such as when only DisplayLink-connected displays are connected to the host Mac. 

Automatic app startup

As the name suggests, placing a checkmark next to the ‘Launch automatically after login’ option allows the DisplayLink Application to start automatically each time the system is powered on. We recommend checking this option in the interest of efficiency. 

Additional HiDPI modes

In brief, HiDPI mode is a feature of macOS that can make images within a display appear sharper. 

In some cases, the host Mac will not enable HiDPI mode for the displays connected to a DisplayLink-based product. 

Placing a checkmark next to the ‘Enable experimental 3008x and 2560x modes’ option will create new resolution choices for the DisplayLink-connected displays within the ‘Displays’ section of the ‘System Settings’ application that may help improve the sharpness of the image. 

*** Please note - This feature is experimental, and may not always work as expected. If things do not work as expected after enabling this option, please disable the option. ***

Synaptics (the creators of DisplayLink technology) have more information on this feature here --> LINK

Apple Watch unlock

As the name suggests, placing a checkmark next to the ‘Use Apple Watch to unlock on the login screen’ option will allow you to unlock your Mac using an Apple Watch while connected to a DisplayLink device. 

Apple has more information on this process here → LINK

*** Please note that this feature is not compatible with screensavers. To use Apple Watch unlock with your DisplayLink device, you must disable your screensaver. ***

f.lux app support (Beta)

There is a 3rd-party application called 'f.lux' --> LINK that allows for the adjustment of a display's color according to the time of day. If the f.lux application has been installed, placing a checkmark next to the 'f.lux app support (Beta)' option will enable f.lux to change the color of a DisplayLink connected display.

A few important notes about this feature:

A. This functionality is in 'beta' status, as the label suggests.  As a result, there may be cases where things may not work as expected when this option is enabled. 

B. This functionality is supported with devices based on the DisplayLink DL-3xxx chipset, DL-5xxx chipset, and DL-6xxx chipset.  However, it is important to note that on DL-6xxx chipsets this functionality is limited to DisplayPort video outputs only. It is NOT supported on HDMI video outputs via DL-6xxx chipsets.

System sleep in display-closed mode

Mac laptops running macOS 13 Ventura can be used in one of two ways when used in conjunction with a DisplayLink-based product. 

The first way is with the laptop lid open, with the laptop's built-in internal display enabled.  

The second way is with the laptop lid closed, with the laptop's built-in internal display disabled.  This is known as closed display mode or 'clamshell' mode. 

In order to enter closed display mode while connected to a DisplayLink-based product, the host Mac must have an external power source connected and an external keyboard and mouse connected. 

Placing a checkmark next to 'Power save all displays and sleep in clamshell' changes this behavior, in that closing the laptop lid will cause the host Mac to go to sleep. 

This feature is of course optional, and its use is a matter of personal preference.  

Display rotation and toggle

The functionality presented within this section of the DisplayLink Manager Application will vary depending upon which type of processor is within the host Mac.

A. Macs with an Intel processor

When DisplayLink devices are used in conjunction with Apple Mac systems that have an Intel processor, a list of all the DisplayLink-connected displays will appear within this section. 

The individual displays can be turned on or off as desired by clicking on the toggle switch next to each display's name. You can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

You can rotate the orientation of the DisplayLink-connected displays within the ‘Displays’ section of the macOS ‘System Settings’ application.

B. Macs with an Apple M1, M2, or M3 processor

When DisplayLink devices are used in conjunction with Apple Mac systems that have an Apple M1, M2, or M3 processor, display rotation must be done from within the DisplayLink Manager Application and the host Mac must be running macOS 12 Monterey or later (display rotation is not available on M1 Macs running macOS 11 Big Sur). 

Each DisplayLink-connected display attached to the M1, M2, or M3 system will be listed next to the ‘Display rotation’ area. Click on the drop-down selection box and select the appropriate degree of rotation. 

If multiple displays are present, you can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

Synaptics (the creators of DisplayLink technology) have more information on this feature here --> LINK

In addition to the rotation aspect described above, the individual displays can be turned on or off as desired by clicking on the toggle switch next to each display's name.  As mentioned above, you can differentiate between each display by hovering the mouse pointer over each display name.  When doing so, a red identification box will appear within the selected display.

After updating to macOS 13, DisplayLink controlled external displays may no longer be working, this can occur with older versions of the DisplayLink Manager App installed on the computer, or if the macOS "Screen Sharing" settings have been reset.  The most reliable way to resolve this is to fully remove and reinstall the DisplayLink Manager App using the latest released version compatible with macOS 13 Ventura.

Remove and reinstall DisplayLink Manager App

1. Disconnect the dock from the system and please remove the power cable from the dock so it turns off completely (this is important so the unit resets). Please keep it disconnected until the last step.
2. Restart the computer ( Apple Menu > Restart )
3. Log into the computer and open the Finder > Go > Applications window
4. Double-click on the "DisplayLink Software Uninstaller" and follow the onscreen steps to remove the DisplayLink software
   1. If you encounter an error where the DisplayLink Manager App is running and you cannot close it please continue with 4B-4E below:
   2. Open the Finder > Go > Utilities > Activity Monitor
   3. Scroll down and select the "DisplayLinkUserAgent" from the list
   4. Click on the button at the top of the screen to "Stop" the application ( an octagon with an 'x' in the center )
   5. Retry step #3, if it still will not uninstall: open the Applications window, then click and drag the DisplayLink Manager App to the trash
5. When the software removal has completed please restart the computer ( Apple Menu > Restart )
6. Log back into the computer and install the latest DisplayLink software following these detailed instructions ( https://kb.plugable.com/1595423 )
7. Restart the computer when completed ( Apple Menu > Restart )
8. Reattach the power cable to the dock first. Once the dock is powered on, reconnect it to your system and check for the displays and USB devices to be detected

Applies to:

• Plugable USB 3.0 Dual Display Docking Stations with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology 
• Plugable USB-C Triple Display Docking Stations with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology 
• Plugable USB 3.0 Graphics Adapters with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology

Many steaming video services require HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) enabled devices from the video source all the way to the display.  We speak more to HDCP here (https://kb.plugable.com/en_US/docking-stations-and-video/381072-video-hdcp). The DisplayLink hardware and software used to enable multiple external displays with our docking stations requires enabling the "Screen Recording" permissions in macOS, this disables HDCP video playback system-wide.

The DisplayLink software isn't exactly recording the screen, as the setting's name suggests, instead it is rendering the external display and transmitting it as USB data to the docking station, however Apple does not have a security category for USB external displays and "Screen Recording" is the best fit.

This disables HDCP system-wide because there is no differentiation within macOS for the DisplayLink controlled external displays from the displays controlled by the internal graphics controller: the built-in LCD, or directly connected display(s).

Working around HDCP limitations:

Apple's Intel based Macs with Thunderbolt 3 can support up to two displays connected through a Thunderbolt 3 docking station, these displays do not require installing the DisplayLink Manager App and can be used for video playback.

• 13-inch MacBook Air and MacBook Pro systems with Intel processors can support up to two external displays in this configuration.
• 15-inch/16-inch MacBook Pro systems with Intel processors and AMD graphics can support up to four external displays ( two on the docking station, and two more either connected directly to the computer or with a second Thunderbolt 3 docking station ).
• iMac and Mac Mini systems with Thunderbolt 3 and Intel processors can support up to three total displays ( one built-in/HDMI, and two with the docking station ).

Apple Silicon (M1 and M2) based Macs support varying numbers of displays:

• M1 and M2 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems, and the M1 iMac can only support a single external display with a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C single display docking station with HDCP video compatibility.  For supporting more than one external display, DisplayLink or similar technology is required and will prevent HDCP video playback.
• M1 Mac Mini can support up to two displays, one connected to the HDMI output, the second connected to a Thunderbolt 3 or USB-C single display docking station with HDCP protected video playback enabled.  For supporting more than two external displays, DisplayLink or similar technology is required and will prevent HDCP video playback.
• M1 MacBook Pro 14-inch, or 16-inch with M1 Pro or M1 Max processors can support up to two external displays with a Thunderbolt 3 docking station, or multiple displays using direct USB-C connections, with these displays supporting HDCP video playback.

Please feel free to contact our support team at 'support@plugable.com' if you have any additional questions regarding HDCP compatibility, video playback, or multiple display support with your computer.

Applies to:

Apple Mac computers with external displays connected through:

• Plugable USB-C Triple Display Docking Stations with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology
• Plugable USB 3.0 Dual Display Docking Stations with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology
• Plugable USB 3.0 Graphics Adapters with DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology

External displays connected to our DisplayLink based docking stations or graphics adapters may intermittently "blink" off and on again, flicker, or reset - moving active windows to another display.

Common Causes

For Windows 10 and Windows 11 host computers, the most common cause is out of date graphics hardware drivers, or DisplayLink graphics software. Most Windows computers receive updated graphics drivers through Windows Update, however this often provides significantly out of date drivers, some dating back over two years, that may not be fully compatible with the installed version of Windows.

Graphics controller manufacturers provide the latest graphics drivers from their websites, these generally provide better performance, security, and compatibility than the out of date drivers from Windows Update or the system manufacturer's website.

The exception to the above is for systems with two or more active graphics controllers, for example a laptop computer may have an Intel Graphics Controller built into the processor, as well as an NVIDIA Graphics Controller with the operating system automatically switching between the two graphics controllers based on the applications running on the computer. These systems require a delicate balance between the graphics drivers for the primary and secondary graphics controllers, Windows version, and the DisplayLink software.

Determining your computer's graphics controller

Most hardware manufacturer's provide a single unified driver package for a wide range of graphics controllers, however it is best practice to ensure the drivers are compatible with the hardware. We can look up the graphics controller through Windows "msinfo32.exe" System Information application:

1. Open the Start Menu
2. Search for "msinfo32" then select the b est match "System Information App"
3. Note the "Processor" model details in the "System Summary" section, as some graphics drivers are referenced by the processor model
4. In the left pane, expand the section "System Summary > Components" and then select "Display"
5. In the right pane note the value for the item "Name", this will be the graphics controller for discrete graphics controller

Updating the Graphics Drivers to the latest version

For systems with Intel Graphics Controllers

Intel uses a unified driver installer for all of their processor graphics from the 6th Generation CPU onward (Intel i-series 6000 and newer).

1. Download the latest Intel Graphics Drivers from Intel's website by selecting the blue "Download" button for the graphics driver ".exe" file (normally the top option). Save this file to the Downloads directory or Desktop
   
2. Save and close any open applications, unplug the docking station or graphics adapter from the computer, and connect the original power supply (for laptop/notebook computers)
3. Right-click on the Intel Graphics Driver package and select "Run as Administrator" from the drop down menu
4. Allow the installer in the Windows User Account Control pop-up
5. Follow the on screen instructions to install the latest graphics drivers
   -If there is an error message while updating the graphics drivers with regard to an "OEM" or "System Manufacturer's" driver or that these drivers are incompatible with the computer, Intel provides additional details and steps to remove OEM or legacy drivers from the system
6. When complete, restart the computer before reconnecting the docking station or graphics adapter

For systems with NVIDIA Graphics Controllers

NVIDIA also uses a unified driver installer for most of their discrete desktop and notebook graphics controllers.

1. Locate and download the latest NVIDIA graphics driver using the graphics controller model details from msinfo32, save the file to the Downloads directory or Desktop
   
2. Save and close any open applications, unplug the docking station or graphics adapter from the computer, and connect the original power supply (for laptop/notebook computers)
3. Right-click on the NVIDIA Graphics Driver package and select "Run as Administrator" from the drop down menu
4. Allow the installer in the Windows User Account Control pop-up
5. Follow the on screen instructions to install the latest graphics driver, select the "Custom" or "Advanced" installation option if available, at the custom installation screen select the option to "Perform a clean installation"
6. When complete, restart the computer before reconnecting the docking station or graphics adapter

For systems with AMD Graphics Controllers

AMD also uses a unified driver installer for most of their discrete desktop and notebook graphics controllers.

1. Locate and download the latest AMD graphics driver either by selecting the graphics controller or AMD processor with integrated graphics from the lists, or by searching for the specific controller or CPU from msinfo32 in the "Search All Products" drop down menu
   
2. Save and close any open applications, unplug the docking station or graphics adapter from the computer, and connect the original power supply (for laptop/notebook computers)
3. Right-click on the AMD Graphics Driver package and select "Run as Administrator" from the drop down menu
4. Allow the installer in the Windows User Account Control pop-up
5. Follow the on screen instructions to install the latest graphics driver
6. When complete, restart the computer before reconnecting the docking station or graphics adapter

With macOS 13.3.1 update we have started to see reports of the macOS window server crashing on Apple Silicon based computers (M1/M2 processors).  Either at login if a DisplayLink based docking station or USB graphics adapter is connected to the computer, when connecting the DisplayLink controlled display to the computer after login, or when launching the DisplayLink Manager App with the external display connected to the computer.

We have seen this behavior when the macOS's display persistence files have become corrupt, or include incompatible display configurations or settings.  The fix was to manually remove two display persistence ".plist" files, however now the DisplayLink Support Tool for macOS has an option to reset the display persistence to quickly resolve this behavior, the process is detailed below:

1. Unplug the DisplayLink controlled external display from the computer and log into the desktop
2. Download the DisplayLink Support Tool for macOS
3. Select the "DisplayLink Support Tool for macOS6.3.163-EXE.zip" from the downloads to extract the "DisplayLink Information.app" to the Downloads directory, a Finder window should open showing the extracted file
   
4. Double-click on the "DisplayLink Information.app" from the Downloads folder to start the tool
   
5. This will open a window for the DisplayLink Information tool, however we can ignore this for now. From the macOS top bar, next to "DisplayLink Information" select "Advanced" then "Reset screen layout"
   
6. You will be prompted for the account password to proceed, enter your password, then click the "OK" button
   
7. Next you will be prompted to reboot the computer, save and close any open applications then click on the "Reboot" button to proceed
   
8. After rebooting the computer, log into the desktop and reconnect the external display(s), you may need to rearrange the external displays through the Apple Menu > System Settings > Displays > Arrange settings panel

If you are experiencing this behavior, with the system logging in and back out, or logging out when connecting the DisplayLink based docking station or graphics adapter and the above does not help, please contact our support team via email at 'support@plugable.com' and we will be happy to help!

We have a produced a series of short videos that introduce the general concepts of multi-monitor setups in Windows, how to make changes to the way things behave, as well as how to solve common problems.

Direct links to the introductory videos our customers have found the most useful are:

• Introduction to Multiple Displays in Windows  
• Common Multi-Monitor Problem—Spatial Orientation  
• How To Make a Display the ‘Main’ Display in Windows  
• Multi-Monitor Problem—Spatial Orientation Part Two  
• Introduction to Display Scaling in Windows  

We also maintain a playlist that contains all of the multiple monitor tutorial videos we have made  .

Most Windows notebook computers power management settings will default to putting the computer to sleep with the lid closed, regardless of any external displays, keyboard, or mouse connected to the computer. If this is happening but you would prefer the system to remain active with the lid closed utilizing the external display or displays, these settings can be changed by performing the following:

For Windows 10:

1. Start by right-clicking on the Start button and select Power Options from the menu.
2. From the right side of the Power Options settings page, select the blue link for Additional power settings

   

3. From the choices present on the left-hand side of the Power Options window, please click on Choose what closing the lid does
4. Make sure the setting for When I close the lid under the Plugged In column is set to Do Nothing

   

5. Click the Save Changes button and restart the system (making sure that the laptop’s power adapter is also connected) and test the behavior again.

For Windows 11:

1. Start by right-clicking on the Start button and select Power Options from the menu.

   

2. In the upper left corner of the settings window, in the search box, type "lid" then select Change what closing the lid does from the search results

   

3. Make sure the setting for When I close the lid under the Plugged In column is set to Do Nothing

   

4. Click the Save Changes button to apply the new settings.

Closing the lid should no longer put the computer into sleep mode when an external display and power source is connected, instead one of the external displays should now become the Primary display with the desktop icons instead of the laptop's built-in display.

The lid may still need to be opened to perform the following tasks:

• To power on the computer from a fully powered off state
• To log into the computer if logged out or if the computer is restarted with the lid closed
• To wake the computer from a deep sleep state ( hibernation, or Windows hybrid sleep states )

Unsure which version of macOS you have installed? Click on the ‘Apple’ icon in the menu bar on your desktop and select ‘About this Mac’. A new window will open and display the system’s macOS version.

'Legacy' DisplayLink Driver installation for macOS 10.15 Catalina

We also have a video that demonstrates this process here –> https://youtu.be/ixWKrd5SLKs

Before you begin

If have installed a previous version of the DisplayLink driver, please uninstall it and then reboot your system before proceeding.

1. Download the latest driver for macOS 10.15 Catalina from here -> Link

2. Navigate to your Downloads folder and double-click on the DisplayLink driver download

3, The disk image of the driver will mount, and automatically open the DisplayLink Installer main landing page.

4. Double-click on the ‘DisplayLink Software Installer.pkg’ file. The Install DisplayLink Driver page will open.

 *** Depending on your system’s security settings, the installer may not open and instead present you with a warning ***

Click on the ‘OK’ button to dismiss the warning, and then open ‘System Preferences’ (gear icon) and then open the ‘Security & Privacy’ application.

Click on the ‘Open Anyway’ button in the lower right-hand portion of the application window. Then click the ‘Open’ button within the next prompt.

5. Click the ‘Continue’ button shown within the installer’s ‘Introduction’ screen.

6. Click the ‘Agree’ button to accept the license.

7. Click the ‘Install’ button.

8. Click the ‘Continue Installation’ button. The system will need to be restarted when the installation is complete.

9. Enter your system password and click the ‘Install Software’ button.

10. After a few moments, the installer should report a successful installation.

11. The system should also prompt you to access the System Preferences to grant necessary permissions to the DisplayLink driver. Click on the ‘Open System Preferences’ button.

*** If the prompt described above did not appear automatically, manually open the ‘System Preferences’ application (gear icon in the macOS dock at the bottom of the screen) and select the ‘Security & Privacy’ application. Within the ‘Security & Privacy’ application click on the ‘Privacy’ tab. Scroll down in the list of items on the left-hand side of the application window and click to select ‘Screen Recording’. The proceed to the next step ***

12. The ‘Security & Privacy’ application should open and default to showing the ‘Privacy’ tab. On the right-hand side of the application window there should be a single entry entitled, ‘DisplayLinkUserAgent’. Click to place a checkmark next to this entry.

*** Important note – the contents of your screens (displays) are not being recorded. This setting just enables the DisplayLink driver to access the information generated by the system’s built-in graphics adapter to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink-connected displays. ***

13. After having placed a checkmark next to the ‘DisplayLinkUserAgent’ entry, click the ‘Quit Now’ button in the prompt that appears.

14. Close the ‘Security & Privacy’ application, and then restart your system. The DisplayLink device should start working after the restart is complete.

'Legacy' DisplayLink Driver installation for macOS 10.14 Mojave

** Before you begin **

If have installed a previous version of the DisplayLink driver, please uninstall it and then reboot your system before proceeding.

1. Download the latest driver for macOS 10.14 Mojave from here -> Link

2. Navigate to your Downloads folder and double-click on the DisplayLink driver download

3. The disk image of the driver will mount, and automatically open the DisplayLink Installer main landing page

4. Double-click on the ‘DisplayLink Software Installer.pkg’ file. The Install DisplayLink Driver page will open

5. Click ‘Continue’

6. Click the ‘Agree’ button

7. Click ‘Install’

8. Click ‘Continue Installation’ The system will need to be restarted when the installation is complete

9. Enter your system password and click the ‘Install Software’ button

10. There is a chance that the security settings in macOS may block the installation of the DisplayLink extension

11. If that occurs, click on the ‘Open Security Preferences’ button and click the ‘Allow’ button at the bottom of the window to grant permission for the extension to be loaded. ** Important note – this approval must be granted within 30 minutes of the driver installation or the process will not work. A fresh installation must be performed to reset this timer. **

There is also a chance that the warning message about the blocked System Extension will not appear, but macOS may still block the extension. After the driver installation completes, please double-check that the necessary approval was granted by clicking the ‘System Preferences’ icon (the gear) and then clicking on the ‘Security & Privacy’ icon. From the window that appears please ensure the DisplayLink driver is Approved by clicking the ‘Allow’ button.

12. Close the ‘Security and Privacy’ window. The DisplayLink installation should now complete

13. Click on the ‘Restart’ button to restart your system. The DisplayLink device should start working after the restart is complete.

'Legacy' DisplayLink Driver removal for macOS 10.14 Mojave and 10.15 Catalina

We also have a video that demonstrates this process here –> https://youtu.be/VRRLJf6D7vc

1. Click the Spotlight magnifying glass icon in the Apple Menu, and search for ‘DisplayLink Software Uninstaller’. Double-click on the result

2. The uninstall window will appear

3. Click the ‘Uninstall’ button

4. Enter your account password and click ‘OK’

5. After a few moments the process will complete. Click the ‘Restart’ button to complete the removal process.

Docking stations based on DisplayLink USB video technology are in essence a 'virtual' graphics adapter that relies on the host laptop's CPU and internal physical graphics processing unit (aka as GPU) to generate the information shown on the dock-attached displays.

In rare instances, Windows applications that use a technology known as OpenGL to draw the image shown on the display will attempt to direct OpenGL related tasks to the DisplayLink-based docking station's virtual graphics adapter, and not to the 'real'/'physical' GPU within the laptop.  

Since the dock is not a physical GPU that supports OpenGL, this can sometimes cause applications that make use of OpenGL (such as Google Earth or AutoCAD) to not work as expected or result in various types of error messages. 

The true root cause of this behavior can vary, and ultimately lies outside of the docking station or its associated DisplayLink driver. In some cases the root cause lies within the Windows driver for the host system's physical GPU and in rarer cases within the Windows operating system itself.  

In some cases updating either the driver for the system's internal GPU or updating Windows itself (when Microsoft provides such updates) can help, however that is unfortunately not always the case.

If updating those components does not help, in most cases there are two possible workarounds. 

The first is to configure Windows to have the ‘Main’ display set to a display directly connected to the host system's built-in internal GPU, whether that is an internal laptop display or another external display connected to one of the system's built-in video outputs (a quick guide to doing so is here -> https://youtu.be/7nnKztRZXsw). 

If the first option does not prove a suitable workaround, the second option is to boot the system without the dock connected, launching the affected application, and then connecting the dock may also help.

When upgrading the DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App to new version within a macOS system, the update process will cause the older version of the App to quit. As a result, any monitors connected to a DisplayLink-based USB video adapter or docking station will stop working.

The solution is to manually start the new version of the DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App by double-clicking on the App's icon within the macOS 'Applications' folder within the macOS Finder. This will restart the DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App, which in turn will enable any monitors connected to a DisplayLink-based USB video adapter or docking station to start working again. 

This article intends to provide a list of Plugable products that utilize DisplayLink technology that we currently recommend for use with macOS Mojave 10.14 and newer versions of the macOS operating system. For additional information regarding the current limitations with DisplayLink adapters and docks with macOS, please look at our KB article here: https://kb.plugable.com/question/724337

DisplayLink docks that are recommended with USB 3.0 Type-A and USB 3.0 Type-C connection to laptop:

Plugable UD-3900 Dual Display Universal Docking Station (UD-3900)

Plugable USB 3.0 Dual Monitor Horizontal Docking Station (UD-3900H)

Plugable Dual HDMI USB Universal Docking Station For Windows (UD-3900Z)

Plugable Dual 4K Display HDMI or DisplayPort Universal Docking Station (UD-6950Z)

Plugable UD-6950 USB 3.0 Dual DisplayPort 4K Docking Station (UD-6950)

Plugable UD-6950H USB 3.0 Dual 4K Display Horizontal Docking Station with DisplayPort and HDMI (UD-6950H)

DisplayLink docks that are recommended that support USB-C power delivery to the laptop:

Plugable USB-C 5-Display Docking Station with HDMI 2.1 and 140W charging (UD-7400PD)

Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station for 4K Quad Monitors, 100W Laptop Charging (TBT-6950PD)

Plugable USB-C Docking Station, Dual 4K Monitors, 100W Laptop Charging (UD-6950PDH)

Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging - Horizontal (UD-6950PDZ)

Plugable USB-C Triple HDMI Display Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging - Horizontal (UD-3900PDZ)

Plugable USB-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging - Vertical (UD-ULTC4K)

Plugable USB-C Triple HDMI Display Docking Station with 100W Laptop Charging - Vertical (UD-ULTCDL)

Plugable USB-C Triple Monitor Docking Station with 3x HDMI Ports, 100W Laptop Charging (UD-3900PDH)

Plugable USB-C Docking Station for 4 Monitor Setup, 96W Laptop Charging (UD-3900C4)

Plugable USB-C Dual HDMI Docking Station, 100W Pass Through Charging (USBC-6950PDZ)

DisplayLink adapters that are recommended:

Plugable Dual Monitor USB-C to HDMI Adapter, 4K 60Hz (USBC-6950M)

Plugable USB-C Quad 4K HDMI Graphics Adapter With up to 100W USB-C PD Pass-through Charging (USBC-7400H4)

Plugable has received reports of Notifications not working as expected when a DisplayLink-based product (such as our UD-3900 or UD-6950Z docking stations) is connected to a Mac running macOS 12 Monterey. 

The cause of this behavior is still being investigated, however in our experience making a small change within the ‘Notifications & Focus’ preference settings can help.

For macOS 12 Montery, please follow these steps:

1. Click on the ‘System Preferences’ icon (looks like a gear) in the macOS Dock at the bottom of your screen
2. Click on the ‘Notifications and Focus’ application
3. At the bottom of the ‘Notifications and Focus’ application window, click to place a checkmark in the ‘When mirroring or sharing the display’ option under the ‘Allow notifications’ section.  An example screenshot with this option highlighted is included below:

For macOS 13 Ventura, please follow these steps:

1. From Finder, click on the Apple Menu then select System Settings
2. On the left side select "Notifications"
3. On the right side select the option to "Allow notification s when mirroring or sharing the display"
4. Under Application Notifications select "DisplayLink Manager"
5. Toggle on the "Allow notifications" option at the top

UPDATE 5/24/2022 - To the best of Plugable's knowledge, the unexpected behavior described below has been resolved by the macOS 12.4 update.  While the issue has been resolved, the information below has been retained for historical reference. 

Plugable’s products based on DisplayLink technology have the ability to send an audio signal out via their 3.5mm analog audio jacks or via their HDMI or DisplayPort video output ports (which can also carry an audio signal). 

Examples of Plugable products based on DisplayLink technology are the UD-3900, UD-6950Z, or USBC-6950U. Any Plugable product based on DisplayLink technology will have a 'DisplayLink' logo printed somewhere on the product. If a Plugable product does not have this logo, then it does not use DisplayLink technology.  

In some cases, when DisplayLink-based products are used with a Mac running macOS 12 Monterey the audio signal may not be heard when switching to the DisplayLink-based device.  

This behavior appears to be tied to the order in which an audio output device is selected and used within macOS. For reference, the macOS driver used for the audio device within any DisplayLink-based product is provided by Apple and built-in to macOS.   

To expand further, consider the following two examples:

‘Working’ example

1. A Mac system is powered on with a DisplayLink device already connected. 
2. The DisplayLink device is set to the default audio output device within the ‘Sound’ macOS System Preferences application. 
3. An application plays a file that contains audio. 
4. The audio signal is heard properly via the DisplayLink device.

‘Not working’ example

1. A Mac system is powered on without a DisplayLink device connected
2. The Mac’s built-in audio output device is set as the default audio output device within the ‘Sound’ macOS System Preferences application. 
3. An application plays a file that contains audio. 
4. The audio signal is heard properly via the Mac’s built-in audio output device.
5. A DisplayLink device is connected to the Mac
6. The default audio output device within the ‘Sound’ macOS System Preferences application is changed to the DisplayLink device.
7. An application plays a file that contains audio. 
8. An audio signal is NOT heard via the DisplayLink device. 

At this time, there are three potential workarounds for this behavior:

• Restart the Mac
• Completely close the application that is affected by the behavior, and then restart the application
• Execute this command from within the macOS Terminal application (without the quotes) -->  'sudo killall coreaudiod'

Yes! As long as the software drivers for both Silicon Motion and DisplayLink-based products are installed on the same computer these two USB graphics solutions can work together and be used at the same time.

The DisplayLink software is not developed by Plugable. The DisplayLink software is developed by a separate company called DisplayLink --> https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics (which is itself part of the Synaptics Corporation).  

DisplayLink has a 'Corporate Deployment' section within their online knowledge base that speaks to all of the corporate deployment options available for the software --> https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/topics/92322-corporate-deployment  

Plugable does not support any of the 'Corporate' installation methods of the DisplayLink software.  

Should you require assistance with a corporate deployment method of the DisplayLink software, we would suggest contacting DisplayLink directly for assistance --> https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase 

Plugable’s USB video adapters or USB docking stations based on DisplayLink technology do not support the playback of copy-protected or encrypted video content, and we do our best to call this out in our product listings. 

Examples of this type of video content are:

• Video content that is protected by High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (also known as HDCP), for example Blu-ray discs
• Copy-protected video content provided by various online streaming services, for example Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Disney+, YouTubeTV, etc. 

As a result, copy-protected video content may not display an image on-screen while using a DisplayLink-based product. 

In some cases (such as when using a streaming service) the copy-protected video content may display an image on-screen, however the resolution of the image may be lower than expected. 

Plugable’s DisplayLink-based products are supported with ChromeOS (the operating system used in Chromebook laptops), however there are some potential limitations.

In brief:

1. Plugable recommends using our DisplayLink-based products with Chromebooks that have an Intel central processing unit (CPU) or an AMD CPU.  Chromebooks with ARM CPUs are not recommended due to ARM CPU performance limitations.

2. Most Chromebooks meet the minimum hardware specifications we recommend for use with products based on the DL-3900 chipset.

The DL-6950 chipset has higher recommended hardware specifications which may not be met by some Chromebooks, which in turn may result in lower than expected performance.  

As of this writing, Plugable makes products based on the DisplayLink DL-3900 (https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/integrated-chipsets/dl-3000)  and DL-6950 chipsets (https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/integrated-chipsets/dl-6000).  You can determine which DisplayLink chipset is in use within a Plugable product by its model name. For example, a ‘UD-3900’ docking station uses the DL-3900 chipset and a ‘UD-6950Z’ docking station uses the DL-6950 chipset.

3. For best performance, Plugable recommends using our DisplayLink-based products with Chromebooks that were released in the year 2020 or later. 

4. Plugable recommends that a Chromebook have ChromeOS version 100 or later installed. Earlier versions of ChromeOS are not officially supported. Only the 'Stable' release channel of ChromeOS is supported. The 'Beta', 'Dev', or 'Canary' release channels of ChromeOS are not supported. 

5. In some cases, the wired Ethernet network adapter within a Plugable DisplayLink-based product may perform at a lower than expected level of performance when used with a Chromebook as compared to when the same device is used with a Windows or Mac computer.  

As a result, the Ethernet adapter may not support Gigabit Ethernet speed. This is due to a limitation of the Ethernet network driver built-in to ChromeOS, it is not a limitation of Plugable’s DisplayLink-based products. 

6. Google exercises complete control over ChromeOS. As a result of this control, there can be cases where a ChromeOS update could cause unexpected behavior of a Plugable DisplayLink-based device.  

It is not possible for a 3rd-party to install driver updates or apply fixes to ChromeOS. All driver updates or fixes are provided by Google as Google publishes updates to ChromeOS.  

7.. Plugable offers a diagnostic utility called PlugDebug → https://plugable.com/pages/plugdebug which helps simplify the process of assisting our customers using Windows, macOS, or Linux. 

Unfortunately due to the control Google exercises over ChromeOS, it is not possible to use a diagnostic tool like PlugDebug with a Chromebook.  

More detail:

To expand further on some of the items listed above…

Plugable products based on DisplayLink USB video technology (https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics) are in essence ‘virtual’ graphics processing units that rely on the host computer’s central processing unit (CPU) and physical graphics processing unit (GPU) in order to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink-attached displays. 

Because ChromeOS is quite efficient, it does not generally require a powerful CPU in order to work well. As a result, many Chromebooks have lower powered CPUs as compared to their Windows and Mac counterparts. 

This is a boon in that Chromebooks can be made comparatively cheaper and have excellent battery life, however when it comes to using Plugable products based on DisplayLink technology some lower powered processors may not provide the same level of performance as compared to a system with a more powerful CPU and GPU. 

This drives our recommendation that for best performance, Chromebooks made in 2020 or later that have either Intel CPUs or AMD CPUs be used in conjunction with Plugable’s DisplayLink-based products. 

This symbiotic relationship is also what informs the potential performance differences between products based on the DL-3900 and DL-6950 chipset. 

Some Chromebooks are based on an ARM CPU, and speaking in general the ARM CPUs are not as powerful as an Intel CPU or AMD CPU.  As a result, we do not recommend using Plugable’s DisplayLink-based products with Chromebooks that have an ARM CPU.

If you are unsure which type of CPU your Chromebook has within it, you can consult the Chromebook manufacturer’s specifications.

If the manufacturer’s information does not help, Google maintains a list of all Chromebooks and the type of CPU they have here → https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/developer-information-for-chrome-os-devices/

Within Google’s list, the column ‘User ABI’ refers to the type of CPU, where ‘x86_64’ refers to an Intel or AMD CPU while ‘arm’ refers to an ARM CPU.

Further to this, a Chromebook should have ChromeOS version 100 or higher installed in order to be used with a Plugable DisplayLink-based product. Google has a guide for determining the ChromeOS version as well as updating ChromeOS here → https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/177889

Modern operating systems support adjusting the color of the image shown within external displays in order to make the image more pleasing depending upon the time of the day.

In Windows 10 and Windows 11, this feature is known as ‘Night Light’ → https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/set-your-display-for-night-time-in-windows-18fe903a-e0a1-8326-4c68-fd23d7aaf136

In ChromeOS, this feature is also known as ‘Night Light’ → https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/9145848?hl=en

In macOS, this feature is known as ‘Night Shift’ → https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207513

When using a DisplayLink-based product based on the DL-3xxx, DL-5xxx, or DL-6xxx chipsets, as of today the level of support for color adjustment is as follows:

*** More information about this feature is available here → https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/1990237-displaylink-manager-app-f-lux-support-option

In order to use one of our DisplayLink-based products with a Mac, the DisplayLink Manager Application must be installed. 

We have found that in most cases the initial installation of the application completes without any issues. 

With that said, there can be rare cases where the initial installation of the application may not complete successfully, and result in an ‘Unexpected Error’.

While each support case is unique, in our experience helping others we have found that there can be a few potential causes for this condition:

A. The end-user does not have the authority or permission in order to install software applications on the host computer. 

In some enterprise or corporate environments there are security restrictions in place that prevent the end-user of the Mac from installing software applications. 

If your Mac has been provided to you by your company or enterprise, please reach out to your organization’s IT support department in order to determine if you have both the necessary permission and authorization in order to install software on your Mac

B. The destination for the installation of the DisplayLink Manager Application software is not a valid location.

The DisplayLink Manager Application must be installed to the Mac’s built-in internal storage drive, and the drive must have the required amount of available storage space to accommodate the installation. 

The DisplayLink Manager Application should not be installed on an external storage drive, or to any type of cloud storage drive (such as Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox or Google Drive) mounted as a local physical storage volume.

In addition, the DisplayLink Manager Application installation process should not be executed while the installation file is located within any type of cloud storage drive (such as Microsoft OneDrive, DropBox or Google Drive) mounted as a local physical storage volume.  

C. macOS does not have permission to access the location of the DisplayLink Manager Application installation file.

The macOS ‘Installer’ application must have permission to access the location of the DisplayLink Manager Application installation file in order for the installation process to complete successfully. If this permission is not granted, then the installation process will not complete successfully. 

In our experience helping others, we have found that some of our customers using macOS 13 Ventura may encounter an error during the installation process if this permission has not been granted. 

To expand further and as an example, the first time you download an application to your Mac’s ‘Desktop’ folder and attempt to install the application macOS 13 Ventura will prompt you to grant permission to the macOS Installer application to access the ‘Desktop’ folder.  

If this permission is granted, then the application installation process should complete successfully.  If the permission is not granted, then the application installation will not complete successfully.   If the permission is not granted and you attempt the installation process a second time, macOS will NOT prompt you to grant permission because of the previous denial. 

The most straightforward way to ‘reset’ these permissions is as follows:

1. Click on the Apple Menu item at the top of your screen and select ‘System Settings’ from the menu that appears

2. In the list of items presented on the left-hand side of the ‘System Settings’ application window, click on the ‘Privacy & Security’ item.

3. Within the ‘Privacy & Security’ section, scroll down in the list and click on the ‘Files and Folders’ item.

4. Within the ‘Files and Folders’ section, there should be an entry for ‘Installer’.  Click on the ‘Installer’ entry in order to select it.  Once the item is selected, it should appear blue in color.

5. At the bottom of the list of items within the ‘Files and Folders’ section, there will be a small horizontal line that looks like a dash or a minus sign (-).  Click on the horizontal line, which will remove the ‘Installer’ entry from the list. 

*** Important note - please do not make any other changes in this location, other than what we describe above ***

6. Close the ‘Systems Settings’ application

7. Attempt the installation of the DisplayLink Manager Application again. 

To help provide more context, an animated example of this process is below:

Depending on what kind of processor your Mac uses, there's a different method to rotate the displays connected to a DisplayLink-based USB Docking Station or USB Graphics Adapter.

For Apple silicon-based Macs (M1, M1 Pro, M2, M3, etc.)

Starting in macOS 12 (Monterey), DisplayLink-connected displays can be rotated using the DisplayLink Manager application.  Display rotation is supported by DisplayLink Manager 1.6 Beta and up.

1. Click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in the macOS Menu bar to expand the DisplayLink Manager
   
2. Identify the display you wish to rotate
   • If you're unsure which which display name corresponds with each physical monitor, you can identify the display by moving your cursor over the display's name in the DisplayLink Manager. A red border will be shown on the display when the cursor is over top of the corresponding display's name. 
3. Click the pop-up menu next to the display you wish to rotate to choose your preferred display rotation value
   

For Intel-based Macs

Starting in macOS 11 Big Sur, DisplayLink-connected displays can be rotated using macOS's built-in Display menu.

For macOS 13 (Ventura)

1. Click on the Apple menu in the macOS menu bar at the top of your display
2. From the Apple menu, click on “System Settings”
   
3. In the sidebar of the “System Settings” window, click “Displays” (you may need to scroll down to see this)
4. Click to select the display you wish to rotate
5. Click the pop-up menu next to “Rotation” to choose your preferred display rotation value
   
   
   
6. In the dialog box that appears, select “Confirm” to proceed
   

For macOS 11 (Big Sur) and macOS 12 (Monterey)

1. Click on the Apple menu in the macOS menu bar at the top of your display
2. From the Apple menu, click on “System Preferences”
   
3. In the “System Preferences” window, click “Displays”
4. From the "Displays" window, select “Display Settings...”
   
5. Click to select the display you wish to rotate
6. Click the “Rotate” or “Rotation” pop-up menu to choose your preferred display rotation value
   
7. If you're prompted with an additional dialog box, select “Confirm" to proceed   
   

The DisplayLink Manager Application requires access to your screen information in order to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink connected displays, and permission to access your screen information is requested during the application’s installation.

Once this permission has been granted, whenever the DisplayLink Manager Application is running you will see a notification within the Apple Menu bar that the DisplayLink Manager Application is capturing your screen. This is both normal and expected behavior.

To be clear, no information is being recorded or stored by the DisplayLink Manager Application. DisplayLink (the separate company that develops the technology and the application software) speak to this in more detail here → LINK    
 

On occasion, the internal USB hub in a docking station may stop working correctly. This can lead to your computer not detecting USB devices connected to the dock, or your computer may not recognize that the dock is plugged in at all.

A common fix for these situations is to perform a power-cycle of the dock to reset its internal hub chipset. We've seen that this can often restore the dock back to a working state when one or more of its functions aren't quite working.  It's important that the steps are followed in a specific order to ensure the dock's internal USB hub fully resets. The steps are as follows:

1. Disconnect all USB peripherals connected to the dock

2. Disconnect docking station from host computer, then disconnect the dock's power adapter from power

3. Leave unplugged for at least 1 minute for power to dissipate

4. Connect docking station initially into power only

5. Connect docking station to host computer, then connect USB peripherals and test for functionality

The most common reason a DisplayLink-based product may stop outputting video after rebooting or updating macOS is that the DisplayLink Manager is no longer running. The DisplayLink Manager is the software responsible for allowing DisplayLink-based video ports to output to connected displays. If the DisplayLink Manager is not running then the video will not work correctly.       
       
You can see that the DisplayLink Manager is running by checking if its icon is present in the macOS menu bar at the top of your screen. When the icon isn't present the DisplayLink Manager is not running.

If the DisplayLink Manager isn't running, you can start it by following these steps:

1. Open Finder
2. Navigate to the Applications folder on the left side of the Finder window
3. Within the Applications folder, locate the DisplayLink Manager
4. Double-click on the icon for DisplayLink Manager to open it
5. Verify that the DisplayLink Manager icon appears in the macOS menu bar, indicating it's running

It's recommended to set the DisplayLink Manager to launch automatically after login as well. This will help ensure the DisplayLink Manager starts automatically if your Mac is rebooted, although in some instances, it may still be necessary to launch the DisplayLink Manager manually. 

This can be set by clicking on the DisplayLink Manager's icon when it's running, and checking the box next to Launch automatically after login as shown below

It's not uncommon for users to notice a certain level of heat generation from electronics and by extension, Plugable products during operation. In this knowledge base article, we'll explore the reasons behind this heat generation and why it is considered a normal experience within reasonable limits.

Electronics, by their nature, generate heat during operation. This is primarily a result of the electrical current flowing through various components, such as integrated circuits, transistors, and other electronic elements. As Plugable products are designed to efficiently process and transfer data (among other functionality), some level of heat generation is inherent.

Factors Influencing Heat Generation:

1. Power Consumption: The power consumption of a device directly influences the amount of heat it generates. Higher power usage, especially during data transfer or charging processes, can lead to increased heat.
2. Enclosure Design: The design of the product's enclosure and its ability to dissipate heat play a crucial role. Adequate ventilation and heat sinks are often incorporated to manage and disperse generated heat effectively. This is evident in our TBT3-UDZ and TBT4-UDZ designs. The metal case in these docks are designed to function as a heatsink with thermal pads placed throughout the enclosure. This allows heat dissipation from inside to the outside, but will also make it feel as if the device is “too hot”. 
3. Ambient Temperature: The external environment may also play a role. Higher ambient temperatures can contribute to increased perceived heat from the product. This means that summer temperatures may increase the heat generation of not just Plugable products, but many other electronic devices.

Normal Heat Levels: While it is normal for electronic devices to generate heat, Plugable products are engineered to operate within safe temperature ranges. We conduct rigorous testing to ensure that the heat generated during normal operation falls within industry-standard safety parameters. While not all products are or need to be UL certified, we try to go by UL guidelines for thermal readings. The UL threshold is 77C/170.6F, and we aim for around 71C/160F.

Tips for Users:

1. Ventilation: Ensure that Plugable products have sufficient ventilation around them. Avoid placing them in enclosed spaces where heat dissipation may be impeded.
2. Usage Patterns: Intensive tasks such as high-speed data transfer or charging multiple devices simultaneously may result in increased heat generation. This is generally normal but may be more noticeable in such scenarios.
3. Accessories: A number of our devices will allow for the connection of USB accessories and as such, these will require power. If too many “power-hungry” devices are connected, this will cause the device to run much hotter than expected. Be sure to keep in mind the power limits of your dock/device.

In conclusion, experiencing heat from Plugable products is a normal aspect of their operation. Users can rest assured that we prioritize the safety and efficiency of our devices. By understanding the factors influencing heat generation and following simple usage guidelines, users can make the most of their Plugable products while ensuring a reliable and efficient user experience.

A productive work space for technology professionals has much to benefit from adding multiple screens for increased productivity by as much as 42%. Our blog post “Can Multiple Monitors Really Double Productivity” highlights a few different ways to add additional monitors through our USB graphics adapters, docking stations, and USB hubs.

Most docking stations are limited to adding 1, 2, and even up to 4 displays depending on the model. But what if you want to add more monitors without replacing your docking station? Whether you have a Plugable dock – or a dock from Dell, HP, Belkin, Anker, or virtually any other brand – adding USB graphics adapters lets you enable more displays than your current setup would otherwise be capable of.

Both DisplayLink and Silicon Motion with its unique graphics transport technology enables users to add additional monitors through using USB and sparse use of your computer's resources. All you need is an open USB port on your existing docking station or hub and a USB graphics adapter from Plugable.

No matter what type of connection your monitor uses, Plugable has several different types of USB Graphics Adapters that feature HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, VGA – even combinations with multiple outputs and port types. Our USB Graphics Adapters are available in options for a single display, dual display, and even quad display.

For Windows and Mac users the Plugable USBC-6950U using DisplayLink technology can do precisely this by enabling you to easily add two 4K HDMI or DisplayPort monitors to your computer. The adapter has the flexibility to connect either to a USB 3.0 or USB-C connector. At this time Plugable recommends only a maximum of 8 external monitors on Windows if using 4K resolution monitors with DisplayLink, and a maximum of 4 external monitors with Silicon Motion. This setup is ideal for adding screens for day traders, spreadsheets, and productivity use cases.

On macOS there are limitations to how many external monitors can be supported natively, and this can vary depending on the model of the Mac. With the popular base M1 / M2 / M3* MacBooks, those laptops are limited to only support a single external monitor. Our Plugable USBC-768H4 Quad-HDMI adapter is a great option to exceed this limitation to add up to four 1080p monitors for MacBooks that would otherwise only support a single monitor for a total of 5 monitors.

Curious to see this expandability in action? As a proof of concept Plugable has tested using as many as 14 external monitors using a combination of our DisplayLink graphics adapters and our USB hubs, featured on our YouTube channel.

 If you have any questions on setting up a multi-monitor setup, please contact Plugable Support Plugable support.

* Note that the base M3 can output to 2 external displays when the built in screen is disabled or the lid is closed (clamshell mode). This feature is planned for a later date on the base M3 MacBook Pro and is currently available on the M3 MacBook Air. 

* Additional SKUs: USBC-6950M, USB3-3900DHE, USBC-6950UE, UGA-HDMI-S, USBC-768H4, UGA-HDMI-2S, UGA-DP-S, USB-VGA-165, UGA-4KHDMI, UGA-4KDP, UGA-3000, UGA-2KHDMI, UGA-165

Monitors not being detected when a Mac wakes from sleep can sometimes happen when the monitor is using automatic input source detection. Depending on the manufacturer of the monitor, the name of this input source or setting may vary. Some of these include “Auto Select”, “Auto Detect”, “Auto Source”, or other various combinations including “Auto” in the name. 

The use of automatic input source detection can be problematic because it causes the monitor to be slower to inform the computer that it's connected when this setting is enabled. The additional delay introduced by automatic input source detection can cause the monitor connection negotiation between macOS and the monitor to time out, leading macOS to think there is no monitor connected to the port. As a result, video will not be sent to the monitor, and the monitor will not be detected by the Mac.

The solution to this problem is to disable automatic input source detection on your monitors. The method of accomplishing this will also vary by monitor model, however there are a few common methods such as:

• Setting the monitor's Input Source to the specific connection being used rather than automatic detection
• Disabling automatic input source detection within the monitor's on-screen display (OSD) settings

For more details on how to disable automatic input source detection, please consult the documentation for your specific monitor model from its manufacturer.

In brief, the prompt is part of a new security feature Apple introduced with macOS 15 Sequoia.

For reference, an example of the prompt is included below:

In order to use your DisplayLink-based product, you must click the ‘Allow For One Month’ button within the prompt you received.  In one month’s time, you will be prompted to renew this authorization for an additional month. This renewal process will continue each month thereafter.

To expand further, when initially installed the DisplayLink Manager Application must be granted ‘Screen Recording’ permission within the macOS Security & Privacy settings in order to function.

*** An important note, the DisplayLink Manager Application does NOT in fact record or store any information. This permission must be granted in order for the DisplayLink Application to access the information it needs in order to generate the image shown on the DisplayLink driven displays. ***

With the release of macOS 15 Sequoia, Apple has instituted a new policy whereby this permission must initially be allowed for one month and then be renewed on a monthly basis. If the permission is not renewed, then the DisplayLink device will not function.

Overview

Modern computers are limited in regard to the number of external displays that can be directly connected or “natively supported.” These limitations are determined by the capabilities of the host computer’s internal graphics processing unit (GPU) and the number of physical video connection ports available.

Products available from Plugable that use technology from DisplayLink or Silicon Motion provide the ability to connect multiple external displays to a computer via USB once the required software driver is installed, which allows one to workaround the host computer’s internal limitations.

Such technologies are typically referred to as ‘indirect display’ technologies because the USB connection means that the displays are NOT connected directly to the host computer’s GPU.

The total number of external displays possible via an indirect display technology can vary due to a number of factors:

- The technical specifications of the host system

- Limitations of the host operating system in regard to how many displays can be addressed

- Limitations of the USB subsystem, in regard to how many devices can be physically connected and recognized by the host system

- The capabilities of the specific indirect display technology in use

Speaking in general, with most modern computers at least four external displays can be added via USB graphics technologies and in some instances up to eight displays are possible. Note these are in addition to the number of native external displays your system supports, which ranges from 1-4 on most modern systems.

Number of indirect displays supported by Plugable

A. Total includes any displays added via Apple’s Sidecar feature → https://support.apple.com/en-us/102597

B. Performance is dependent upon the specifications of the host system. Chromebooks using lower-spec CPUs and GPUs may support fewer displays

*** Please see important information within the ‘Performance and Technical Limitations section below ***
 

Performance and Technical Limitations

When using products based an indirect technology, the number of external displays that can be added to a computer (and are supported by Plugable) will vary depending upon which operating system is in use and certain technical limitations:

Host resource use

An indirect display device is in essence a ‘virtual’ GPU that relies on the capabilities of the host computer’s CPU and physical internal GPU in order to generate the image shown on the attached displays.

With each indirectly connected display added to the host, more CPU and GPU resources are required. As more displays are added, the amount of resource use may impact both the performance and stability of the computer and displays. It should be noted that the resource load will vary depending on the type of content being shown within the indirectly connected displays. For example, static content (such as an office application) will require less resources as compared to dynamic content (such as a video).

USB device connection limit

Modern computers have practical limits in regard to the maximum number of devices that can be connected to the host’s USB subsystem.  

These limits will prevent USB devices from being recognized by the host when a certain number of devices are connected.

The total number of USB devices that can be connected can vary from system to system, as well as the specification of the USB protocol in use.

Speaking in general, host computers that supported only USB 2.0 could recognize and use a large number of external USB devices.

Host computers that support USB 3.0 or later versions of the specification have limitations in regard to the number of external devices that can be connected to ensure the level of performance does not drop below a certain threshold. 

For reference, in order for DisplayLink-based video adapters or docking stations to work with modern versions of macOS, it is necessary to grant the required DisplayLink Manager application ‘Screen Recording’ permission within the ‘Privacy & Security’ section within macOS System Settings.

To be clear, no information is being recorded, stored, or sent externally.  This permission is only necessary for the DisplayLink device to access the information it needs to generate the information shown on the connected displays.

The KeypassXC application prevents the application window from being viewed when it believes that the screen is being recorded.  Even though the screen is NOT being recorded in this instance, the application is hiding the application window.

To solve this issue, please click on the ‘View’ option within the application’s menu bar and click to enable the option, ‘Allow Screen Capture’.  That will allow the application to be visible on the DisplayLink-connected displays.

For reference, a screenshot of the application with this option highlighted in red is included below:

Many modern displays can support above the default 60Hz refresh rate, however this may need to be manually set within Windows 11. Please note, not all computers, graphics adapters, and docking stations can support all resolutions and refresh rates.

Setting the Display Refresh Rate in Windows 11

1. Right-click on the desktop and select Display Settings from the drop-down menu

2. Scroll down to the Related settings subsection and select Advanced display

3. At the top of the Advanced display window, select the external display from the drop-down menu

4. From the Choose a refresh rate drop-down menu select the desired refresh rate

Refresh Rate Limitations

With Windows 24H2 and newer, dynamic refresh rates are supported, this allows the system to adjust the display refresh rate to save power, up to the selected refresh rate. As a consequence of this new mode, when selecting the display refresh rate you may see an asterisk. This indicates that selecting the specific refresh rate may reduce the display resolution or image quality in order to prioritize the refresh rate. This exposes the refresh rate option from the display even if the display cable or computer is incapable of supporting that refresh rate at the native resolution and is the intended behavior per Microsoft. [1]

In the screenshot below the left side shows the 4K 120Hz capable display limited to 60Hz refresh rate without asterisks, and on the right the same display after setting the refresh rate to “120 Hz*”, the “Desktop mode” resolution has been reduced to 2560 x 1440 (1440p) instead of 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD). Unlike when using the display scaling option this also causes a reduction in image quality. On the right side asterisks are no longer shown in the refresh rate list. Setting the refresh rate back to 60Hz does not change the resolution, you will have to go back one page and set the resolution manually.

References

[1] Windows Insider description of new behavior (https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2023/08/31/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-25941-canary-channel/)

When using DisplayLink-based products with macOS, displays connected to a DisplayLink USB graphics adapter or docking station may remain blank until you log into your computer. This happens because the DisplayLink Manager doesn’t load until after login, so the dock or graphics adapter cannot send the necessary information to the displays beforehand. This problem can be resolved by installing the DisplayLink Login Screen Extension for the DisplayLink Manager. This extension enables the external screens to be available on the login screen prior to the app loading after logging into your account.

To install the Login Screen Extension:

1. Expand the DisplayLink Manager by clicking on its icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen
   
   
2. In the app, click the download button in the DisplayLink Manager to download the Login Screen Extension.
   
   
3. The Login Screen Extension will download. Open the downloaded file to begin the installation.
4. Follow on-screen instructions and grant any necessary permissions.
5. After installation, your connected displays should show video output once your Mac is booted, even before login.