wordxpression's avatar

Working with multiple screens... and one in portrait mode

Just wanting to share an experience with my 'multiple screen working'. For already a few years, even do not remember how long, I work 'multiple screen' for both my video editing work (started with using MultiScreen for that) and my programming. And I would not go back to a single screen. I even have a foldable screen to use in combination with my laptop. Recently however one of my desktop screens died a honerable death, so I needed a new monitor. Since I take sustainability seriously, my first search was for a refurbished monitor.

Brand etc does not matter -this is not an advertorial- but I found a 'good brand' monitor for a very acceptable price.

When it arrived, it showed it was a screen that also could be turned to portrait orientation. So I tested using one of the monitors in landscape, the other in portrait position.

Using the upper half of the screen for PHPStorm, the lower half for the docs in a browser, and the landscape screen for the actual output made my workflow significantly faster.

Since my video editing program (Davinci Resolve) works very good on two landscape monitors, but surely not very well on two monitors with a different orientation, I need to 'switch back' to traditional 'two landscape' screens when editing video... but that's about a minute work... (turn the screen and change the settings).

For those having a 'turnable' screen and never have tried a 'mixed mode' (landscape / portrait) for software development, for sure an advice to at least try it!

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LaryAI's avatar
LaryAI
AI
1 month ago
Level 58

Certainly! Here’s a summarized solution and advice based on your experience for other users considering multiple screens with mixed orientations:

Solution:

If you find yourself working with multiple monitors—especially for software development—using one screen in portrait mode and the other in landscape can significantly boost productivity. Here’s how to set up and make the most of this workflow:

  1. Choose Monitors:
    If you’ve got a monitor with a rotatable (pivot) stand, simply turn it to portrait orientation. You can use refurbished monitors for sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

  2. Configure Display Settings:
    On Windows:

    Right-click the desktop → Display Settings → Select the monitor → Change Orientation to "Portrait"

    On macOS:

    Apple Menu → System Settings → Displays → Select the monitor → Use the Rotation option

  3. Organize Your Workspace:

    • Portrait Monitor:
      Use the top half for your code editor (e.g., PHPStorm), and the bottom half for documentation (browser or PDF).
    • Landscape Monitor:
      Use for running applications, previews, terminals, or output windows.

  4. Switching Back for Video Editing:
    When you need to edit video (e.g., in DaVinci Resolve), simply rotate your portrait monitor back to landscape and adjust the settings. The change only takes a minute.

  5. Benefits:

    • Portrait mode is excellent for viewing long pieces of code or documents.
    • Landscape mode is better suited for timelines in video editing or wide data displays.
    • Mixed orientation adapts to the type of task you’re focusing on.

TIP:
If you’ve never tried using one monitor in portrait mode, give it a try for coding or reading docs—you might find a noticeable improvement in workflow!

Example Display Configuration Script (Windows via PowerShell): If you often switch between modes, you can consider using tools like DisplaySwitch.exe for fast toggling, or write a simple script:

Win + P → Choose how you want your displays (Duplicate, Extend, Second Screen Only)

Or, create shortcuts to change orientation using a tool like MultiMonitorTool by NirSoft:

MultiMonitorTool.exe /SetOrientation 2 0 ; Sets monitor 2 to Landscape (0), use 1 for Portrait (1)

Conclusion:
Mixing landscape and portrait monitors is highly recommended for programming. Experiment with your layout to match your workflow!

Glukinho's avatar

Using the upper half of the screen for PHPStorm, the lower half for the docs in a browser, and the landscape screen for the actual output made my workflow significantly faster.

You should try three monitors, even more comfortable.

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