How to Use Logos on Two Monitors on a Mac or iPad

If you use Logos on a desktop computer or a laptop at a desk, you should consider setting things up so you can use Logos on Two Monitors. The program includes built-in features that let you create a work environment with two screens of real estate for greater productivity. We’ll show you how to use tools in Logos to set up dual-screen setups that will boost your efficiency in Bible study and sermon prep.

I’m a Mac guy, so this post focuses on the Mac for the hardware part of this guide. However, if you jump down to the settings in Logos part of the guide, you can adapt this for Windows. If you want to see a guide for Windows, comment below.

Setting Up Hardware to Use Logos on Two Monitors

First, you’ll need some hardware to get two monitors. The most straightforward setup includes a computer and two monitors. I use an iMac, so I plug one external monitor into the iMac, giving me two monitors.

I got the pretty green iMac with a white border around the 24-inch screen. The 4480-by-2520 resolution provides crisp text on the screen. I wish it had a 27-inch screen or, even better, a 32-inch display, but my green iMac works well.

The external monitor comes from LG. It’s a 32-inch UltraGear monitor with 4K resolution. Again, that gives me crisp text in Logos and Word, my tool for writing my preaching notes.

Connect the two with a USB C to an HDMI cable. I like UNI cables. They’re sturdy and snap into the connector on my iMac and LG Monitor’s HDMI input.

If you own a Mac mini or Studio Mac, you’ll need two or three monitors and two or three cables. The new M4 Mac Mini and the previous-generation Mac mini support up to three displays, while older silicone Mac mini desktops only support two.

Plug an HDMI cable into the Mac mini’s HDMI port and the monitor’s HDMI port or a USB C to HDMI cable into one of the USB-C ports. You can also use a Display Port cable with USB-C on one end or a Thunderbolt cable with USB-C on both ends. Make sure your monitor supports those connectors. Check Apple’s Tech Specs on your Mac mini to see if your monitor will support any of these inputs.

The Mac Studio looks like two previous-generation Mac minis stacked on top of each other. It includes higher-end internals. On the back, you get an HDMI port and four USB-C ports. Apple says it will support up to five external displays. Plug your monitors into the Mac Studio using the same strategy as the Mac mini.

Using a MacBook with One External HDMI Monitor

To get a similar setup as the desktops above, replace the iMac with a MacBook. The MacBook Air has a 13-inch or 15-inch screen. You get two USB-C ports, so you’ll need a USB-C monitor or a USB-C to HDMI cable to plug into your monitor. Plug the other end of the cable into your monitor using either a Thunderbolt port or an HDMI port.

If you use a MacBook Pro, which comes with either a 14 or 16-inch screen, then you can plug in a USB-C or HDMI cable. Plug the other end into your monitor using either a Thunderbolt port or an HDMI port.

For either kind of MacBook, I’d once again recommend the UNI cable mentioned previously. HDMI monitors are so standard you can’t go wrong with carrying one with your MacBook.

You will need the MacBook Air with an M3 chip if you want to run two desktop monitors. You’ll also have to close the lid because the computer only supports two displays, either the built-in and one external or two external with the lid closed.

A MacBook Pro works like the Air except for offering an HDMI port on the right side. The current generation includes the M3 Chip, which supports one external display or two with the lid closed. The M3 Pro chip supports two external displays, and the M3 Max supports up to four. You can count or close the internal display and add another external display to hit the maximum number each chip supports.

Check with Apple to see how many displays your MacBook model supports.

Setting Up macOS to run Logos on Two Monitors

Let’s ensure we configure macOS correctly to run Logos on two or more monitors. Open the Settings app in macOS and find Displays (#1 below) on the list along the left.

You should see your two monitors at the top of the screen. Click Arrange (#2 above) to place them in the image as they look on your desk. For example, my external display is set to the left of my iMac’s built-in display. Drag the monitors on the screen to look like they do in your setup.

Using an iPad as an External Monitor for Logos with Two Monitors

If you plug in an iPad, recent versions of macOS will use it as an external display. Click the plus button to the right of the displays (#3 above in Displays in System Settings) and choose your iPad from the drop-down list. This will add your iPad as an external display. You can drag it on the screen to let macOS know where your iPad is on your desk.

What if your external display doesn’t show up? Try a few things…

• Turn off the monitor and turn it on again.
• Ensure it’s set to a resolution your Mac model can handle—most work with 1080p or 4K.
• Unplug and replug cables because sometimes they don’t get fully plugged in or wiggle loose.
• Restart your computer with the monitor plugged in.
• In rare cases, the cable might not work, so try replacing it. This often happens when you use a USB-C cable that is only designed to charge devices and not carry data. Pick Gen 3.1 or higher or a USB-C to HDMI.
• Reset your monitor settings to the factor default.
• When all else fails, contact Apple for support or go to Apple Communities to ask for help.

Setting Up Logos to Make Use of Two Monitors

The last step in using Logos on two monitors happens inside Logos itself. Open Logos and arrange the windows you want the way you want them. For example, I started things off by opening the NKJV and the Factbook and linked them together using Link Set A. To do this, click the Home tab (#1 below) and then the Link Set drop-down (#2 below). If you don’t have a Logos subscription, your toolbar will look different than the screenshot below.

With the new Logos Subscription version (what some call Logos 11), you’ll find the Link Set in a Bible on the new Resource Toolbar. Select Home and then Link set. Choose A from the drop-down menu.

In Factbook, the Link set is still in the menu button (three vertical dots in the upper right corner – #1 below).

Now, maybe you want a third window pane, but you want it on the external monitor. Open a book or tool. In my example, I will open a Bible Study Builder (part of the new Logos as of October 2024). Float this window using either the Float this Panel menu item (#2 above) from the menu (three vertical dots in the upper right corner) or the keyboard shortcut COMMAND+OPTION+F.

You will now have two windows for Logos. Move one of the windows to your external display. Add any other books you want to add and arrange them as you would like. Link any of them using any Link set you like.

Now, let’s save this layout so we can return to it quickly. Click on the Layout button on the toolbar in Logos (lower left corner or upper right corner, depending on where you place your toolbar in Logos).

After you click the Layout button, a pop-up shows your saved Layouts. Some come from Logos built into the program; you’ll see others you created in the past. To save your Layout, click on the Save as named layout button (see screenshot below).

Click on the Save as named layout button in the window that pops up. Give it a name, and you can see it in the list along the left column of this window. You can also drag it to the logos toolbar if you want to quickly return to this layout without opening the layout window.

Do You Want to Upgrade to the New Logos Subscription Model?

The above steps work well on older versions of Logos, but the new Logos Subscription version makes setting up the Link Set easier using my instructions. Head over to their site to upgrade to the latest version of Logos. Using my link, you’ll get an extra 30 days free in your subscription.

Also, from November 25, 2024, to December 3, 2024, Logos offers some fantastic Holiday Week Savings, including…

• Zondervan Academic NT Collections: Gospels and Acts ($489.99 or 60% off)
• The Bible for Everyone Collection ($99.99 or 69% off)
• Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Revised Edition ( $199.95 or 60% off)