How to Use Your Laptop as a Monitor for Any PC (Complete Guide)

Need to use your desktop computer but don’t have a monitor?

Whether your monitor suddenly stopped working, you’re troubleshooting a PC that won’t boot properly, or you simply want to use your laptop as a temporary display, there’s an easy solution.

With an inexpensive HDMI-to-USB capture card, you can use your laptop as a monitor for virtually any desktop PC. This setup even allows you to view the BIOS, install Windows, and troubleshoot startup problems without connecting a traditional monitor.

In this guide, you’ll learn how the setup works and how to display your desktop PC on your laptop using the built-in Windows Camera app, VLC Media Player, or OBS Studio.

Can You Connect a Laptop to a Desktop with an HDMI Cable?

The short answer is no.

Many people assume they can simply connect an HDMI cable between a laptop and a desktop computer.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t work.

The HDMI port on almost every laptop is an HDMI output, not an input.

It’s designed to send video from the laptop to an external monitor or TV, not receive video from another computer.

Because of this hardware limitation, Windows cannot display another PC simply by connecting an HDMI cable.

The Solution: Use an HDMI Capture Card

Instead of connecting the computers directly, you’ll need an HDMI-to-USB video capture card.

A capture card acts as an intermediary between the two devices.

It works like this:

Desktop PC
      │
      │ HDMI
      ▼
HDMI Capture Card
      │
      │ USB
      ▼
Laptop

The desktop sends its video signal through HDMI.

The capture card converts that HDMI signal into a USB video stream.

Windows then detects the capture card as a standard USB camera, allowing you to display the desktop’s video on your laptop.

The good news is that these devices are inexpensive. Most basic HDMI capture cards cost less than $20 and work with Windows 10 and Windows 11 without requiring additional drivers.

What You’ll Need

Before getting started, you’ll need:

• A desktop PC
• A laptop
• An HDMI cable
• An HDMI-to-USB capture card
• A free USB port on the laptop

If your laptop only has USB-C ports, you’ll also need one of the following:

• USB-C to USB-A adapter
• USB-C multiport hub

How to Connect Everything

Connecting the hardware only takes a minute.

1. Connect the HDMI cable to the HDMI output on your desktop PC.
2. Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI input on the capture card.
3. Plug the capture card into a USB port on your laptop.

If your laptop doesn’t have a standard USB-A port, connect the capture card using a USB-C adapter or docking station.

Once connected, Windows should automatically detect the device.

Verify That Windows Detects the Capture Card

Before opening any software, confirm that Windows recognizes the capture card.

1. Right-click the Start button.
2. Open Device Manager.
3. Expand Cameras.

You should see something similar to:

• USB Video Device
• USB Camera
• Your capture card’s model name

Windows treats capture cards as USB cameras because they continuously stream video over USB.

If the device appears here, you’re ready to continue.

Method 1: Use the Windows Camera App

The easiest solution requires no downloads.

Windows already includes the Camera application.

Step 1

Open the Camera app from the Start menu.

By default, it will display your laptop’s webcam.

Step 2

Click the Switch Camera button (the circular arrow icon).

Select your USB capture card.

The Camera app will immediately begin displaying your desktop PC.

You can now:

• Boot your desktop
• Watch Windows start
• Open applications
• Install Windows
• Enter the BIOS or UEFI firmware

As long as your mouse and keyboard remain connected to the desktop computer, you’ll have full control of it.

Limitation

The Camera app always displays its interface buttons over the video.

Unfortunately, it cannot provide a completely clean full-screen experience.

Method 2: Display the Desktop in VLC

If you want full-screen viewing with lower latency, VLC is a better option.

After installing VLC Media Player, configure it as follows.

Open: Media → Open Capture Device

Configure these settings:

Setting	Value
Capture Mode	DirectShow
Video Device	Your USB Capture Card
Audio Device	USB Audio (if available)
Resolution	1280×720 or 1920×1080
Aspect Ratio	16:9
Frame Rate	30 FPS

Under Show More Options, set: Caching = 0

Reducing the cache minimizes display latency and makes the desktop feel much more responsive.

Click Play, then press F11 or choose View → Full Screen.

Compared to the Camera app, VLC offers a cleaner display with lower latency.

Method 3: Use OBS Studio (Recommended)

If image quality is your priority, OBS Studio delivers the best results.

Although OBS is primarily known as streaming software, it also works extremely well as a full-screen monitor.

Create a Video Capture Source

Click: Sources → + → Video Capture Device

Give it any name, for example: Desktop Feed

Click OK.

Select Your Capture Card

In the Properties window:

Device : USB Video Capture Device

Resolution : 1920×1080 or 1280×720

Click OK.

The desktop feed now appears inside OBS.

Display It Full Screen

Right-click the preview.

Choose: Transform → Fit to Screen

Then right-click again.

Select: Projector (Preview)

Choose your laptop display.

OBS now displays the desktop in full screen with no menus, buttons, or overlays.

This provides the closest experience to using a real monitor.

Can You Access the BIOS?

Yes.

Because the capture card receives the desktop’s HDMI output directly, it displays everything, including:

• BIOS/UEFI
• Windows installation
• Boot menu
• Recovery environment
• Safe Mode
• Windows startup

This makes capture cards especially useful when repairing computers.

Understanding the Limitations

Although this setup works very well, it’s important to understand one limitation:

Latency.

The video signal must pass through:

1. HDMI
2. Capture card
3. USB
4. Windows
5. Viewing software

This introduces a small delay.

For most tasks, this isn’t a problem.

The setup works well for:

• Office applications
• Web browsing
• Windows troubleshooting
• Installing Windows
• BIOS configuration
• Remote repairs

However, it is not recommended for:

• Competitive gaming
• Fast-paced FPS games
• Rhythm games
• Any task requiring instant response

A dedicated monitor remains the better choice for gaming.

See also: Convert MBR to GPT Without Data Loss

Which Method Should You Choose?

Method	Best For	Advantages	Limitations
Windows Camera	Quick setup	No installation required	Interface always visible
VLC Media Player	Low latency	Better responsiveness, full screen	Slightly lower image quality
OBS Studio	Best overall	Highest image quality, clean full screen	Larger installation

For most users, OBS Studio offers the best experience, while VLC is ideal if minimizing latency is your main concern.

Final Thoughts

Using a laptop as a monitor isn’t as simple as connecting an HDMI cable, but with an inexpensive HDMI capture card, it’s surprisingly easy.

Whether you’re recovering a computer, installing Windows, accessing the BIOS, or temporarily replacing a broken monitor, this setup provides a practical and affordable solution.

Among the available methods, the Windows Camera app is the fastest to set up, VLC offers the lowest latency, and OBS Studio delivers the cleanest and highest-quality display.

With the right capture card, your laptop can become a reliable secondary monitor whenever you need one.