Google Pixel phones support USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode for wired video output, but due to Android OS limitations, they cannot produce two extended external displays using MST, DisplayLink, or Thunderbolt docking technologies. This is a platform constraint, not a hardware or dock issue.

Understanding the Limitation

Google Pixel phones are limited by the Android operating system’s handling of external displays. While many Pixel models (such as the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 series) support USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, they can only output to a single external display at a time. Android is designed primarily for screen mirroring, and extended display support is extremely limited across Android phones.

Key Point:

Android OS currently restricts Pixel phones to one external display, regardless of the dock or adapter used.

Dock Behavior with Pixel Phones

MST Docks (e.g., Plugable UD-MSTH2)

MST (Multi-Stream Transport) requires the host device to support splitting one DisplayPort signal into multiple independent video streams. While common on Windows and many Chromebooks, Pixel phones do not support MST for extended displays.

When using an MST dock, a Pixel phone will:

• Output to one external display only, or
• Mirror the same content to two connected monitors
• Dual extended desktops are not supported

DisplayLink Docks

DisplayLink technology works on Android through a companion app (e.g., DisplayLink Presenter). However:

• Android only supports a single external display via DisplayLink
• DisplayLink docks cannot be used to achieve multiple extended monitors from a Pixel device
• DisplayLink is not recommended for dual display use on Android

Thunderbolt Docks

Google Pixel phones are not Thunderbolt-certified hosts. When connected to a Thunderbolt dock:

• They revert to basic USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode
• Only a single mirrored display is possible

Visual Summary

Recommended Alternatives

If your goal is to use two independent external displays, consider the following instead:

• Windows laptops with DisplayPort MST support
• Chromebooks that support MST

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I extend my Pixel’s screen to two monitors using any method?
A: No. As of now, Android does not support multiple extended displays. Only mirroring to one display is possible.

Q: Does DisplayLink allow multiple displays on Android?
A: No. Even with DisplayLink’s Android app, you are limited to one external display.

Q: Why do Windows and ChromeOS devices work with MST but not Android?
A: Android lacks support for DisplayPort MST and advanced GPU capabilities required for multiple display outputs. This is a software/platform-level limitation.

Conclusion

While Google Pixel phones are capable of driving a single external display, dual extended monitors are not possible due to Android OS restrictions. This applies across all dock types, including MST, DisplayLink, and Thunderbolt. For users requiring robust multi-display setups, we recommend using a Windows or Chromebook device that supports MST alongside a compatible docking station like the Plugable UD-MSTH2.

If you have any questions or need help selecting a compatible dock, reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com.

Yes, Plugable DisplayLink based products are supported on Windows 11 computers that have a modern ARM processor such as the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or Elite.

The DisplayLink driver for Windows is native for both the x64 and ARM architectures. 

Introduction

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 items listed below are required. 

Required Items

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 link below:

macOS Tahoe version 26, macOS Sequoia version 15, macOS Sonoma version 14

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.

The installation instructions provided in Item #1 provide more detail about this process. 

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 Tahoe 26 - Connect accessories to your Mac

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 you need more help

If all of the items listed above have been completed and your Plugable DisplayLink-based device is still not working as expected with your Mac, 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 Mac system, the best practice is to disconnect the device from the host system (and remove its external power source, if it has one) and then perform a 'clean' manual installation of the latest version we recommend of the required DisplayLink software in order 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) Run the DisplayLink macOS Installation Cleaner

Please download and run the DisplayLink macOS Installation Cleaner utility --> LINK

Should you need them, there are detailed instructions for using this utility available here --> LINK 

3) Reboot your Mac

Once the DisplayLink macOS Installation Cleaner utility has been run, please reboot your Mac (even if not prompted).

4) Install latest recommended version of the DisplayLink software

Now download and install the latest version of DisplayLink Manager Application that we recommend for your version of macOS → LINK

Should you need them, detailed installation instructions are available by clicking on the ‘INFO’ button next to the download.

5) Reconnect power (if applicable) and reconnect the product to your Mac

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 your Mac. If the product is still not working as expected, please restart the Mac 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 (LINK) and we will be happy to assist you further.
 

Introduction

When a Plugable DisplayLink-based 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 in order to help ensure that both are in a good state. The process for doing so is described below.

DisplayLink 'Clean' installation process

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 & 11). 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

The link to download is here --> LINK

We also have a short video that demonstrates this process --> LINK

4. Once the cleaning utility has completed, restart the host system (even if not prompted to)

5. Download and install the latest version (that we recommend) of the DisplayLink software driver --> LINK

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 you need additional help

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 --> LINK and we will be happy to assist you further.

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, these utilities will not recognize USB-attached displays connected to a DisplayLink-based docking station or graphics adapter.

How to Manage Connected Displays

It is recommended to use the built-in Windows display management tools instead. For Windows 10 and 11, use the 'Display Settings' application, and for Windows 8.1 and 7, use the 'Screen Resolution' application. You can access these tools by right-clicking an empty space on the Windows desktop and selecting the appropriate option from the context menu.

Alternative Option for Intel Users

Intel offers an updated 'Intel Graphics Command Center' application that can recognize and configure DisplayLink-attached displays to a certain extent. However, some features specific to Intel graphics adapters within this application may still not work on a DisplayLink-attached display.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations and graphics adapters

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.

Summary

Plugable does not recommend or support using a traditional KVM switch with a Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station. Traditional KVM switches are designed to switch a computer's direct video output, keyboard, and mouse between systems. DisplayLink-based docking stations work differently because their video output is generated through USB data and DisplayLink software on the active host computer.

If you need to share a compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based docking station between two computers, the recommended options are to manually move the dock's USB host cable between computers or use the Plugable USB3-SWITCH2 USB 3.0 Sharing Switch. The dock can only be used by one computer at a time.

The USB3-SWITCH2 option applies only to compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based docking stations. It is not compatible with USB-C or Thunderbolt docks and hubs that rely on USB-C Power Delivery, USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, USB4, or Thunderbolt features.

Applicable To

This article does not apply to USB-C or Thunderbolt docking stations and hubs that require USB-C Power Delivery, USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, USB4, or Thunderbolt connectivity. Those products should be connected directly to the computer using the cable and connection type specified for that product.

Answer

Plugable does not recommend or support using a traditional KVM switch with a Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station.

A traditional KVM switch expects each computer to provide a direct video signal, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA, along with USB keyboard and mouse input. A DisplayLink-based docking station does not work like a passive video connection. Instead, the computer uses DisplayLink software to send compressed display data over USB to the DisplayLink chipset inside the dock, and the dock then outputs video to the connected monitor or monitors.

Because of this design, placing a traditional KVM switch into the display path or attempting to switch the dock as if it were a normal direct video connection can lead to detection issues, lost displays, incorrect display arrangement, blank screens, or unreliable behavior. This type of setup is not a supported Plugable configuration.

If the goal is to share one compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based docking station between two computers, the better option is to switch the dock's USB connection between the computers. This can be done manually by moving the dock's USB host cable from one computer to the other, or by using the Plugable USB3-SWITCH2 with compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based docks.

Why Traditional KVM Switches Are Not Recommended

DisplayLink video is an indirect display technology. The displays connected to the dock depend on the active host computer, the DisplayLink driver or DisplayLink Manager software, the USB data connection, and the DisplayLink chipset inside the dock.

A traditional video KVM switch generally expects a direct GPU video signal from each computer. This can be a poor match for a DisplayLink dock because the display signal is not coming directly from the computer's HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA port. It is being created by the dock after the DisplayLink USB connection has been established.

For that reason, the most reliable way to move a DisplayLink dock between computers is to treat the dock like a USB device: disconnect it from one computer, then connect it to the other computer. USB3-SWITCH2 provides a more convenient way to perform that USB switch for compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink docks.

Recommended Options

Before You Begin

If you plan to use USB3-SWITCH2 with a compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based docking station, confirm the following first:

• The dock is a USB 3.0 DisplayLink-based dock with a standard USB data connection to the host.
• The dock is not a USB-C or Thunderbolt dock that requires USB-C Power Delivery, USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, USB4, or Thunderbolt features.
• Both computers have the required DisplayLink software installed.
• Both computers meet the operating system requirements for the DisplayLink-based dock.
• Each laptop has its own power adapter connected if charging is needed. USB3-SWITCH2 does not charge laptops.
• Only one computer will use the dock at a time. The inactive computer will not have access to the dock, displays, Ethernet, audio, or USB devices connected through the dock.

How to Share a Compatible USB 3.0 DisplayLink Dock Using USB3-SWITCH2

1. Install the required DisplayLink software on both computers.
2. Connect the Plugable DisplayLink docking station to its power adapter.
3. Connect your displays, keyboard, mouse, Ethernet cable, speakers, or other peripherals to the docking station.
4. Connect the dock's upstream USB host connection to the shared USB device port on the USB3-SWITCH2.
5. Connect each computer to one of the USB3-SWITCH2 host ports using the USB cables included with the switch.
6. If either computer only has USB-C ports, use an appropriate USB-C to USB-A adapter on the computer side of the USB3-SWITCH2 connection.
7. Connect each laptop to its own charger if charging is required.
8. Press the button on the USB3-SWITCH2 to select which computer has control of the dock.
9. Wait for the operating system to detect the dock and restore the displays and connected devices.

Switching between computers acts like unplugging the dock from one computer and plugging it into the other. A short delay while the dock, displays, Ethernet, audio, and USB devices reconnect is normal.

Important Notes

• USB3-SWITCH2 is a USB sharing switch, not a traditional video KVM switch.
• The dock can only be controlled by one computer at a time.
• USB3-SWITCH2 does not provide laptop charging. Keep each laptop's normal charger connected if charging is needed.
• USB3-SWITCH2 is not compatible with USB-C or Thunderbolt docks and hubs, even when using adapters.
• Do not switch computers while files are actively being transferred to or from USB storage devices connected through the dock. Switching the active host disconnects USB devices from the previous computer.
• Display arrangement, scaling, resolution, and audio settings are stored by each computer's operating system, not by the dock. Each computer may need to be configured separately after the first connection.

Troubleshooting

1. The dock does not reconnect after switching computers

Wait 10 to 20 seconds after pressing the switch button. If the dock still does not reconnect, confirm that the correct host LED is active on the USB3-SWITCH2, then disconnect and reconnect the dock's USB cable from the switch.

If the issue continues, connect the dock directly to each computer without the USB3-SWITCH2. This helps determine whether the issue is related to the dock, the computer, the USB switch, or the cabling.

2. The displays do not appear on one computer

Confirm that the DisplayLink software is installed and running on that computer. Then test the dock directly connected to the computer. If the dock works when connected directly but not through the USB3-SWITCH2, try a different USB port on the computer and use the shortest practical USB cables.

3. The setup works on one computer but not the other

This usually points to a host-specific issue. Check that the second computer has the required DisplayLink software installed, supports the operating system requirements for the dock, and is connected to a working USB 3.0 or faster port.

4. A USB-C or Thunderbolt dock does not work through USB3-SWITCH2

This is expected. USB3-SWITCH2 does not support USB-C Power Delivery, USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, USB4, or Thunderbolt features. USB-C and Thunderbolt docks that depend on those features should be connected directly to the host computer.

5. The laptop does not charge through the USB3-SWITCH2

USB3-SWITCH2 does not provide laptop charging. If the laptop needs power, connect the laptop's normal charger directly to the laptop or use the charging method recommended for that computer.

6. USB storage devices disconnect when switching computers

Switching the USB3-SWITCH2 disconnects the dock and its attached USB devices from the previously active computer. Eject or safely remove USB storage devices before switching, and do not switch while a file transfer is in progress.

Need Assistance?

If you are unsure whether your Plugable DisplayLink-based dock is compatible with USB3-SWITCH2, or if the dock is not working as expected after following the steps above, contact Plugable Support at support@plugable.com.

Please include the Plugable dock model, the model of the switch or KVM being used, both computer models, both operating system versions, and a brief description of how everything is connected.

For the fastest assistance, please also include the output from Plugable's PlugDebug diagnostic utility from each computer: PlugDebug.

Applicable To

• Docking Stations based on DisplayLink technology

Problem Summary

Connecting a USB 3.0 device to a laptop system can generate radio frequency interference that affects the performance of the laptop's built-in Wi-Fi adapter or wireless keyboard and mouse receivers. 

This behaviour 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.

white paper 

Troubleshooting Steps

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 behaviour of a wireless keyboard or wireless mouse. This behaviour typically manifests as inconsistent mouse movement and/or inconsistent or sporadic keystroke registration.

In general there are two methods to mitigate this behaviour 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.

If the Issue Persists

In some less common instances on Windows computers, erratic keyboard/mouse behaviour 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

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 macOS 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 DisplayLink Manager installation process using macOS 26 Tahoe. The process is very similar when using macOS 15 Sequoia, and macOS 14 Sonoma, however there may be slight differences due to the specific operating system version in use. 

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 26 Tahoe, however the process is virtually identical in macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 14 Sonoma.

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

How to install the DisplayLink Manager application

IMPORTANT NOTE - The screenshots in this article (and the demonstration video) were produced using macOS 26 Tahoe however the process and appearance is virtually identical in macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 14 Sonoma

1. Download the correct version of the DisplayLink Manager Application for your version of macOS from here → https://plugable.com/pages/displaylink

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.

IMPORTANT NOTE - If the installation process does not complete successfully, please see this knowledge base article --> https://kb.plugable.com/question/1807081  for a list of potential causes and possible solutions.

9. Once the initial installation process has been completed, 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

Note, we have more information in regard to notifications while using DisplayLink on macOS here → https://kb.plugable.com/question/3137440

10. You should also see two Login Item notifications from macOS:

Both notifications are intended to inform that the DisplayLink Manager Application can run in the background once you have logged in to the host Mac.

These notifications are informational only, and can be freely dismissed.

IMPORTANT NOTE - The DisplayLink Manager Application must be running in order for any monitors powered by DisplayLink technology to function.

11. Starting with DisplayLink Manager version 16.0 and later versions, a DisplayLink Installation Wizard will now appear and the DisplayLink Installation Wizard is composed of three steps.

The first step of the Wizard is to ensure that the required Background Activity permissions are in place (as described in step #10) and this step should be completed automatically.

12. The second step of the Wizard is to connect your DisplayLink device to the host Mac. On portable Mac computers (such as laptops), depending on how macOS is configured you may see a prompt to allow the accessory to connect.  If prompted, please click ‘Allow’.  

13. Once the DisplayLink device is connected, the third step of the Wizard is to grant permission to the DisplayLink Manager application to record your screen within the macOS System Settings. Click the ‘Open System Settings’ button at the top of the DisplayLink Installation Wizard in order to open the System Settings application.

IMPORTANT NOTE - The DisplayLink Manager Application does NOT in fact record, store or transmit 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.

14. After clicking on the ‘Open System Settings’ button, the macOS System Settings application will open, with the ‘Screen & System Audio Recording’ section opened by default:

15. 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 ‘Modify Settings’ button to continue:

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

17. As a result of quitting the DisplayLink Manager Application, the DisplayLink Installation Wizard will disappear momentarily.  The DisplayLink Installation Wizard will reappear once the DisplayLink Manager Application has been reopened.

18. You will receive a notification from macOS to allow the DisplayLink Manager application to access your screen and audio. Please click the ‘Allow’ button to continue:

19. When the DisplayLink Installation Wizard reappears, it should indicate that setup has completed successfully.  Click the ‘Finish’ button to close the DisplayLink Installation Wizard.

20. Once the DisplayLink Installation Wizard has been completed, the macOS System Settings application window as shown in step #14 may still be visible. If still visible, please close the application window.

21. Once the System Settings application has been closed, a macOS prompt to open the System Settings application window may be visible.  If visible, the prompt can be dismissed by clicking on the ‘Deny’ button.  No changes will in fact be made, as the necessary changes will have already been completed as of step #15.

IMPORTANT NOTE - In macOS 26 Tahoe, macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 14 Sonoma, whenever the DisplayLink Manager Application is running and a DisplayLink device is connected to your computer 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.

22. Now that the DisplayLink Manager Application is installed and running, a DisplayLink Manager icon will appear within the Apple menu bar at the top of your screen. Click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in order to open the application status window.

23. The first tab of the DisplayLink Manager Application status window is the ‘Displays’ tab. As the name implies, all of the DisplayLink driven displays that are connected to your Mac will be displayed here, similar to the example below:

IMPORTANT NOTE - only displays driven by DisplayLink technology will be shown here. Displays driven by other methods (such as USB Type-C or Thunderbolt) will NOT be displayed.

Next to each display is a small toggle switch that will allow you to selectively toggle a display off or on as desired.

Below each display name will be two sliders that allow you to control the brightness or contrast of that display, according to your preference.

If multiple displays with identical names 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 on-screen within the selected display.

24. The second tab of the DisplayLink Manager Application status window is the ‘Settings’ tab.

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).

An example of the ‘Settings’ tab from DisplayLink Manager version 16.1 running on a Mac with an Apple processor is provided below:

The following list describes the features present within the ‘Settings’ tab while using DisplayLink Manager version 16.1 with a Mac with an Apple processor:

Automatic app startup
As the name suggests, toggling on the ‘Automatic app startup’ option allows the DisplayLink Manager Application to start automatically each time you log on to your Mac. This option should be enabled by default during a standard installation. If not already enabled, we recommend doing so 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.

Clicking the toggle to enable the ‘Additional HiDPI modes’ option will create new resolution choices for the DisplayLink-connected displays within the ‘Displays’ section of the macOS ‘System Settings’ application that may help improve the sharpness of the image.

Synaptics (the creators of DisplayLink technology) have more information on this feature here → https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/1993915-displaylink-manager-app-experimental-hidpi-modes

System sleep in display-closed mode
Mac laptops running macOS 26 Tahoe, macOS 15 Sequoia, macOS 14 Sonoma 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.

Clicking the toggle to enable the 'System sleep in display-closed mode’ option 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.

Enhance video conferencing apps
The ‘Enhance video conferencing apps’ option, which is enabled by default, helps ensure that screen sharing or content controls while using the Microsoft Teams application appear as expected.

DisplayLink has more information about this feature here → https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/2022489-how-to-fix-missing-screen-sharing-controls-in-micr 

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 streaming video services require High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) 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, which disables HDCP video playback system-wide.

Why DisplayLink Disables HDCP Video Playback

The DisplayLink software renders the external display and transmits it as USB data to the docking station. Apple does not have a specific security category for USB external displays, so "Screen Recording" is the required setting. 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.

Working Around HDCP Limitations

To view HDCP-protected content, a DisplayLink-based docking station/video adapter cannot be used to connect any displays. Thunderbolt docks can sometimes be a suitable alternative solution which does support playback of HDCP-protected content.

Keep in mind that the total number of display connections available through a Thunderbolt dock is dependent on your specific Mac model:

• Base M1 and M2 Apple Silicon chips natively support only a single external display via Thunderbolt.

• Base M3 Apple Silicon chips natively support up to two external displays, but only when the laptop lid is closed.

• Base M4 and M5 Apple Silicon chips natively support up to two external displays.

• Pro versions of the M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5 chips natively support up to two external displays.

• Max versions of the M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5 chips natively support up to four external displays depending on the specific port configuration used.

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 videos that introduce the general concepts of multi-monitor setups in Windows, how to change the way things behave, as well as how to solve common problems. Direct links to some of the videos our customers have found useful are:

Introduction to Multiple Displays in Windows --> LINK

Common Multi-Monitor Problem - Spatial Orientation --> LINK

Multi-Monitor Problem - Spatial Orientation Part Two --> LINK

How to make a Display the 'Main' Display in Windows 10 --> LINK

How to make a Display the 'Main' Display in Windows 11 --> LINK

Introduction to Display Scaling in Windows --> LINK

Quickly change display settings with the Windows+P Shortcut --> LINK

Troubleshooting A Disconnected Display with the UD-3900 --> LINK

How to Set Different Backgrounds on Multiple Monitors in Windows 10 --> LINK

Keyboard Shortcuts for Moving Applications on a Multiple Monitor Windows Setup --> LINK

How to Change Your Display's Refresh Rate in Windows --> LINK

How to Fix a “Phantom Display” on Windows --> LINK

Our Plugable ethernet adapters are compatible with USB-C iPhone 15 and 16 / Pro / Pro Max running iOS 17 or newer. Our ethernet adapters are plug-and-play on iPhone, and ethernet connection is identified in the iOS settings app.

These following ethernet adapters from Plugable have been tested and verified to work with iPhone:

1.  USBC-E5000
2.  USBC-E2500PD
3.  USBC-E2500
4.  USBC-E1000
5.  USBC-TE1000

Windows defaults to putting the computer to sleep when the lid is closed, even if there are external displays and devices connected, we can change this setting to enable closing the lid while using a docking station.

Recommended Setup

To ensure the computer can reliably function with the lid closed there are some requirements and recommendations:

1. The system should be powered: This can be from a USB Type-C Docking Station with host charging, or by connecting the laptop's original power source.
2. There should be at least one external display connected, this can be through a docking station, or directly to the computer.
3. There should be a keyboard and mouse connected, either through a docking station, USB Hub, or directly to the computer.

Windows 11 24H2 and Newer

1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Power Options from the context menu

   

2. Expand the Lid, power & sleep button controls sub-section

   

3. Under Plugged in select Do Nothing from the Closing the lid will make my PC  context menu

Windows 11 23H2 and Earlier

1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Power Options from the context 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.

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.

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.

When to open the lid?

The laptop lid may still need to be opened when performing any of the following:

• 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)

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

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.

If your Windows computer will not boot properly when a docking station, USB hub, or USB hub adapter is connected, the cause is most often an external device connected to the product rather than the product itself. In some cases, a Windows computer may mistakenly attempt to boot from a non-bootable external storage drive instead of the host computer's built-in storage drive, which can interrupt the boot process.  

Instructions

1. Disconnect all external devices from the product, leaving only the product's external power source (if it has one) and the cable connecting the product to the host computer.
2. Reboot the host computer while in this simplified physical configuration in order to test the behaviour.
3. Reconnect each external device to the product one at a time and reboot after each connection to test the behaviour again, assuming the host computer boots as expected in the simplified configuration.
4. Disconnect the USB storage device from the host computer and reboot to test the behaviour if only an external USB storage device is in use.
5. Access the host computer's System BIOS (UEFI firmware) and change the boot order settings to ensure the internal storage drive is the first boot option.
   1. Consult the host computer manual provided by the manufacturer for instructions on how to access the System BIOS and change the settings.

If the Issue Persists

After consulting your computer’s manual, contact the manufacturer directly if you are unsure how to check or change the system BIOS settings, as changing the wrong setting can cause unexpected issues. You can also reach out to us at support@plugable.com with any questions.

Applicable To

• UD-3900
• USBC-HUB7C
• USBC-7IN1E
• USBC-NVME
• External USB storage devices

Background Information

Docking stations and video adapters based on DisplayLink USB video technology are in essence a 'virtual' graphics adapter that relies on the host computer's CPU and internal physical graphics processing unit (GPU) to generate the information shown on the 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 product's virtual graphics adapter, and not to the 'real' or 'physical' GPU within the host computer.  

Since the DisplayLink device is not a physical GPU that supports OpenGL, this can sometimes cause applications that make use of OpenGL (such as Google Earth, SketchUp 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 DisplayLink based product 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.  

Possible Workarounds

In some instances updating either the driver for the host system's internal GPU or updating Windows itself 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:

1. 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 guide to configuring the 'Main' display within Windows 10 is here -> LINK

A guide to configuring the 'Main' display within Windows 11 is here --> LINK

2. If the first option does not prove a suitable workaround, the second option is to boot the host  system without the DisplayLink-based device connected, launching the affected application, and then connecting the DisplayLink-based device to the computer. This process can sometimes help direct the OpenGL requests to the host computer's internal physical GPU. 

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. 

My Docking Station and/or connected devices are not detected by my Apple Silicon M1, M2, M3, or M4 based Mac computer

After macOS Big Sur version 11.1 and newer we have observed that for some users their USB-C Triple Display Docking Stations may not be correctly detected by Apple’s MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Studio computers with Apple Silicon “M” processors after being restarted, when powered on after being turned off, or after being in sleep mode and then woken up. (Older Intel processor based Macs are not affected.) 

This issue only affects the original version UD-ULTCDL (from October 2022 and older), original version UD-ULTC4K (from May 2022 and older), and the UD-3900PDZ docking stations along with any externally connected USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices, and including the two DisplayLink based video outputs, Ethernet, and audio controlled by the DisplayLink USB Graphics chipset. The primary USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode based video output and connected display should remain functional after reboot. Power Delivery charging should also be unaffected.

As of macOS 26.3 we are still seeing occasional reports of this issue for the aforementioned affected dock models.

Troubleshooting Steps

For most users encountering USB connectivity issues with their docking station, simply unplugging the docking station from the computer, waiting 10-15 seconds, then reconnecting the docking station will restore the functionality, if this does not help please try these additional steps to fully reset the docking station and computer: 

1. Unplug the dock from the Mac and unplug power from the dock, leaving the dock disconnected until the final step.
2. Fully shutdown the Mac by clicking the Apple menu and selecting Shut Down.
3. Wait for 60-90 seconds after the Mac has shutdown, then turn the Mac back on.
4. Wait for an additional 30-60 seconds after logging back in.
5. Plug power back into the dock first, then plug the dock into the Mac using the provided USB-C to USB-C cable that the dock shipped with.

Expected Result

The docking station and any externally connected USB 2.0 and 3.0 devices, including the two DisplayLink based video outputs, Ethernet, and audio, should now be correctly detected and have their functionality restored.

If the Issue Persists

If these initial troubleshooting steps do not help, please contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to assist you.

Applicable To

• Original version UD-ULTCDL (from October 2022 and older)
• Original version UD-ULTC4K (from May 2022 and older)
• UD-3900PDZ
• Apple's MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Studio computers with Apple Silicon “M” processors (M1, M2, M3, or M4)

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)

If you find that your Plugable Ethernet adapter or docking station is not connecting to the internet or is experiencing slower than expected speeds on your Mac, it may be related the macOS Network Service Order. This is a list of the network connections available to the computer setting the priority for network connections.

macOS attempts to connect to the internet using the network service at the top of your list first. If a wireless network is listed above your Plugable Ethernet adapter, this often leads to users unknowingly using a slower wireless connection when they intended to use a wired one.

To ensure you are getting the full speed and stability of your wired connection, you must prioritize the Plugable Ethernet adapter above Wi-Fi.  Normally wired network connections take priority, however if priority has been modified in the past it can affect newly connected devices.

Set the order of network services

Navigate through these steps to Set Service Order:

1. Click the Apple Menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings.
2. In the sidebar, click Network. 
   1. 
3. Look for the Action Menu (a circle with three dots ...) located at the bottom right of the main window area.
   1. 
4. Click the three dots and select Set Service Order.…
5. A list will appear showing all your network interfaces. Click and drag your Ethernet Adapter (often named "USB 10/100/1G/2.5G LAN" or “Plugable Docking Station”) to the very top of the list, above Wi-Fi.
   1. 
6. Click OK to save your changes.

Your network traffic will now automatically prioritize the wired connection, ensuring you receive the best possible speeds and stability from your Plugable adapter.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

Below is a list of power adapter models used by Plugable docking stations. We offer refurbished replacement power adapters on eBay as they are available for purchase, however, we may not have replacement power adapters available for all of our docking stations.

If the power adapter for your docking station or region is not listed, out of stock on eBay or if you have any other questions regarding replacement power adapters for our docks please contact us at support@plugable.com and we will be happy to assist further.

We offer a 30-day return period for our replacement power adapters listed on eBay.

Can Silicon Motion and DisplayLink-Based Docking Stations and Graphics Adapters Work Together?

Yes, Silicon Motion and DisplayLink-based products can work together and be used at the same time on the same computer. This requires that the software drivers for both types of products are installed on the host system.

How Silicon Motion and DisplayLink Products Work Together

Both Silicon Motion and DisplayLink utilize USB graphics technology that can coexist on a single operating system. To ensure proper functionality, users must download and install the specific drivers associated with each respective chipset.

While Windows limits are typically performance-based recommendations, the actual ceiling of adding external monitors is much higher.

Plugable recommends up to 8 external 4K displays via DisplayLink for productivity workloads, but more is theoretically possible for high-end computers.

With Silicon Motion Plugable recommends up to 4 displays using Silicon Motion based adapters. macOS often enforces a hard limit on the number of addressable displays.

Applicable To

USBC-7400H4

USBC-6950M

USBC-6950UE

USBC-6950U

UGA-4KHDMI

UGA-HDMI-2S

UGA-HDMI-S

USBC-768H4

USBC-MSTH2

UGA-DP-S

USB3-3900DHE

USB-VGA-165

UGA-4KDP

UGA-2KHDMI

UGA-165

USBC-MSTH3

UGA-3000

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. 

If your package is missing one or more of the items that should be included with your Plugable dock (included items are listed on a chart on the side of the box), start by double checking if the part is still in the packaging. Pieces can occasionally get stuck in the corners under the main insert in the box.

If you are still unable to locate the piece, please contact support@plugable.com with the following information:

1.  Amazon Order ID (or other proof of purchase) associated with your Plugable device.

2. A description of the parts that are missing from your order.

3. Your preferred shipping address (and a phone number associated with that address).

4. The serial number of your Plugable Dock.

Most Plugable docks do not officially support monitors over 60Hz including 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rate unless otherwise specified on the Plugable product page or listing. 

DisplayLink USB Graphics technology and Silicon Motion based docking stations and graphics adapters, like our USB 3.0 dual display and USB Type-C triple display docking stations, are limited to 60Hz refresh rate by the USB graphics controller hardware.

USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode docking station and ports on our USB Type-C Triple Display Docking Stations can support higher refresh rates, but may be limited by the computer's capability and available bandwidth to the docking station.  Additionally, when paired with DisplayLink or Silicon Motion USB graphics, having displays at different refresh rates may reduce overall system performance.  Due to this we normally recommend limiting all connected displays to 60Hz refresh rate when using DisplayLink and Silicon Motion graphics technology with directly connected, or USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode controlled displays.

Monitors with refresh rates higher then 60Hz may be connected to a docking station operating at up to 60Hz, or connected directly on the computer's HDMI or DisplayPort to ensure the display is powered by the system's native GPU.

Unfortunately Plugable products do not support the Apple SuperDrive.

The Apple SuperDrive has stringent power requirements that can only be met by directly connecting the SuperDrive to your host laptop. As a result at this time Apple recommends only using their USB-C adapter cables. You can find more information on that here → How to connect the Apple USB SuperDrive

If you have purchased a Plugable product to use with your Apple SuperDrive, and would like some additional assistance please do not hesitate to reach out. You can do so by emailing support@plugable.com, or going to Plugable.com/Support.

Please Note

The below guide is an advanced troubleshooting step, and we do not recommend doing so unless you are comfortable manually altering files on your Apple product running macOS. You may not be able to perform the below troubleshooting step if you are unable to execute administrative credentials on your laptop. Please reach out to our support first if you do not wish to attempt the below instructions. You can do so at Plugable.com/Support

How to delete a specific Ethernet adapter from your Network devices on macOS

1. Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your primary monitor, and select ‘System Preferences’
2. Next select ‘Network’ in the ‘System Preferences' window.
3. In the now visible list, please select the Plugable Ethernet, or Thunderbolt Ethernet device that may not be working as expected.
4. Once selected click on the minus button in the bottom left of the network window.
5. Click on Apply in the bottom right.
6. Next click on the plus button in the bottom left of the network window, and add the previously removed device.
7. Click on Apply in the bottom right.
8. Test to see if this has resolved the unexpected behavior, and assure that your Ethernet is now working.
9. If this does not resolve the problem, please proceed to the next section (As noted previously the next section is for advanced users only!)

I am still unable to get my Ethernet connection working on my Mac

If this is the case please reach out to our support team. When you do please include a diagnostic log gathered using our PlugDebug tool (instructions are provided on the PlugDebug page). If you are not able to gather the PlugDebug diagnostics do not worry we are still here to help! Please reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com or Plugable.com/Support with a detailed description of your problem, and the model of Plugable product you are using.

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:

We are often asked if it is okay to leave a notebook computer connected to one of our USB-C docking stations with Power Delivery for extended periods of time.  The short answer is yes, it is no different from leaving the laptop connected to the manufacturer's original USB-C power supply for the same time.  The long answer is yes for modern laptops, and maybe for older (1990s-early 2000s laptops) and involves going into the different battery technologies used in consumer electronics devices.

Another common question is if it is possible to use the docking station but to disable powering and charging the computer.  When a modern notebook computer runs on battery power it will often set the system to a reduced power state which may impact performance, or connected devices and we recommend always powering the computer when using a desktop docking station.  For all of our docking stations that provide power to the host computer this will not affect the lifespan of the computer's battery.

Modern Laptop Batteries: Lithium-Ion

Lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries are found in a wide range of consumer electronics from notebook computers and cell phones, to electric cars, power tools, and wearable electronics like wireless earbuds.  Li-ion offers fast charging, high-current discharging, fairly long service live compared to other rechargeable battery technologies and are relatively inexpensive.

The life-span of a rechargeable battery depends on many factors including age, temperature history, charging patterns, the chemical composition of the specific battery, and usage.  For example batteries stored at 100% charge will degrade faster than batteries stored at 50% charge, this is why most consumer electronics devices arrive from the manufacturer with between 25% to 75% charge.

Lithium-ion batteries are consumable components, however in most modern computers, cell phones, and tablets these are not user serviceable components.  To help maintain the battery all modern computers and most consumer electronics will include battery charge and protection circuits.  These can be fairly simple, charging up the battery at preset rates depending on the charge level to help maintain the battery life, or complex software controlled charging that monitors battery temperature, voltage and current draw to maintain the fastest charging while maintaining the battery longevity.

Modern notebook computers can be left connected to the original power cable or a docking station with charging capability for extended periods, and do not benefit from regular discharge/recharge cycles.  Our docking stations with charging capability rely on USB Type-C Power Delivery to power and charge compatible computers.  USB Type-C Power Delivery is a negotiated charging protocol between the host computer and the docking station or USB Type-C power supply, this allows the computer to draw only the power it requires, and even select the best voltage level for powering the computer.  In combination with a computer's built-in battery charging controller the computer is capable of maintaining the battery's optimal state even when left connected to a power source for an extended period of time.

Legacy Laptop Batteries: NiCad and NiMH

Older laptops, from the 1990s and some early 2000s, as well as some consumer electronics, and most rechargeable AA or AAA battery replacements use Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) or Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries.  These batteries are slower to charge and discharge than li-ion batteries, and require very simple charge controllers, and in some cases can even be trickle-charged ( very low-current continuous charging ) if desired.

These batteries generally don't have smart charging controllers and to prolong the life of the battery required "training" or fully discharging and recharging the battery every so often.  Many laptop manufacturers recommended fully charging and discharging a new laptop 2-3 times to train the battery, this is not necessary with modern laptops.

Conclusion

Modern notebook batteries are managed by the computer's built-in battery charging circuit, and require little to no user intervention to maintain optimal battery health.  It does not harm the battery to leave the computer connected to an external power supply, so long as the computer is being used regularly.  If the computer is to be stored for a prolonged period then discharging the battery to between 50-75% can help to maintain the battery life.

Batteries are consumable components and degrade over time, however modern notebook computers can extend the battery life generally to meet or exceed the life of the computer's other electronic components.

Summary

Most DisplayLink-connected monitors can be rotated in macOS, but the correct setting location depends on your macOS version, DisplayLink Manager version, and Mac processor type.

For current macOS installations using newer versions of DisplayLink Manager, display rotation is normally adjusted in System Settings > Displays. Older Apple silicon systems using earlier DisplayLink Manager versions may instead need to use the rotation controls inside the DisplayLink Manager application.

This article explains which method to use and how to rotate a DisplayLink-connected monitor to Standard, 90°, 180°, or 270°.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations
• Plugable DisplayLink-based USB graphics adapters
• Mac computers using DisplayLink Manager for macOS
• macOS 11 Big Sur and newer, with notes for unsupported older configurations

This article applies to displays connected through DisplayLink technology. It does not apply to displays connected directly through native USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, Thunderbolt, USB4, HDMI, or DisplayPort video outputs unless the product also uses DisplayLink for that specific display output.

Answer

For most current setups, rotate the DisplayLink-connected display from the macOS Displays settings:

1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Select System Settings.
3. Select Displays.
4. Select the external display you want to rotate.
5. Use the Rotation or Rotate menu to choose the correct orientation.
6. Select Confirm if macOS asks you to confirm the change.

If the Rotation option does not appear, review the compatibility table and troubleshooting section below.

Which Method Should I Use?

For best results, Plugable recommends using the latest DisplayLink Manager version available for your version of macOS. Current DisplayLink Manager installers are available here: Plugable DisplayLink Driver and Software Downloads.

Before You Begin

Confirm the following before changing display rotation:

• The DisplayLink Manager application is installed.
• DisplayLink Manager is running. A DisplayLink Manager icon should appear in the Apple menu bar when the application is active.
• The Plugable DisplayLink-based product is connected to the Mac.
• The monitor is connected to a DisplayLink-controlled video output on the Plugable product.
• The monitor itself can safely be used in the physical orientation you plan to use.

If you are using macOS 14 Sonoma, macOS 15 Sequoia, macOS 26 Tahoe, or newer, DisplayLink Manager also needs the required macOS screen recording permission in order for DisplayLink-connected displays to work.

Rotate a Display in macOS 13 Ventura or Newer

Use these steps for current macOS versions, including macOS 13 Ventura, macOS 14 Sonoma, macOS 15 Sequoia, and macOS 26 Tahoe, when using DisplayLink Manager 1.12.0 or newer.

1. Open the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of the screen.
2. Select System Settings.

3. In the System Settings sidebar, select Displays. You may need to scroll down to find it.
4. Select the display you want to rotate from the display thumbnails at the top of the window.
5. Find the Rotation or Rotate option.
6. Open the rotation menu and select the desired orientation, such as Standard, 90°, 180°, or 270°.

7. If macOS displays a confirmation prompt, select Confirm to keep the new rotation setting.

Rotate a Display in macOS 11 Big Sur or macOS 12 Monterey on an Intel-based Mac

On Intel-based Macs running macOS 11 Big Sur or macOS 12 Monterey, DisplayLink-connected displays can be rotated from the built-in macOS display settings.

1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Select System Preferences.

3. Select Displays.
4. Select Display Settings....

Select Display Settings to configure each connected display.

5. Select the external display you want to rotate.
6. Use the Rotation or Rotate menu to choose the desired orientation.

Select the display, then choose the desired rotation.

7. If macOS asks you to confirm the change, select Confirm.

Legacy Apple Silicon Method: DisplayLink Manager 1.6 through 1.11.x

Use this section only if you are using an Apple silicon Mac on macOS 12 Monterey with DisplayLink Manager 1.6 through 1.11.x. On these older configurations, rotation is adjusted from within the DisplayLink Manager application instead of the macOS Displays settings.

For current macOS versions and current DisplayLink Manager versions, use the macOS System Settings > Displays method above instead.

1. Click the DisplayLink Manager icon in the Apple menu bar to open the DisplayLink Manager window.

2. Find the display you want to rotate in the Display rotation and toggle section.
3. If multiple displays are listed with the same name, move your pointer over a display name. A red border should appear on the matching physical display.
4. Open the rotation menu next to the display and choose the desired orientation.

If You Do Not See the Rotation Option

If the Rotation or Rotate option does not appear, check the following:

• Make sure the monitor is connected to a DisplayLink-controlled video output on the Plugable product.
• Make sure DisplayLink Manager is installed and running.
• Make sure the DisplayLink-connected display is active and not toggled off in DisplayLink Manager.
• Install the latest DisplayLink Manager version available for your version of macOS.
• Confirm that the monitor is not being mirrored in a way that prevents separate rotation controls from appearing.
• Confirm that the display supports rotation in macOS. Apple notes that the Rotation option appears only when a compatible external display is connected.
• If you are using an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 11 Big Sur, DisplayLink display rotation is not supported in that configuration.
• If you are using macOS 10.15 Catalina, DisplayLink display rotation is not supported in that configuration.

Troubleshooting

1. The DisplayLink display is not listed in System Settings

If the DisplayLink-connected display does not appear in System Settings > Displays, first confirm that DisplayLink Manager is installed, running, and allowed in macOS privacy settings.

For full setup steps, see Plugable’s current DisplayLink Manager installation guide: DisplayLink Manager App Installation Instructions for macOS.

2. The display rotates, but the image looks sideways or upside down

Try a different rotation value. The correct selection depends on how the physical monitor is positioned. For example, a monitor physically rotated clockwise may need a different setting than a monitor physically rotated counterclockwise.

3. The display goes blank after choosing a rotation value

Wait for the macOS confirmation timer to expire, or choose Revert if the confirmation prompt is visible. Then try another rotation value or return the display to Standard.

4. The rotation option only appears for some displays

Rotation support can depend on the display, macOS version, DisplayLink Manager version, and how the display is connected. Confirm that the display is connected through a DisplayLink-controlled output and that your macOS and DisplayLink Manager versions support rotation.

Important Notes

• The rotation setting location has changed across DisplayLink Manager versions. Current versions normally use macOS System Settings > Displays.
• The older DisplayLink Manager rotation controls are included here only for legacy Apple silicon configurations using DisplayLink Manager 1.6 through 1.11.x.
• macOS may ask you to confirm a rotation change. If you do not confirm, macOS may automatically revert to the previous setting.
• Some displays may not expose a rotation control in macOS.
• Always confirm that your physical monitor stand or mount supports portrait or rotated operation before rotating the monitor.

Need Assistance?

If you are unable to rotate a DisplayLink-connected display after following the steps above, contact Plugable Support at support@plugable.com. Please include the Plugable product model, your Mac model, your macOS version, your DisplayLink Manager version, and a brief description of how each monitor is connected.

For the fastest assistance, please also include the output from Plugable’s PlugDebug diagnostic utility: PlugDebug.

Summary

When using a Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter with macOS, you may see a notification in the Apple menu bar stating that DisplayLink Manager is capturing your screen.

This message is normal and expected when the DisplayLink Manager application is running and a DisplayLink-based device is connected. DisplayLink Manager requires macOS screen recording permission in order to generate the image shown on monitors connected through DisplayLink technology.

DisplayLink Manager is not recording, storing, or sending your screen contents to Plugable. DisplayLink also states that DisplayLink Manager does not send data or pixels back to DisplayLink or Synaptics.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations
• Plugable DisplayLink-based USB graphics adapters
• Mac computers running macOS 14 Sonoma or newer, including macOS 15 Sequoia and macOS 26 Tahoe
• Systems with the DisplayLink Manager application installed and running

This article applies to products that use DisplayLink technology. It does not apply to Plugable products that use only native USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, Thunderbolt, USB4, or HDMI/DisplayPort video without DisplayLink.

Answer

This notification appears because macOS is informing you that DisplayLink Manager is actively using screen capture access.

DisplayLink-based products use an indirect display technology. Instead of the external monitor being driven directly by the Mac’s built-in graphics output, DisplayLink Manager helps create the display image in software and sends the required display data over USB to the DisplayLink hardware.

Because DisplayLink Manager must access the screen image in order to create the output shown on the DisplayLink-connected monitors, macOS requires the application to be granted screen recording permission. Starting with macOS 14 Sonoma and newer versions of macOS, Apple also shows a visible menu bar notification when this type of screen access is active.

As long as your DisplayLink-connected monitors are working normally, no corrective action is required.

Why This Happens

macOS includes privacy controls for applications that can access screen contents. Apple uses this permission category for screen sharing, screen recording, and applications that need screen access to provide a display-related function.

DisplayLink Manager uses this access so it can generate the pixels shown on monitors connected to a DisplayLink-based dock or adapter. This is required for DisplayLink video output on macOS.

The wording used by macOS can sound concerning because it uses terms such as capturing or recording. In this context, the permission allows DisplayLink Manager to access the screen information needed to render the external display. It does not mean that DisplayLink Manager is saving a video recording of your screen.

What the Notification Means

The notification means that DisplayLink Manager is currently running and using the macOS screen access permission needed for DisplayLink video output.

This is expected when:

• The DisplayLink Manager application is open or running in the background
• A Plugable DisplayLink-based dock or adapter is connected to the Mac
• One or more monitors are connected through the DisplayLink-based product

The notification may disappear if DisplayLink Manager is quit, if the DisplayLink device is disconnected, or if the required permission is removed. However, DisplayLink-connected monitors will not work correctly if DisplayLink Manager is not running or does not have the required permission.

Do I Need to Change Any Settings?

No. If your DisplayLink-connected monitors are working normally, this notification can be ignored.

Plugable recommends leaving the required permission enabled if you want to continue using monitors connected through a DisplayLink-based product.

If you want to confirm that the required permission is enabled:

1. Open the Apple menu.
2. Select System Settings.
3. Select Privacy & Security.
4. Select Screen & System Audio Recording.
   On some older macOS versions, this may appear as Screen Recording.
5. Confirm that DisplayLink Manager is enabled.
6. If macOS asks you to quit and reopen DisplayLink Manager, follow the prompt so the change can take effect.

Can I Disable the Notification?

The notification is generated by macOS as part of Apple’s privacy and security design. There is not a Plugable setting that removes this notification while DisplayLink Manager is actively using the required screen access permission.

If you quit DisplayLink Manager, disconnect the DisplayLink-based product, or remove the screen recording permission, the notification may stop. However, monitors connected through DisplayLink technology will also stop working or may not work correctly.

If Your DisplayLink Displays Are Not Working

If you see the notification but your DisplayLink-connected monitors are not working as expected, check the following:

1. Make sure the latest DisplayLink Manager application for macOS is installed. The latest DisplayLink Manager installer is available here: Plugable DisplayLink Driver and Software Downloads.
2. Make sure DisplayLink Manager is running. A DisplayLink Manager icon should appear in the Apple menu bar when the application is active.
3. Confirm that DisplayLink Manager is enabled under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording.
4. If prompted by macOS, choose the option to quit and reopen DisplayLink Manager after changing the permission.
5. Disconnect the Plugable DisplayLink device from the Mac, reconnect it, and allow any macOS accessory approval prompt that appears.
6. Restart the Mac if the displays do not begin working after the permission has been granted.

For full installation steps, please see Plugable’s DisplayLink Manager installation guide: DisplayLink Manager App Installation Instructions for macOS.

Important Notes

• The message is expected behavior in macOS 14 Sonoma and newer when DisplayLink Manager is running and a DisplayLink device is connected.
• The required permission is a macOS privacy requirement, not a defect with the Plugable dock or adapter.
• DisplayLink Manager must be running for DisplayLink-connected monitors to function on macOS.
• Removing the screen recording permission may cause DisplayLink-connected monitors to stop working.
• DisplayLink states that DisplayLink Manager does not record or store screen content, and does not send data or pixels back to DisplayLink or Synaptics.

Need Assistance?

If your DisplayLink-connected monitors are not working after confirming the items above, contact Plugable Support at support@plugable.com. Please include the Plugable product model, your Mac model, your macOS version, the DisplayLink Manager version installed, and a brief description of what appears in the DisplayLink Manager application.

For the fastest assistance, please also include the output from Plugable’s PlugDebug diagnostic utility: PlugDebug.

Note, for those who prefer a visual answer to this question, Plugable has produced a video that demonstrates how to fix this issue:

For those that prefer a written explanation and solution, please continue reading.

Summary

When a Windows desktop computer is used with a Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter, and no monitor is connected directly to the desktop computer’s built-in video output, Windows may list an extra display in Display Settings even though no monitor is physically connected to that output. Plugable refers to this as a phantom display.

If Windows sets the phantom display as the main display, desktop icons, application windows, or the Windows sign-in screen may appear to be missing because Windows is placing them on a display that is not actually present.

This can usually be resolved by moving the Windows Display Settings window onto a visible monitor, setting one of the Plugable-connected displays as the main display, and setting the phantom display to Disconnect this display.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based USB docking stations
• Plugable DisplayLink-based USB graphics adapters
• Windows desktop computers
• Setups where the only connected monitors are attached through the Plugable DisplayLink device
• Setups where desktop icons, application windows, or the Windows sign-in screen appear missing, off-screen, or on the wrong display

Answer

This behavior is usually caused by a phantom display being configured as the Windows main display.

In Windows Display Settings, each detected display appears as a numbered box. In this scenario, one numbered display may represent a video output on the desktop computer’s built-in graphics adapter even though no monitor is actually connected to that output. If Windows treats that non-visible display as the main display, Windows may place desktop icons, the sign-in screen, and new application windows there.

To resolve the issue:

• Bring the Windows Display Settings window onto a visible monitor.
• Use Identify to determine which display number does not appear on any physical monitor.
• Select a real display connected through the Plugable DisplayLink device and enable Make this my main display.
• Select the phantom display and change it to Disconnect this display.

Why This Happens

DisplayLink-based docking stations and USB graphics adapters transmit display data over a USB data connection. This is different from connecting a monitor directly to the computer’s built-in HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA output.

Because the monitors connected through DisplayLink are not connected directly to the desktop computer’s built-in graphics output, some Windows desktop systems may still show an additional display associated with the system’s native graphics hardware. This display may remain listed even though no physical monitor is connected to it.

If Windows makes this phantom display the main display, desktop icons and application windows can become difficult to find because they are being opened on a display that is not visible.

Before You Begin

The steps below are written for Windows 11 and assume the following example setup:

• The desktop computer is already running Windows.
• No monitors are connected directly to the video outputs built in to the desktop computer.
• A Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter is connected to the computer.
• Two external displays are connected to the Plugable DisplayLink device.
• At least one Plugable-connected display is visible enough to use the Windows taskbar, mouse, and keyboard.

The same general process applies if your display numbers or number of connected displays are different from the example shown below.

Optional Video Reference

Before starting, you may want to review Plugable’s short video on using Windows keyboard shortcuts to move application windows between displays. This is useful if the Display Settings window opens on the phantom display and is not visible.

How to move application windows using keyboard shortcuts in Windows

How To Fix the Phantom Display in Windows

1) Right-click on an empty area of the Windows desktop on one of the visible displays connected to the Plugable DisplayLink device.

2) Select Display settings.

In many cases, the Display Settings window will open on the phantom display and will not be visible. However, you may see the Display Settings icon on the Windows taskbar.

3) Select the Display Settings icon on the Windows taskbar to make sure the Display Settings window is active.

4) Press Windows key + Shift + Right Arrow to move the active window to another display.

If the Display Settings window does not appear, press the shortcut again. You can also try Windows key + Shift + Left Arrow. Repeat until the Display Settings window appears on a visible display.

5) At the top of Display Settings, look for the numbered display boxes. Select Identify.

Windows will briefly show a number on each physical display. Make a note of the display number that does not appear on any physical monitor. That number represents the phantom display.

For example, if Windows shows display numbers 1, 2, and 3, but only numbers 2 and 3 appear on your real monitors, display 1 is the phantom display.

6) Select one of the real displays connected through the Plugable DisplayLink device. In this example, display 2 is selected.

7) Under Multiple displays, place a check mark next to Make this my main display.

This sets the selected real display as the Windows main display. The Windows sign-in screen, desktop icons, and newly opened application windows should now appear on that display.

8) Next, select the numbered display box for the phantom display. In this example, display 1 is the phantom display.

9) Under Multiple displays, open the display mode drop-down menu and select Disconnect this display.

After this change, the phantom display will be disabled. One of the real displays connected to the Plugable DisplayLink device should now be configured as the main display, and desktop icons and application windows should appear on the visible displays.

Important Notes

• Even after the phantom display is disconnected, its display number may still appear in Windows Display Settings. This is expected. The disconnected display may appear smaller than the active displays.
• Windows does not provide a way to completely hide the disconnected display from the Display Settings page.
• Do not disconnect a display number if that number appears on a real physical monitor that you want to use.
• When possible, Plugable recommends connecting at least one monitor directly to a desktop computer’s native graphics output, such as HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA, and using DisplayLink-connected displays as additional monitors.
• If none of the displays connected to the Plugable DisplayLink device are working, or if the Plugable device is not detected at all, follow Plugable’s DisplayLink driver clean installation process instead: My DisplayLink-based USB Docking Station or USB Video Adapter Is Not Working As Expected with a Windows computer.

Troubleshooting

Display Settings does not appear on a visible monitor

Select the Display Settings icon in the Windows taskbar, then press Windows key + Shift + Right Arrow or Windows key + Shift + Left Arrow. Repeat the shortcut until the Display Settings window appears on one of the visible displays.

I cannot tell which display is the phantom display

Use the Identify button in Windows Display Settings. The display number that does not appear on any physical monitor is the phantom display. If every display number appears on a real monitor, do not disconnect any of them.

The display changes do not save

When Windows asks you to confirm the display change, make sure to keep or confirm the new setting before the timer expires. If the setting does not save, restart the computer and repeat the steps.

Displays are still not working correctly after disconnecting the phantom display

Try the following:

1. Restart the computer.
2. Disconnect and reconnect the Plugable DisplayLink device.
3. If possible, connect one monitor directly to the desktop computer’s native graphics output and confirm that Windows is using that display as the main display.
4. Perform a clean installation of the DisplayLink driver using Plugable’s DisplayLink troubleshooting guide.
5. If the issue continues, collect logs with Plugable’s PlugDebug diagnostic utility and contact Plugable Support.

Need Assistance?

If the issue continues after following the steps above, contact Plugable Support at support@plugable.com. Please include the Plugable product model, your Windows version, the desktop computer make and model, the number of connected displays, how each display is connected, and whether any monitor is connected directly to the desktop computer’s built-in video output.

For the fastest assistance, please also include the output from Plugable’s PlugDebug diagnostic utility: PlugDebug.

Summary

The most common reason a Plugable DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter stops outputting video after a Mac is updated or restarted is that the DisplayLink Manager application is not running, did not reopen after login, or no longer has the required macOS screen recording permission.

DisplayLink Manager is the software component that allows DisplayLink-based video outputs to work in macOS. If the application is not running, or if macOS is blocking the required permission, the displays connected through the DisplayLink-based device may remain blank, not appear in macOS Display Settings, or stop working until the application and permissions are restored.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations used with macOS
• Plugable DisplayLink-based USB graphics adapters used with macOS
• Mac systems where DisplayLink-connected displays stopped working after a macOS update, restart, shutdown, or login
• Mac systems where the DisplayLink Manager icon is missing from the macOS menu bar

This article applies only to products that use DisplayLink technology. It does not apply to Plugable USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode adapters, Thunderbolt-only docks, or MST-based adapters that do not use DisplayLink Manager.

Answer

First, confirm whether DisplayLink Manager is running. When DisplayLink Manager is running, its icon should appear in the macOS menu bar at the top of the screen.

If the DisplayLink Manager icon is not present, the application is not currently running. Open DisplayLink Manager from the Applications folder, then enable the setting that allows DisplayLink Manager to start automatically after you log in.

How To Reopen DisplayLink Manager

1. Open Finder.
2. Select Applications in the left sidebar.
3. Locate DisplayLink Manager.
4. Double-click DisplayLink Manager to open it.
5. Confirm that the DisplayLink Manager icon appears in the macOS menu bar.

After DisplayLink Manager opens, the displays connected through the Plugable DisplayLink-based device should begin working again if the only issue was that the application was not running.

Enable DisplayLink Manager to Start Automatically

After a restart or macOS update, DisplayLink-connected displays may not work until DisplayLink Manager starts. We recommend enabling DisplayLink Manager to start automatically after login.

1. Click the DisplayLink Manager icon in the macOS menu bar.
2. Open the Settings tab.
3. Enable Automatic app startup.

Older versions of DisplayLink Manager may show this setting as Launch automatically after login instead.

Confirm macOS Screen Recording Permission

If DisplayLink Manager is running but the displays are still not working, confirm that macOS is allowing DisplayLink Manager to access the screen. macOS requires this permission in order for DisplayLink Manager to generate the image shown on DisplayLink-connected displays.

Important: DisplayLink Manager does not record, store, or send your screen content to DisplayLink or Synaptics. The macOS permission is required because DisplayLink technology needs access to the screen image in order to send display data over USB to the connected monitor.

1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
2. Select Privacy & Security.
3. Select Screen & System Audio Recording.
4. Find DisplayLink Manager in the list and enable the toggle.
5. Enter your Mac password or use Touch ID if prompted.
6. When macOS asks, select Quit & Reopen so the permission change can take effect.

On some older macOS versions, this setting may be listed as Screen Recording instead of Screen & System Audio Recording.

Allow the Accessory to Connect When Prompted

On Mac laptops with Apple silicon, macOS may ask for permission before allowing a newly connected USB or Thunderbolt accessory to pass data. If this prompt appears when connecting your Plugable DisplayLink-based product, select Allow.

If Don’t Allow is selected, the device may receive power but data may not pass through correctly. This can prevent DisplayLink Manager from detecting the Plugable device and connected displays.

Why This Happens

Plugable DisplayLink-based products use a USB data connection to drive external displays. On macOS, this requires the DisplayLink Manager application to be installed, open, and granted the required macOS permissions.

After a macOS update, restart, shutdown, or login, one or more of the following may occur:

• DisplayLink Manager may not reopen automatically.
• The DisplayLink Manager icon may be missing from the macOS menu bar.
• macOS screen recording permission may need to be confirmed again.
• An Apple silicon Mac laptop may require the Plugable device to be allowed as a USB accessory.
• A DisplayLink software update or clean reinstall may be needed if the system was recently updated.

Important Notes

• DisplayLink Manager must be running for displays connected through DisplayLink technology to work in macOS.
• Enabling Automatic app startup starts DisplayLink Manager after you log in. It does not necessarily make DisplayLink-connected displays available before login.
• If you need DisplayLink-connected displays available at the macOS login screen, DisplayLink provides a separate Login Screen Extension. DisplayLink notes that DisplayLink screens will not display the login screen when FileVault is enabled, even when the Login Screen Extension is installed.
• macOS may show a menu bar notification indicating that DisplayLink Manager is capturing the screen while a DisplayLink display is active. This is expected behavior in current macOS versions.

Troubleshooting

1. The DisplayLink Manager icon is missing from the menu bar

Open DisplayLink Manager manually from the Applications folder. Then enable Automatic app startup in the DisplayLink Manager Settings tab so the application starts after you log in.

2. DisplayLink Manager is running, but the displays are still blank

Check the macOS screen recording permission under System Settings > Privacy & Security > Screen & System Audio Recording. Make sure DisplayLink Manager is enabled, then select Quit & Reopen if macOS prompts for it.

3. The Mac asks whether to allow the accessory to connect

Select Allow. If the prompt was missed or Don’t Allow was selected, disconnect the Plugable device, reconnect it, and allow the accessory when prompted. You can also review the Allow accessories to connect setting under System Settings > Privacy & Security.

4. The displays stopped after a macOS update and these steps did not resolve the issue

Recommend perform a clean reinstall of DisplayLink Manager. Plugable's current DisplayLink Manager installation guide is available here: DisplayLink Manager App Installation Instructions for macOS 26 Tahoe, macOS 15 Sequoia, and macOS 14 Sonoma.

5. A message says the screens have been stopped by the system

On macOS 15 Sequoia and later, DisplayLink notes that macOS may stop DisplayLink screen streaming if available disk space falls below a required threshold. Free additional disk space, restart the Mac, and try the DisplayLink-connected displays again.

6. The Plugable device is not detected by DisplayLink Manager

Disconnect all cables from the Plugable device, reconnect power if the device uses an external power adapter, and then reconnect the USB cable to the Mac. If possible, test a different USB port, a different USB cable, and another computer. Also confirm that macOS has allowed the accessory to connect and that the DisplayLink Manager App is running.

Need Assistance?

If the displays still do not work after completing the steps above, Plugable Support will be happy to help.

Please contact us at support@plugable.com

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.

The Windows Firewall may block some networking features when the local network is not set to Private.  This article will describe the process for setting the local network, either wired Ethernet or Wi-Fi to be a Private network.

Windows 11

1 - Connect the computer to the network, either wired or wireless

2 - Open the Windows Settings: right-click on the Start Menu and select Settings from the pop-up menu

3 - On the left column select Network & internet

For Wired Networks

4 - Select the Ethernet option

5 - The connected network should be expanded, if not click on Network Connected to expand the section

6 - Select the Network profile type either Public network or Private network to suite your needs

For Wi-Fi Networks

4 - Select the Wi-Fi option

5 - Select your Wi-Fi network name properties

6 - Select the Network profile type either Public network or Private network to suite your needs

Windows 10

1 - Connect the computer to the network, either wired or wireless

2 - Open the Windows Settings - right-click on the Start Menu and select Settings from the pop-up menu

3 - Select Network & Internet fro the bottom section

4 - Select the Ethernet option from the left pane

5 - Select the Connected network from the right pane

6 - Select the Network profile type either Public network or Private network to suite your needs

Windows PowerShell

If the option does not show up in the Windows Settings GUI, for example if the network is not connected to the internet, or if you prefer to use the terminal.

1 - Open a new terminal: Right-click on the Start Menu and select Terminal 

2 - Run the following command to list the available networks

Get-NetConnectionProfile

PS C:\Users\plugable> Get-NetConnectionProfile
Name                     : Network
InterfaceAlias           : Ethernet Instance 0
InterfaceIndex           : 7
NetworkCategory          : Private
DomainAuthenticationKind : None
IPv4Connectivity         : Internet
IPv6Connectivity         : NoTraffic

3 - Run the following command to set the network to Private

Set-NetConnectionProfile -Name Network -NetworkCategory Private

Where Network is the network name from step #2 and Private can be either Public or Private

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

 A common question we receive is whether it is okay to use a dock or hub that provides different wattage compared to the power adapter included with the laptop, especially if the dock or hub provides less power than the OEM charger. Short answer: for most use cases, it’s fine! And when using standards-compliant docks, hubs, and chargers like those from Plugable, it’s always safe.

When considering whether a dock or hub has enough power to charge a host, it is helpful to understand how little power is consumed most of the time you’re using your system.

Some details why 60W charging is more than sufficient for typical workloads:

All laptops will come with a power supply directly from the manufacturer. This power supply usually supports the maximum charging rate that the host can support (45W, 60W, 100W, 140W, etc.). However, modern systems are designed to be power efficient while managing their power consumption dynamically, typically using just a fraction of their maximum power draw under typical workloads. Additionally, to preserve battery longevity, most devices will reduce charging rate even when a higher wattage charger is connected. Note that Gaming or Workstation laptops, typically including 180W+ power adapters, may have special power requirements.

Even during high-power tasks such as video editing, hosts may only pull greater than 60W for brief periods of time. In these instances, you may notice the battery charges slower, or in some cases even slowly discharges. This is not indicative of a faulty power supply or a problem, just a difference in power consumption vs power delivery.

In some cases, for laptops that can charge at higher than 60W over USB-C, it can take longer for the 60W charger to fully charge a host from 0-100% than a 100W charger for example. However, this is usually only relevant for the first 50 or so percent, as the host limits the charging rate exponentially as the battery gets closer to being fully charged. In the 80-100% range, laptops are typically charging at less than 15W. This means that in a configuration where you are connected to the power adapter for long periods of time, like an entire work day, the 60W charger will be functionally identical to a higher wattage power adapter.

Windows laptops – particularly those from Dell, HP, or Lenovo –  may send pop-ups in the OS or messages on boot warning you about a lower charging rate. The messages could be similar to the following:

• “You have plugged in a lower wattage power adapter, USB-C charging device, or power pass-through device. Your system will continue to work, but may not perform at its peak.”
• “Weak charging state, please check power charger.”
• “The AC power adapter wattage and type cannot be determined. The battery may not charge. The system will adjust the performance to match the power available.”
• “The connected AC adapter has a lower wattage than the recommended model – Please connect the AC adapter which was shipped with the system for best system performance”
• “For full performance, connect a higher power adapter”

Despite these warnings, most business and consumer laptops will indeed continue to charge with a lower wattage charger connected, and the messages can often be disabled in your laptop’s BIOS settings.

All this to say that in most use cases, the differences between 60W and higher wattage chargers are minimal, and 60W charging is likely enough to charge most laptops!
 

Plugable SKUs that feature 60W charging: TBT4-HUB3C, USB4-HUB3A, TBT3-UDC1, UD-MSTH2, UD-MSTHDC, USBC-PS-60W

What is Alt Mode, and how does it work?

USB-C is a truly versatile connection that supports a range of functions, including power delivery, data transfer, and video. Alt Mode leverages this versatility by repurposing high-speed data pins to enable alternative video data protocols. Many of our docking stations support this protocol, but there is a catch! To take advantage of this feature, your host system must support Alt Mode via the host USB-C port and controller. If the host system and device support Alt Mode, the USB-C ports automatically switch from its default data protocol to the required Alt Mode protocol for video. 

How do I determine if my system supports Alt Mode?

Reviewing your manufacturer's system specifications or user manual is the easiest way to determine if your system supports Alt Mode via the USB-C port, but unfortunately, it’s not always consistent or straightforward. Below, we have included examples of how some system manufacturers mention the capabilities of the USB-C ports on their laptops. This information will usually be included in the user manuals or system specification sheets.

Please note that mention of DisplayPort or DP 1.2, 1,4, and 2.1 indicates Alt Mode support.

Lenovo

HP

Dell

Additionally, some manufacturers, but not all, will also include a DP symbol next to the port to illustrate its ability to support video. If your USB-C port is unmarked, check your user manual or consult the system specifications. 

What about Thunderbolt 4 and USB4?

Unlike earlier iterations of USB-C, which use Alt Mode for video support, USB4 and Thunderbolt 4 primarily use video tunnelling to transmit video over the USB-C connection. Video tunnelling dynamically allocates bandwidth for video and data to ensure optimized performance. If a device does not fully support video tunnelling, your Thunderbolt 4 or USB4-capable system can fall back to Alt Mode, ensuring compatibility with devices that support Alt Mode for video. So you don’t have to worry about a Thunderbolt or USB4 connection supporting USB-C Alt Mode!

Troubleshooting For Alt Mode 

When using a USB-C video cable, adapter, docking station, or hub, it's important to ensure that your laptop supports Alt Mode. If you encounter any issues, the following steps can help you troubleshoot and determine why video may not be working through your USB-C Alt Mode cable or device.

1. First and foremost, check to ensure that your system supports Alt Mode. This is vital as Alt Mode is an optional feature that not all manufacturers include on their systems.
   1. If your system does not support Alt Mode, unfortunately, this is a hardware limitation, and there is no workaround for achieving Alt Mode compatibility. However, it’s possible to still drive external monitors through DisplayLink.
2. Reboot your system and perform a power reset on your docking station or hub (if applicable)
3. If you are using a docking station, ensure that you are using a USB-C cable that supports Alt Mode. 
   1. Not all cables are created equal—USB-C cables that support USB 2.0 only or “charging only” cables are not built to support video. To ensure compatibility, all of our Alt Mode-capable products will come with a USB-C cable that supports this feature.
   2. Do not use USB-C to USB-A adapters, as they are not designed to support video transmission.
4. Be sure to check your operating system's display settings. The connected display can sometimes be disabled within the display settings, or the resolution and refresh may need to be adjusted to match what your device or display can support.
5. Check if your Alt Mode-capable device has any firmware updates listed specifically for Alt Mode.
6. Ensure that your system is up to date with all its latest drivers, firmware, and BIOS, especially your USB and internal graphics controller. Outdated drivers can often lead to connectivity issues, and at times, a BIOS update is needed, which the system manufacturer will generally mention on their official support page.
7. Check BIOS and UEFI settings; some manufacturers add settings that control USB-C functionality. Ensure that your settings are enabled and correctly configured for Alt Mode.
8. Test out another USB-C port on your system if you have more than one. This is beneficial in determining if the issues are related to the specific port.

Benefits of USB-C Alt Mode

Alt Mode over USB-C provides a direct connection to the GPU, allowing you to take advantage of the capabilities of your built-in GPU. This ensures native-level performance without the need for extra software or drivers. As a result, your USB-C Alt Mode-connected display will have reduced latency compared to other methods of adding additional displays, making it perfect for users who require sharp and detailed visuals at optimal refresh rates. Unlike traditional video connectors like HDMI or DisplayPort, which only support video, a USB-C connection with Alt Mode is more flexible and multifunctional, allowing a single connection to carry video, data, and power delivery.

Alt Mode supported devices from Plugable

If your system supports Alt Mode or if you are looking to get more out of your laptop, especially Apple M1, M2, or M3 base chipsets (which are limited to one external display), we have compiled some options below that utilize Alt Mode or a combination of Alt Mode and DisplayLink for even more monitor expandability.

Plugable USB-C Docking Station with HDMI, 60W Laptop Charging
SKU: UD-CA1A

The UD-CA1A is a versatile docking station that enables you to connect a 4K HDMI display via Alt Mode. In addition, it comes equipped with high-speed Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 ports, 3.5mm jacks for headphones and microphone, and will provide 60W of power delivery to your host device—all via a single USB-C port. It is compatible with macOS, Windows, ChromeOS, Linux, iOS, and iPadOS, making it the ideal solution for any setup. You can enjoy seamless plug-and-play functionality and save space with its sleek vertical design or lay it flat for a more subtle look.  

Plugable USB-C 7-in-1 Hub with Ethernet
SKU: USBC-7IN1E  

The USBC-7IN1E instantly transforms a single USB-C with Alt Mode or Thunderbolt port into a versatile hub featuring 2x USB 3.0 ports, a 4K HDMI output, Gigabit Ethernet, and SD and microSD card readers. For hosts that support Power Delivery over USB-C, this hub also supports 100W PD passthrough, allowing you to plug in your included USB-C power adapter to further simplify your setup for greater portable productivity.

The products mentioned above demonstrate the versatility of a single USB-C connection. Plugable offers a wide range of solutions to meet your needs. Whether you are looking for a full-featured docking station that utilizes DisplayLink and USB-C Alt mode, such as our UD-ULTC4K, or a USB-C cable that supports video, data, and charging, like our USBC-240W-1M, you can rest assured that we have you covered. If you have any questions or need help building a solution that takes full advantage of your laptop's USB-C connection, please reach out to us at support@plugable.com.

Base MacBook Air and MacBook Pro systems with M3 chips can natively host two external displays in clamshell mode when running macOS Sonoma 14.3 or 14.6 respectively. Connect your external displays, a power source, and an external keyboard and mouse, then close the laptop lid to switch to this mode. Plugable Thunderbolt docks can also be used to expand connectivity with dual displays, USB ports, audio, and ethernet without requiring additional software.

Requirements

Before getting started, ensure you have the following:

• MacBook Air or MacBook Pro with an Apple M3 chip.
• macOS Sonoma 14.3 or later for an M3 MacBook Air or macOS Sonoma 14.6 or later for an M3 MacBook Pro.
• Two external displays with compatible video inputs (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C).
  • A dock or graphics adapter can be used as well.
• External keyboard and mouse (wired or wireless).
• Power adapter or power source for your MacBook
  • A docking station that provides adequate charge can be used in place of the native power adapter, be sure to check the wattage your dock provides.

How to Set Up Dual External Displays With the Lid Closed

1. Set Up Your External Keyboard and Mouse
   1. If you’re using a wired keyboard and mouse, connect them directly to your MacBook or Plugable dock.
   2. For wireless peripherals, ensure they are paired with your MacBook and functioning properly.
       
2. Ensure the MacBook is charging from an external power source to prevent it from entering sleep mode.
   1. A docking station that provides adequate charge can be used in place of the native power adapter, be sure to check the wattage your dock provides.
       
3. Connect your displays through the Plugable dock using the appropriate cable (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, etc.)
    
4. Ensure both displays are powered on and set to the correct input source.
    
5. Enable "Clamshell Mode" (Lid Closed Mode)
   1. With your external displays connected and set up, close the lid of your MacBook.
   2. Your MacBook will automatically switch to "Clamshell Mode," where the internal display turns off, and the external displays become your primary screens.
       
6. Configure Display Settings
   1. Open System Settings on your MacBook.
   2. Go to Displays.
   3. You should see both external displays listed. Arrange them according to your preference by dragging the display icons.
   4. Adjust the resolution, refresh rate, and other settings as needed.

5. Check the Display Arrangement

• With the lid closed, check that the external displays are functioning as expected.
• If necessary, re-open the Displays settings to adjust the arrangement, resolution, or other preferences.

Troubleshooting Tips

• No Display on External Monitors: If the external displays are not showing anything, open the lid of your MacBook and check the connections.
• MacBook Sleeps When Lid Is Closed: Make sure your MacBook is connected to a power adapter. Clamshell Mode requires the MacBook to be plugged into an external power source.
• Performance Issues: If you experience lag or performance drops, try lowering the resolution or refresh rate of the external displays.

Applicable To

• Plugable Thunderbolt Docking Stations

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/)

USB-C Power Delivery (PD) is negotiated between the power-sourcing equipment (e.g., a dock or multiport hub) and the connected host device. During this negotiation, the device offering power communicates its capabilities, and the host determines whether it can accept the power. If the host does not support Power Delivery, no power will be sent to the computer over the USB-C connection. This will allow you to take advantage of other capabilities such as data transfer or video output without risking damage to the computer.

Extra displays can be added to your docking station by using USB graphics adapters. This allows you to expand your workspace beyond the number of displays natively supported by your dock or computer.

Here’s how it works:

1. Ensure your dock has open USB-A or USB-C ports to connect the USB graphics adapter(s).
2. Select a Plugable USB graphics adapter compatible with your operating system and monitor specifications. Feel free to contact Plugable support (support@plugable.com) for assistance in selecting the appropriate adapter for your setup.
3. Download and install the driver from the "Downloads" section of the product page for the USB graphics adapter on Plugable's website.
4. Plug the adapter into an available USB port on your docking station. 
5. Use an appropriate video cable (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort) to connect the adapter to your monitor.

Important Considerations:

• Windows supports up to 8 DisplayLink/SiliconMotion-based monitors. 
• macOS has a hard limit of 4 DisplayLink/SiliconMotion-based monitors.
• USB graphics adapters use bandwidth and system resources. Connecting multiple adapters can reduce performance.

Alt Mode video works by creating a direct pipeline from the host device's graphics processor through USB-C to the dock to output video to connected displays. This relies on the host device's graphics processor, the host device's USB-C port, and the cable used to connect the dock supporting this specific functionality.

It's recommended to check these possible causes if the Alt Mode video output on your dock is not working:

• USB-C Port Limitations: Not all USB-C ports support video output (Alt Mode). Check your host device's specifications to confirm it supports Alt Mode video output.
• Incompatible USB-C Cable: Some USB-C cables support power and data, but not Alt Mode video. Use the USB-C cable that was originally included in the box with your dock to ensure it supports Alt Mode video output. 
• Incorrect Host Connection: Ensure you’re connecting to the correct USB-C port on the dock, typically labeled a laptop icon. Other USB-C ports on the dock may not function for connecting the dock to a host device, and using them could result in no function.
• Outdated Drivers: Ensure your operating system and graphics drivers are up to date. USB-C Alt Mode primarily relies on the laptops graphics processor to produce video, so outdated drivers can often cause issues.

Why the Alt Mode Video Output Requires Specific Hardware

For many Plugable docking stations that utilize Alt Mode, the video output port is etched with "Alt Mode" to indicate this specific requirement. This connection type is not a standard USB data stream and requires the host laptop's USB-C port to be wired internally for DisplayPort Alternate Mode.

Workaround or Alternative Options

If your laptop does not support Alt Mode, consider using a DisplayLink docking station or USB graphics adapters to add additional monitors. These solutions use a driver-based approach that does not rely on the host's physical Alt Mode capabilities.

Applicable To

UD-768PDZ, UDS-7IN1, UD-CUBE, UD-CAM, UD-CA1A, UD-MSTHDC, UD-MSTH2, UD-6950PDZ, UD-ULTC4K, UD-ULTCDL, UD-3900PDZ, UD-3900PDH, UD-3900C4, UD-4VPD, TBT3-UDZ, TBT3-UDC3, UD-7400PD, TBT4-UDX1, TBT4-UD5, TBT-UDM, TBT-UDT3, TBT-6950PD, TBT4-UDZ

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.

Plugable recommends and supports using only the external power adapter originally included in the box with a Plugable product to power the device.

Plugable does NOT recommend or support using any type of alternate or 3rd-party power adapters in conjunction with our products that originally included a power adapter in the box.

This is because 3rd-party power adapters may not work as expected, and in some cases can potentially cause damage to the Plugable product.

Should you require a replacement for an original Plugable provided power adapter, Plugable offers a multitude of power adapters for purchase separately → LINK

Please also note, this provision does NOT apply to Plugable products that do NOT originally include a power adapter in the box with the product.

For example, the PS-10CC → LINK does not include a power adapter in the box with the product. The intention with the PS-10CC (and other similar products like the USBC-9IN1E → LINK) is to use a USB Type-C power adapter that supports USB Power Delivery that you already have in conjunction with the product. 

This works because USB Power Delivery is an industry standard. Products that support USB Power Delivery are intended to work with a variety of different USB Type-C power adapters that support the USB Power Delivery standard. 
 

Apple's macOS Network Settings can identify the network link rate - this isn't necessarily the Internet speed, but the link rate negotiated between the computer's Ethernet adapter and the first network switch.

How is the link rate helpful?

When troubleshooting a network performance issue, or when purchasing new network equipment it can help to ensure the computer, Ethernet adapter, and Ethernet switch are negotiating the correct data rate.

In this example, we will be analyzing our USBC-E2500, which is a 2.5Gbps Ethernet adapter. This method applies to all of our Ethernet adapters, such as:

• USB3-E1000
• USBC-E1000
• USBC-E2500
• USBC-E2500PD
• USBC-E5000

Open the Apple Menu and select System Settings from the drop-down menu, then Network from the left column. Select the entry named “USB 10/100/1G/2.5G LAN” with the Green - Connected icon. Expand the Details button, and go to Hardware.

In the field that says Speed, you should see 2500Base-T if the Ethernet adapter is connected to a 2.5G Ethernet LAN port on your router. If you see 1000Base-T, this means the adapter is connected to a 1G Ethernet LAN port. If you are expecting faster network speeds, please see your router's documentation on its multi-gig LAN port.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

At Plugable, we rigorously test our docking stations with the included accessories to ensure they work seamlessly together. One key reason for using the included cable is that not all USB Type-C cables on the market support the same features. Therefore we strongly recommend using the USB Type-C or Thunderbolt cable that comes with your Plugable dock for best results.

Understanding the differences between charging and data cables is essential to fully enable your new docking station, or if you are ever in need of a replacement or longer cable for your docking station. Let’s break it down.

USB Type-C Cables: Charging vs. Data

USB Type-C cables may look identical, but their capabilities can vary significantly. Unfortunately, the USB specifications do not require cables to be clearly labeled, which can make identifying the right cable a challenge.

There are two main categories:

USB Type-C Charging Cables

Charging cables are among the most common Type-C cables available. They typically support:
✔ USB 2.0 data (up to 480Mbps)
✔ USB Power Delivery for charging devices

These cables are often included with smartphones, tablets, and some laptops. They are also frequently sold specifically for charging purposes. However, they lack the necessary conductors for high-speed data transfer and video output.

Fully Featured USB Type-C Cables

Fully featured USB Type-C cables offer full functionality and are required for docking stations. The cables we include with our USB Type-C docks support:
✔ USB4 or USB 3.0/3.1 data (5Gbps or faster)
✔ USB 2.0 data
✔ USB Power Delivery
✔ USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode for video output

These cables ensure full compatibility with our docking stations, allowing for both high-speed data transfer and external display support.

Thunderbolt Data Cables

Thunderbolt cables are a specialized subset of USB Type-C data cables. They are Intel-certified and typically marked with the Thunderbolt logo (⚡).

✔ Interchangeable with USB Type-C data cables when using USB 3.x devices
✔ Required for Thunderbolt devices to ensure proper functionality

If you're using a Thunderbolt docking station or device, a certified Thunderbolt cable is essential for maximum performance.

What Makes These Cables Different?

The key difference lies in the internal wiring:

🚫 Charging cables lack the conductors required for high-speed data (USB 5Gbps or higher) and video output. Even if a device supports USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, a charging cable won’t transmit video.

✅ Data cables include additional wiring to support higher data rates, video output, and greater flexibility in bandwidth allocation.

How Can I Tell the Difference?

🔎 Charging cables are generally thinner and may have smaller connector grips, as they often lack electronic markers. They are typically advertised as:

• "Charging cable"
• "480Mbps data rate"
• Advertised primarily for phones and tablets, not laptops

🔎 Data cables are usually thicker and slightly more expensive due to their additional complexity. Look for statements such as:

• "USB 3.0/3.1," "USB4," or "Thunderbolt"
• "5Gbps" or faster data rates
• Mention of video support for use with external displays

⚠ Cable Length Matters!
Fully featured data cables are typically limited to 1 meter (3.3 feet) to comply with USB Type-C specifications. Charging cables, on the other hand, can be much longer.

Need a Longer or Replacement Cable?

If you need a replacement or a longer cable for your USB Type-C or Thunderbolt docking station, consider these options:

For USB 3.1/3.2 Type-C Docking Stations:

🔗 USB Type-C 10Gbps 1m (3.3ft) Cable

For Thunderbolt & USB4, and USB 3 Type-C Docking Stations:

🔗 Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps 1m (3.3ft) Cable
🔗 Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps 0.8m (3ft) 90° Right-Angle Cable
🔗 Thunderbolt 4 40Gbps 2m (6.6ft) Cable

Note: The USB Type-C 10Gbps cable is only recommended for USB 3.x docking stations, not Thunderbolt docks.

macOS requires the "Screen Recording" permission to be enabled for DisplayLink Manager in order to function. While no actual recording or observation occurs, macOS interprets the DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter as actively "observing" the screen.

By default, macOS suppresses notifications when the screen is being "shared." This means that when a DisplayLink-based product is in use, notifications may not appear.

How to enable notifications while using a DisplayLink-based product:

1. Open System Settings on your Mac.
2. Go to Notifications on the left side of the window
3. Click the toggle to enable Allow notifications when mirroring or sharing the display.

This will allow notifications to appear as usual while your DisplayLink-based docking station or USB graphics adapter is connected. Note: this also enables notifications to appear when the screen is being shared or observed.

Plugable does not officially support automatic or automated MAC address pass-through functionality from the host computer. As of this writing, the only exception is the UD-7400PD docking station which natively supports this capability and is discussed in more detail here → LINK

How to Approximate MAC Address Pass-Through in Windows

When our docking station products are used within a Windows environment, MAC address pass-through behavior can be approximated, though Plugable does not officially support these solutions. The specific method depends on the Ethernet network chipset used within the product, which is listed in the 'Specifications' tab of the docking station's product page.

For DisplayLink-based Ethernet network adapters, you can manually enter a hexadecimal value in the 'MAC Address' field within the adapter's 'Advanced' settings tab within Windows Device Manager will override the MAC address stored in the Ethernet chipset (in so far as it is presented to the Windows operating system).

For products based on Realtek, Intel, and ASIX Ethernet network chipsets, a virtual MAC address can be manually configured in a similar manner within Device Manager, but the option name will vary. For Intel Ethernet chipsets, the option is called 'Locally Administered Address', and for Realtek Ethernet chipsets, the option is called 'Network Address'.

Manually entering this value overrides the MAC address presented to the Windows operating system but does not change the physical MAC address stored within the dock itself.

Alternative Options for DisplayLink Docks

Synaptics, the creator of DisplayLink technology, offers additional options for configuring a DisplayLink-based MAC address. Some of these options provide a certain level of automation, while others require manual inputs. The available options are outlined within the DisplayLink Corporate Deployment knowledge base → LINK and the article specific to the topic is here → LINK

Because Synaptics develops the DisplayLink technology and software, it is Synaptics that supports these Corporate Deployment options directly, and you should contact DisplayLink directly for further assistance regarding these methods.

Applicable To

• Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations
• Plugable docking stations with Realtek, Intel, or ASIX Ethernet chipsets
   

Applicable To

Plugable DisplayLink-based docking stations and USB graphics adapters.

Summary

Various factors, such as connection quality, USB bandwidth, driver versions, and display settings, can cause displays connected via DisplayLink to run slowly or perform sub-optimally. The details below highlight some common causes of poor performance, but this is not an exhaustive list. If you are experiencing sub-optimal performance, try the following steps as a starting point.

Instructions

1. Ensure you are using the original detachable host cable that came with your Plugable product, as third-party cables may lack the necessary speed or quality.
2. Plug your DisplayLink device into a USB port on your computer that matches its required speed. The required USB speed for each Plugable product is listed as the Version and Link Rate in the Connection to Host section of the product specifications on Plugable’s website.
3. Ensure that you have installed the latest DisplayLink driver from Plugable's website. While Windows Update can provide DisplayLink drivers automatically, they may not always be the latest version. If your driver was installed some time ago, a newer version that includes performance optimizations may be available.
   • The latest DisplayLink drivers are available on the Downloads tab of the product page for your Plugable product, or at www.plugable.com/displaylink 
   • It’s recommended that you update the DisplayLink driver through a “clean” reinstallation. This involves removing the existing driver from the system using a specialized cleaning tool from Synaptics before installing the updated driver.
     • Windows Clean Reinstallation steps can be found here.
     • macOS Clean Reinstallation steps can be found here.
4. Adjust your connected display refresh rates to a maximum of 60Hz within your operating system's display settings (via Display Settings in Windows or System Settings in macOS) to avoid reduced performance.
   
   While other refresh rates may appear as options in your operating system, selecting them may lead to reduced performance. We recommend keeping refresh rates for connected displays set to 60Hz.
   
   How to Change Display Refresh Rates in Windows:
   1. Right-click on the desktop and select Display settings.
   2. Select the display you want to adjust from the display arrangement diagram at the top of the window.
   3. Click Advanced display settings.
   4. Under Refresh rate select 60Hz from the dropdown menu.
   5. A prompt will appear asking if you want to save the setting change. Select Keep changes
      
      

How to Change Display Refresh Rates in macOS:

1. Click on the Apple menu and select System Settings.
2. Click Displays in the sidebar.
3. Select the display you want to adjust from the available options.
4. Click the Refresh Rate dropdown and select 60Hz.
   
   
5. Connect your laptop to a dedicated power supply if your dock does not support USB-C Power Delivery, as running on battery power can throttle CPU performance.
6. Update your system's BIOS, graphics drivers, and operating system to the latest versions provided by the manufacturer.
7. Keep static content like documents or emails on your DisplayLink-powered screens, and reserve dynamic applications like video games or CAD software for displays connected directly to your system's native graphics output.

Expected Result

Your external monitors connected to the DisplayLink-based device should run smoothly without latency or lagging performance during standard productivity tasks.

If the Issue Persists

If your DisplayLink-based displays are still performing poorly after completing these steps, please reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com for further assistance.

Power Delivery (PD) docking stations use their own included power adapter to directly charge your connected laptop while simultaneously powering peripherals. In contrast, Pass-Through Power Delivery hubs do not generate their own power; they require you to plug a separate charger (like your laptop's original power adapter) into the hub, which then passes the power through to your computer.

How Power Delivery (PD) Works

USB Power Delivery (PD) is a fast-charging standard that allows devices to dynamically negotiate power levels to ensure efficient charging. Docking stations with dedicated PD support come with their own AC to DC power adapter, enabling high power transfer directly to laptops, tablets, and smartphones. An example is the Plugable UD-7400PD, which provides its own power to deliver up to 140W of charge to the host while supporting five external displays.

How Pass-Through Power Delivery Works

A hub with pass-through charging relies entirely on an external USB-C power adapter (such as your laptop's original USB-C PD charger) being plugged directly into it. The hub allocates a portion of this incoming power (typically around 7.5W to 15W) to run its own functionality (like data transfer and peripheral connections) and sends the remaining power to the connected laptop. Because of this operating requirement, the total wattage reaching the laptop will be slightly reduced compared to plugging the charger directly into the computer. Examples include the Plugable USBC-9IN1E (up to 140W pass-through) and the USBC-4IN1 (up to 100W pass-through).

How to Choose the Right Option

If you need an all-in-one docking station that can directly charge your laptop without needing extra cables, look for one with dedicated Power Delivery support. If your laptop already has a high-wattage charger and you want to maintain power while expanding connectivity (often ideal for portable setups), a pass-through PD hub may be a better choice. If you have any questions or would like a recommendation for your specific setup, feel free to reach out to our support team at support@plugable.com.

Applicable To

USB-C and Thunderbolt docking stations or hubs with PD

The UD-6950PDZ docking station can drive up to a maximum of three external displays using a combination of two different graphics technologies.

Display 1: USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode

The docking station provides three labeled pairs of HDMI and DisplayPort outputs, Display 1 is controlled directly by the computer's internal graphics controller, via USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode, or "Alt-Mode" for short. This enables the docking station to support a single HDMI or DisplayPort display up to 4K UHD resolution at 30Hz or 60Hz refresh rate depending on the system's graphics capabilities.

Display 2 & 3: DisplayLink USB Graphics Technology

The Display 2 and Display 3 are controlled by DisplayLink USB Graphics technology — a combination of the DisplayLink software on the computer and DisplayLink DL-6950 chipset in the docking station. These ports can each support a single 4K UHD display at up to 60Hz refresh rate.

DisplayLink requires installing the DisplayLink drivers for Windows or DisplayLink Manager for macOS. Both are available from our DisplayLink Driver Download Page. Detailed macOS installation and configuration instructions are available by clicking on the INFO button.

System Compatibility

This docking station is compatible with modern notebook computers with USB Type-C Multi-Function DisplayPort enabled ports. This includes Apple MacBook system with M-Series processors (M1, M2, etc) as well as many Windows notebook computers, however some computers may not include USB Type-C with DisplayPort output, like desktops, or some inexpensive notebook computers.

Note - Not all computers with USB Type-C ports support USB Type-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode to enable the Display 1 output on this docking station. Most Desktop computers, and older notebooks do not support this feature. If you would like to confirm compatibility please contact our support team via email at support@plugable.com and we will be happy to help!

If you're using a DisplayLink-based Plugable product (dock or graphics adapter) with your Mac, you might encounter an issue where your external monitors remain blank. This can occur even though the DisplayLink Manager app is actively running. Additionally, the displays may not appear in your macOS Display Settings. A common cause is that the displays have unintentionally been "disabled" within the DisplayLink Manager.

How to fix it:

DisplayLink Manager 1.12 or later

1. Click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in your macOS menu bar at the top of your screen: 
   
2. Select the Displays tab
3. Ensure the toggle next to each display is set to the On position: 
   
4. Once toggled on, your external monitors should immediately become active and appear in your macOS Display Settings.

DisplayLink Manager 1.11 or earlier

1. Click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in your macOS menu bar at the top of your screen: 
   
2. Locate your connected displays listed here, and ensure the toggle next to each display is set to the On position: 
   
3. Once toggled on, your external monitors should immediately become active and appear in your macOS Display Settings.

In February 2025, Plugable introduced an updated version of the UD-6950PDZ USB Type-C Triple 4K Display Docking Station that supports 100W USB Power Delivery (PD) to power and charge the connected host computer. Units sold before this change over supported 60W PD.

In this update the overall product design and model number remained the same, with only the docking station's Power Delivery capability upgraded to support a wider range of computers.

Why did I receive a dock labeled 60W?

When the 100W version was introduced we did our best to ensure that stock levels at major retailers were already low or empty before making the change over, however some retailers may have had back stock of 60W units unknown to us.

We understand this can be frustrating — especially if you were expecting the newer 100W version. If you received a unit labeled 60W purchased after January 2025 and would like to get it exchanged for the 100W version please contact our support team with your order information. We're happy to work with you to ensure you receive the product you purchased.

What's different between the two versions?

The only difference is the change from 60W Power Delivery to 100W Power Delivery.

• 60W Version: Delivers up to 60W to the host laptop — effectively replacing a notebook's original USB Type-C power adapter rated up to 65W
• 60W Version: Includes a 100W Power Supply
• 100W Version: Delivers up to 100W to the host laptop — effectively replacing a notebook's original USB Type-C power adapter rated up to 100W
• 100W Version: Includes a 135W Power Supply

All other features, ports, and performance remain the same. No drivers or setup changes are needed to use the updated docking station — your laptop will automatically negotiate the correct power level.

How do I tell which version I have?

The wattage is labeled on the top of the box just below the product description.

The USB Type-C port on the rear of the docking station will be labeled either 60W or 100W.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

Here are a few things that you can do when contacting Plugable for assistance that can help expedite the process:

1. Provide a clear, detailed description of the issue, and if possible the steps necessary to recreate it

At first glance this may appear somewhat obvious, however a clear detailed description will help prevent our support engineers from making any incorrect assumptions.

If the unexpected behavior is repeatable, then a list of the steps necessary to recreate the issue will help provide us with important context.

2. Provide the model number of your Plugable product

All Plugable brand products have their model number or ‘stock keeping unit’ (aka SKU) printed somewhere on the product.  For example, ‘UD-3900’ or ‘TBT4-UDZ’

When contacting us for assistance, providing the model number will help us route your request to the appropriate support engineer.

3. Provide the purchase information for your Plugable product, such as the Amazon Order ID number

Providing us with the order information for your purchase allows us to do two things:

A. Be sure that we understand precisely which product you are using (we make a lot of different products)

B. Help confirm the unit’s warranty status.

4. Provide us with a diagnostic file from your computer, gathered when the issue is actively occurring or just after the event

Rather than have our customers manually compile and provide information about their computer, we created the PlugDebug utility which automates the process of collecting various pieces of diagnostic information from both Windows and macOS systems. 

A PlugDebug file gathered while the issue is occurring (or just after the issue has occurred) will provide important information that will allow us to help troubleshoot the issue.

5. If possible, photographs or a video of the issue

While not always necessary, in some cases having photographs of the problem and/or a video that documents the issue will allow us to ‘see’ what is happening, which in turn may help provide clues to the cause.

Now, to be clear it is not always necessary (nor is it required) to provide all of the information we described above in order for us to be of help.  However, the more information we have available the faster are able to help. 

As always, if you require assistance with a Plugable product please reach out to us directly via support@plugable.com and we will be happy to assist.

Introduction

At Plugable, we make a lot of different products that can help make your computing efforts more efficient and productive.

Many of those products (such as our extensive line of docking stations → LINK) require an external power adapter in order to function.

In the course of helping our customers, we often receive questions in regard to what type of power adapter is included with the product and how those power adapters can be used in different parts of the world.

This knowledge base article will help answer those questions.

Power Adapter Types

To put it simply, in general there are two types of power adapters included with a Plugable product.

WALL PLUG

The first type is typically referred to as a ‘wall plug’ or in some cases as a ‘wall wart’ due to its size being larger than that of a standard electrical plug.

This is a small AC to DC power adapter that is completely self contained and plugs directly into an electrical power outlet.

For example, here are photos of the ‘wall plug’ included in the box with the Plugable UD-6950Z docking station.

UD-6950Z U.S. Style Wall Plug Power Adapter:

UD-6950Z U.S Style Wall Plug Power Adapter with Prong removed:

Most ‘wall plug’ style power adapters included with Plugable products support all of the electrical voltages and electrical frequencies used throughout the world.

Note, you can double-check the specifications by looking at the label printed on the wall plug power adapter, or by reviewing the ‘Power’ specifications located on each Plugable product page.

However, the electrical ‘prong’ (the small plastic piece that provides the blades that insert into the electrical power outlet) included with the wall plug will only be for the country in which the product was sold.

To put that another way and using the aforementioned UD-6950Z as an example, if the UD-6950Z is purchased from Amazon.com within the United States, the electrical prong included with the wall plug power adapter will be for a United States style power outlet only.

If the wall plug power adapter needs to be used in a different part of the world, a small inexpensive ‘travel style’ adapter that converts the United States style plug to the local plug type is required.  

POWER ADAPTER BRICK

The second type is typically referred to simply as a ‘power adapter’ or by some as a ‘power adapter brick’.

The power adapter is a combination of two separate components. One component is the power adapter itself, which is typically rectangular in shape and why some people refer to it as a ‘brick’.

The second component is the power cable that connects to the power brick. This cable has an electrical wall plug on one end and an industry standard connector on the opposite end.

Looking at two different example power adapters will allow us to expand further.

Let’s look at the power adapter and power cable for our TBT4-UDZ Thunderbolt 4 docking station:

Within the power adapter brick, there is a female inlet:

On one end of the power cable, there is an electrical wall plug.

On the opposite end of the power cable, there is a male connector.  This connector will be inserted into the power brick.

There is an international standard that governs the shapes and sizes of the connectors in use, specifically IEC 60320 → LINK

In this example, the male connector on the end of the power cable is known as a ‘C5’ connector:

In this example, the female inlet is known as a ‘C6’ connector.

Some refer to this type of connection as a ‘Mickey Mouse’ connection, because the overall shape of the connector visually resembles the outline of a silhouette of the cartoon character Mickey Mouse.

Now, let’s look at the power adapter and power cable for our USB4-HUB3A Thunderbolt 4 hub.

Within the power adapter brick, there is a female inlet:

On one end of the power cable, there is an electrical wall plug.

On the opposite end of the power cable, there is a male connector.  This connector will be inserted into the power brick.

Note that the shapes on the inlet and connector are different as compared to the TBT4-UDZ example we looked at previously, however as was the case before the IEC 60320 standard governs the design.

In this example, the male connector on the end of the power cable is known as a ‘C13’ connector.

In this example, the female inlet is known as a ‘C14’ connector.

While the cables are different, the benefit of both cables being based on a common standard is that replacement cables for use in different parts of the world can typically be sourced locally.

Most Plugable power adapters support the electrical frequency and electrical voltages used throughout the world.

Note, you can double-check the specifications by looking at the label printed on the wall plug power adapter, or by reviewing the ‘Power’ specifications located on each Plugable product page.

If necessary, the power cable can be replaced with a different one with the necessary wall plug in order to use the product in different parts of the world.

Note, when replacing the cable with a different one please be sure to purchase a cable from a reputable brand and that also meets the electrical specifications printed on the power adapter.

Summary

In summary, there are two different types of power adapters included with Plugable products and the power adapters support the electrical voltage and frequency used throughout the world.

However, the plug that inserts into the power outlet will be specific to the region in which the product was sold.

If a wall plug type power adapter is in use, then a ‘travel style’ adapter is needed to convert the power adapter for use in a different part of the world.

If a power adapter brick is in use, then an industry standard replacement power cable can be used to convert the power adapter brick for use in a different part of the world.

Should you have any additional questions, please reach out to us via support@plugable.com and we will be happy to assist you further. 
 

Many users assume that USB-C devices can work with older Thunderbolt 2 Macs if they use a Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, such as the one made by Apple. However, this is not the case. These adapters are specifically designed to support Thunderbolt devices only - not standard USB-C peripherals.

While Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C share the same connector type, they use different underlying data protocols. Non-Thunderbolt USB-C devices, rely on USB standards for data and power. The Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter does not carry USB signals; it only passes Thunderbolt data. Because of this, plugging a USB-C device into a Thunderbolt 2 Mac using this adapter will not work - the computer will not detect or communicate with the device.

If you need to connect peripherals to a Thunderbolt 2 system, we recommend using a USB-A dock or hub (if available on your system). This ensures compatibility without relying on unsupported adapter chains.

In short, even though the connectors may fit, USB-C devices are not compatible with Thunderbolt 2 Macs via Thunderbolt adapters - only Thunderbolt devices will work in that setup.

Yes, DisplayLink-based docking stations and USB graphics adapters can be used with desktop computers. However, for reliable performance, there's an important setup recommendation to follow.

Best Practice: Connect at Least One Monitor Directly to the Desktop

DisplayLink relies in part on your computer’s graphics processor (GPU) to function properly. On desktop systems, the GPU may not fully engage unless a display is connected directly to a native graphics output (e.g., HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA).

If no direct connection exists, DisplayLink displays may show issues such as monitors not lighting up consistently.

Why This Happens

DisplayLink compresses and transmits display data over USB, but still depends on the system GPU to render content. When no monitor is connected directly to the GPU, the system may not initialize it correctly, leading to DisplayLink driver issues.

For a full technical overview, check out our Blog post: What is DisplayLink Technology, and How Does It Work?

Check Port Compatibility

Before connecting your DisplayLink product, make sure your desktop has the appropriate ports to support it:

• USB-C docks that require DisplayPort Alt Mode (e.g., some triple-display docks) need a USB-C port with video output capability.
• USB 3.0 graphics adapters or docks should be connected to a USB 3.0 port for best performance.
• If using older USB 2.0 ports, video performance will be limited.

Check your product and computer’s specifications to confirm port type and capabilities before setup.

Recommended Setup for Desktop Use

DO:

• Connect at least one monitor directly to the desktop’s native GPU output.
• Use DisplayLink displays as additional screens for expanding your workspace.

AVOID:

• Using only DisplayLink-connected displays with no direct GPU connection.

This setup ensures your graphics hardware is active and that DisplayLink drivers can function as intended.

If your Plugable docking station isn’t charging your laptop, it’s usually due to one of a few common causes. This guide offers some diagnostic checks you can perform to help pinpoint the issue.

Check if Your Dock Supports USB-C Power Delivery

Not all docks charge laptops. Docks fall into three categories:

• Built-in Power Delivery (PD): These include an AC power adapter and can provide 60W, 85W, or 100W to your laptop. A list of Plugable docking stations with built-in Power Delivery can be found here.
• PD Passthrough: These compact docks require a separate USB-C charger plugged into the dock to pass power through to your laptop. A list of Plugable docking stations with PD Passthrough can be found here.
• Host Charging Unsupported: Some docks do not offer any host charging functionality. These are designed solely for display expansion, data, or peripherals.

Tip: Check your Plugable dock’s product specifications for Power Delivery or charging support. If no charging is listed, the dock may not charge your laptop, and the system would need to be powered separately.

Verify the Dock’s Power Source

For your dock to charge your laptop, it needs to be adequately powered itself.

Check:

• Are you using the original Plugable AC adapter for a built-in PD dock?
• For PD passthrough docks, is your USB-C charger powerful enough for your laptop?
• Are you using a reputable, certified charger - not a low-wattage third-party adapter?

Use a Compatible USB-C to USB-C Host Cable

Cable issues can be a common cause of charging problems.

Check:

• Are you using the USB-C to USB-C cable that came with your Plugable dock? This can be identified through its included cable tag.
• If not, does your replacement cable explicitly support USB PD or Thunderbolt?
• Are you accidentally using a USB-C to USB-A cable, which cannot deliver charging to laptops?
• Could the cable be data-only or rated for lower wattage?

Confirm Your Laptop Supports USB-C or Thunderbolt Charging

Even with a PD-capable dock and cable, your laptop must support charging over the USB-C or Thunderbolt port in use.

Common compatibility issues:

• Some USB-C ports are data/video-only.
• Some laptops support charging only through a specific USB-C port.
• Gaming and enterprise laptops often use proprietary power adapters.

Tip: Check your laptop’s specifications or user manual for “USB-C charging” or “Power Delivery (PD) input” support.

Try a Hard Reset

Sometimes, a failed handshake between the dock and laptop prevents charging.

To reset the connection:

1. Disconnect the dock from both your laptop and its power source.
2. Wait 30–60 seconds.
3. Reconnect power to the dock first, then reconnect it to your laptop.

This often resolves temporary communication issues that block charging.

Update Drivers and Firmware

System-level software can directly impact charging behavior - especially on newer laptops and docks.

Update:

• Your laptop’s BIOS or UEFI
• USB-C and Thunderbolt controller firmware and drivers

Tip: Visit your laptop manufacturer’s support site and search by model for the latest system updates.

Compare Power Requirements

If your laptop demands more power than the dock can supply, it may not charge - or may charge very slowly.

Check:

• What wattage does your original laptop charger provide? (Usually printed on the power adapter.)
• What is the maximum PD output your Plugable dock can provide?
• Does your laptop still slowly discharge while docked under heavy use?

Tip: For especially power-hungry laptops (like gaming or workstation models), consider connecting the laptop’s original charger along with the dock to ensure the laptop charges at full speed

Related: Overcoming Power Challenges: Efficiently Charging High-Demand Laptops While Docking

Yes, you can safely connect your laptop charger to your laptop at the same time a Plugable USB-C or Thunderbolt docking station is connected.

To expand further, all Plugable USB-C or Thunderbolt docking stations use a protocol known as USB Power Delivery (aka USB PD) in order to provide power to the host computer.

An external device using USB PD (such as a docking station) will provide power to the host computer only if the host computer requests it. 

In cases where there are two external devices that can potentially provide power connected to the laptop, the host laptop will automatically determine the preferred source of power from which to charge.

If your laptop’s power adapter provides a higher rate of power than the Plugable docking station, then the laptop will only charge from the laptop’s power adapter and the Plugable docking station will not provide any power.

For example, let’s say your Plugable docking station can provide up to 96W of power to charge the host laptop. Let’s also say that the power adapter included with your laptop can provide 140W of power.  

In this specific case, via the USB Power Delivery protocol the laptop will automatically determine that the 140W power source is preferable to the 96W power source. As a result, the laptop will only accept power from the 140W power source and the docking station will not provide any power. 

Improved Voltage Regulation Under Load

When multiple USB devices are connected - especially high-draw peripherals like external drives or charging phones - the demand on the dock’s internal power can spike. If the power supply were delivering only 5V, any load increase might cause voltage “sag,” potentially leading to unstable or unreliable performance.

By starting with a higher voltage like 12V or 20V, the internal voltage regulators within the dock or hub can more reliably and efficiently step down that voltage to a consistent 5V, even under heavy load. It’s similar to having a reservoir above a village - you’ll have more reliable water pressure regardless of demand.

Greater Power Efficiency Over Distance

Transmitting power at higher voltage and lower current reduces energy loss due to resistance in the wires (which causes heat). By increasing the voltage we can decrease the amperage for the same power, and power loss in the line is directly proportional to amperage squared so even a small decrease in the amperage adds up quickly. Once the power reaches the dock, it's stepped down to the voltages needed for USB ports. This not only enhances efficiency but also makes compact, cooler-running designs possible.

Special Consideration for USB-C Docks

USB-C docks commonly include 20V power supplies, which serve a dual purpose:

• Supplying 5V for downstream USB devices
• Delivering up to 100W (or more) to host laptops via USB-C Power Delivery

With USB Power Delivery 3.1 (EPR), even higher voltages (up to 48V) are supported, enabling future docks and laptops to handle even more powerful devices like desktop replacement laptops or external GPUs.

Will Future Docks Use 48V Power Supplies?

It's likely. While 20V is common now (especially for consumer devices), 24V+ power supplies are widespread in industrial and telecom applications. As high-performance laptops and workstations demand more power, consumer docks may start including 24V, 36V, or even 48V adapters. These would align with USB PD 3.1 specs and simplify designs that support extended power ranges.

However, for now, 20V remains a sweet spot for cost, availability, and compatibility across a wide range of devices.

TL;DR

Higher voltages like 12V or 20V are used for better regulation and more efficient power delivery.

USB-C docks use 20V to support Power Delivery charging (up to 100W+).

USB PD 3.1 EPR opens the door to 48V systems, and while uncommon now, future docking stations may shift to 48V as demand grows.

What is the MAC address?

The MAC address (Medium Access Control address) is a unique network address for each Network Interface Controller to identify the hardware on the network segment. The address is generally expressed as six hexadecimal digits, sometimes separated by a '-', ':', or without a separator.

The MAC address is assigned by the hardware manufacturer during production, however many network controllers allow the operating system (via the drivers) to override the MAC address, this is handled at the operating system level and does not change the address stored in the adapter.

The first three octets (first three hexadecimal values, six characters) identify the network hardware manufacturer while the last three octets should be unique within each hardware manufacturer's product line. For example Plugable's MAC addresses all begin with "8CAE4C", with lower values typically representing older companies, "000000" belongs to Xerox for example, some companies have multiple ranges of MAC addresses.

Why it can be useful to override the manufacturer's address?

Setting a custom MAC address can provide anonymity when connecting to public networks. It can also be used by an IT Network Administrator to provide specific access rights to computers based on the connection.

It can also be useful for Network Administrators for testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance to simulate different devices without having access to that specific device.

Changing the Mac Address in Windows

The MAC address can be manually set from the Device Manager:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager from the pop-up window

2. Expand the Network adapters section and double-click on the network adapter to be modified

3. From the network adapter properties pop-up window, select the Advanced tab

4. Under the Property: category, scroll down to and select "Network Address"

5. In the Value: field, enter the new MAC Address in hexadecimal format, the field has a maximum of 12 characters so do not use any separators between octets

6. Select the OK button to proceed

You can also check the MAC Address from the command line

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Terminal or Windows PowerShell

2. Type in the following command ipconfig /all or ipconfig /all | findstr C:/"Physical Address" to filter just the Physical Address lines.

3. Scroll through the output to find the target network adapter and Physical Address

What is the MAC address?

The MAC address (Medium Access Control address) is a unique network address for each Network Interface Controller to identify the hardware on the network segment. The address is generally expressed as six hexadecimal digits, sometimes separated by a '-', ':', or without a separator.

The MAC address is assigned by the hardware manufacturer during production, however many network controllers allow the operating system (via the drivers) to override the MAC address, this is handled at the operating system level and does not change the address stored in the adapter.

The first three octets (first three hexadecimal values, six characters) identify the network hardware manufacturer while the last three octets should be unique within each hardware manufacturer's product line. For example Plugable's MAC addresses all begin with "8CAE4C", with lower values typically representing older companies, "000000" belongs to Xerox for example, some companies have multiple ranges of MAC addresses.

Why it can be useful to override the manufacturer's address?

Setting a custom MAC address can provide anonymity when connecting to public networks. It can also be used by an IT Network Administrator to provide specific access rights to computers based on the connection.

It can also be useful for Network Administrators for testing, troubleshooting, and maintenance to simulate different devices without having access to that specific device.

Checking the MAC Address in Linux

The MAC Address can be checked from the terminal:

1. Open a bash shell

2. Read the address from the /sys directory:

cat /sys/class/net//address

or from the ip command to print out all of the hardware MAC Addresses

ip -o link | awk '$2 != "lo:" {print $2, $17}'

Changing the MAC Address in Linux

Temporary change until system reboot

1. Open a bash shell

2. Run the following command to set the MAC Address for a specific network device.

sudo ip link set dev <devicename> down
sudo ip link set dev <devicename> address <mac address>
sudo ip link set dev <devicename> up

3. Confirm the new MAC address

Permanently change the MAC Address

This can depend on your distribution's specific network services and settings. This example will create a new systemd unit file to change the MAC Address on startup.

1. Open a bash shell

2. Create a new systemd unit file "/etc/systemd/system/changemac@.service with the following contents the mac address should be colon separated:

[Unit]
Description=Change MAC Address %i
Wants=network-pre.target
Before=network-pre.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ip link set dev %i down
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ip link set dev %i address <mac address>
ExecStart=/usr/bin/ip link set dev %i up
RemainAfterExit=yes
User=root

[Install]
wantedBy=multi-user.target

3. Enable the service with the following command

sudo systemctl enable --now changemac@<interface_name>

4. Reboot the computer, the MAC address should be set to the new address

After updating to macOS, some users may notice slower mouse movement, display lag, or jitter on external monitors connected through a DisplayLink-based dock or graphics adapter. This behavior is typically related to driver compatibility or display configuration changes introduced with major macOS updates.

The steps below outline the most common ways to restore smooth performance.

1. Install the Latest DisplayLink Manager

Typically speaking, you will want to keep yourself updated with the most recent DisplayLink drivers. The most recent version of DisplayLink that we’ve tested with our devices can be found below.

However, in some instances, this will not be the most up to date version of DisplayLink. In instances where the version above does not help, you can look for a potentially newer version on DisplayLink’s website here: https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads/macos 

Action:

• Visit the Plugable DisplayLink Drivers page
• Download and install the latest version of DisplayLink Manager for macOS (guides can be found for your specific version of macOS on the download page linked above)
• Restart your Mac after installation

2. Perform a Clean Installation of the DisplayLink Driver

If you upgraded macOS without removing the previous DisplayLink driver, leftover files can interfere with the new version.

Action:

• Download the DisplayLink Installation Cleaner from the Synaptics support site
• Run the cleaner tool to fully remove all DisplayLink components
• Restart your Mac
• Install the latest version of DisplayLink Manager

This clean installation process resolves the majority of display jitter and lag issues reported after macOS upgrades.

3. Verify External Display Refresh Rates

Many modern monitors default to high refresh rates such as 120Hz or 144Hz. While useful for gaming, higher refresh rates require more processing power when using USB-based video solutions like DisplayLink.

Action:

• Open System Settings
• Select Displays
• Choose each external monitor and set the refresh rate to 60Hz

Lowering the refresh rate significantly reduces CPU load and improves overall smoothness for office and productivity workloads.

4. Test with the Laptop Lid Open

On some MacBook models, closing the lid changes how macOS manages graphics resources. This can reduce available performance for external displays.

Action:

• Keep the MacBook lid open while using external monitors
• Check whether display responsiveness improves

If performance is better with the lid open, this configuration is recommended when using multiple external displays.

If Issues Continue

If you still experience lag or jitter after completing these steps, contact our support team with the following information:

• Mac model
• Plugable dock or adapter model
• A readout of our PlugDebug tool

You can reach our team via direct email at support@plugable.com or via our support page at https://plugable.com/pages/support 

Up to date graphics drivers are necessary for ensuring the best performance of your computer's built-in display, as well as the capability and compatibility with external displays and docking stations.

Windows has a built-in system update service: Windows Update, however this may not provide up to date drivers or timely updates. We often see systems with out of date drivers, in some cases systems may not receive updated graphics drivers for months or even years, leaving the computer with drivers incompatible with the installed version of Windows 11.

However, we can manually update the graphics drivers to ensure the best possible performance, reliability, and compatibility.

The first step is to identify the graphics hardware, then downloading, and installing the latest drivers.

Identifying Graphics Controller

For notebooks and many desktop computers, the primary graphics controller is embedded in the processor, both AMD and Intel provide graphics driver updates based on the processor model, as well as for discrete graphics controllers. Our first step is to identify up the processor or graphics hardware model details:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu and select Settings from the pop-up menu
2. From the left column select System and from the bottom of the right side select About
3. From the top of the about page the processor details will be on the right side, and duplicated lower down on the page.
   
4. In this example the processor is a 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1260P, we'll keep that detail for the next step.

If your computer has two graphics controllers (it may show "Multiple GPUs Installed" under Graphics Card) then we can get the graphics card model details from the Windows System Information Utility.

1. Open the Start menu and search for "msinfo32"
2. Select the first result
3. From the left-column expand the Components section, then select Display
   
4. In this example the Intel Iris(R) Xe Graphics is enabled by the processor, while the Intel(R) Arc(TM) Pro B60 Graphics is a discrete graphics controller.

Downloading the Drivers

Intel Graphics

1. In a web browser navigate to the Intel Driver Download Page
2. In the "Search Drivers & Software" field, search for the Intel graphics card model or CPU model, "Arc Pro B60" in this example
   
3. Select the appropriate "Intel Arc Pro Graphics - Windows" or similar entry from the search results, for modern hardware Intel will normally have at least one release per month, the list should return recent results within the last month
4. Select the Download button to save the installer to your Downloads folder or selected location

AMD Graphics

AMD provides an Auto-Detect utility, this works relatively well and can be used to update the system available from the AMD Drivers and Support page.

This page also provides a search and browse option for finding drivers and specific compatibility details, we'll look up the drivers for an AMD Ryzen Pro 5650U processor with Radeon Graphics:

1. Navigate to AMD Drivers and Support page
2. From the Browse section, fill out the processor details and click the Submit button
   
3. Expand the "Windows 11 - 64-Bit Edition" section and select the Download button for the latest graphics drivers

NVIDIA Graphics

Like AMD, NVIDIA provides an automatic installation utility, as well as a Manual Driver Search on the NVIDIA Drivers support page. We will look up the drivers for an NVIDIA RTX 5080 graphics card.

1. Navigate to NVIDIA Drivers support page
2. Fill out the Manual Driver Search drop-downs and select the "Find" button when complete
   
3. From the search results, select the "View" button for the GeForce Game Ready Driver or NVIDIA Studio Driver (if you need the studio driver features)
4. Select the green Download button for the latest graphics drivers

Installing the Graphics Drivers

For the most part this is relatively simple, we recommend disconnecting any external docking stations or devices that are not necessary for the driver installation, and for notebook computers connecting the system's original power supply.

Double-click on the downloaded driver installation executable and follow the on screen steps.

For more in-depth details on Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA's driver installation processes check out our step-by-step guides here:

• Intel Driver Installation In Detail
• AMD Driver Installation In Detail
• NVIDIA Driver Installation In Detail

If you have any questions or would like a recommendation, feel free to reach out to our support at support@plugable.com

For a step-by-step guide to identify your graphics hardware and download the appropriate drivers, check out our KB article here

Download the drivers for your GPU or Processor Graphics

1. In a web browser navigate to the Intel Driver Download Page
2. In the Search Drivers & Software field, search for the Intel graphics card model or CPU model, "Arc Pro B60" in this example
3. Select the appropriate Intel Arc Pro Graphics - Windows or similar entry from the search results, for modern hardware Intel will normally have at least one release per month, the list should return recent results within the last month
4. Select the Download button to save the installer to your Downloads folder or selected location

Install the Intel Graphics Driver

To update the Intel Graphics Drivers to the latest version from Intel's website:

1. Save and close any open applications
2. Navigate to the downloaded graphics driver, then right-click on the saved driver installation file and select Run as administrator to start the installation process
3. Allow the Intel driver installation through the User account control window, the drivers will be extracted
   
4. When the extraction is complete select the Begin installation button
   
5. Agree to the Intel Software License Agreement by selecting the I agree button
   
6. Ensure all applications are saved and closed before selecting the I agree button
   
7. For most installations, we recommend not selecting the Execute a clean installation checkbox. This option will remove previous driver versions and can lead to Windows Update reverting to an even older graphics driver. Select the Start button to proceed
   
8. The installation process will proceed, but can take some time to complete
   
9. When the installation has completed, deselect the Launch Intel Graphics Software checkbox - we don't need that right now, select the Reboot Now button to restart the computer applying the new graphics drivers
   

Windows should now detect the Intel Graphics Controller in the Device Manager and show the latest drivers.

If you have any questions or would like a recommendation, feel free to reach out to our support at support@plugable.com

For a step-by-step guide to identify your graphics hardware and download the appropriate drivers, check out our KB article here

Download the drivers for your GPU or Processor Graphics

1. In a web browser navigate to the AMD Drivers and Support page
2. In the Search for your AMD product field, type in the model name, for example “RX 5600XT” for the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics controller, or a processor model like "AI 9 365", then select the best fitting result and select the Search button - note: Searching for a processor the "™" is required, so I recommend searching for the text after that symbol.
   
3. On the results page, expand the section for Windows 11 64-bit then select the Download button for the latest AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition drivers, AMD may not provide a direct download for all hardware, in that case use the Auto-Detect and Install option
4. Save the installer to your Downloads folder or selected location

Install the AMD Graphics Driver

To update the AMD Graphics Drivers to the latest version from AMD’s website:

1. Save and close any open applications
2. Navigate to the downloaded graphics driver, then right-click on the saved driver installation file and select Run as administrator to start the installation process
3. Allow the Intel driver installation through the User account control window, the drivers will be extracted
   
4. For most users the express installation is fine, ensure all applications are saved and closed selecting the Accept & Express Install button. If you have been having issues with older graphics drivers causing crashes or errors the Factory Reset (Optional) checkbox may be selected, but it isn’t necessary for most installations.
   
5. The installation will proceed, the displays may flicker or flash off/on while the drivers are installing.
   
6. When complete you will be prompted to Launch AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and Keep AMD software up to date, you can uncheck the Launch AMD Software option
   
7. Restart the computer to ensure the latest drivers are loaded from boot Start Menu > Power Icon > Restart

Windows should now detect the Intel Graphics Controller in the Device Manager and show the latest drivers.

If you have any questions or would like a recommendation, feel free to reach out to our support at support@plugable.com

For a step-by-step guide to identify your graphics hardware and download the appropriate drivers, check out our KB article here

Download the drivers for your GPU

Check your invoice for the specific model of NVIDIA graphics card, for this example we will use the RTX 5080 (the manufacturer is not relevant).

1. In a web browser navigate to the NVIDIA Driver Download Page
2. In the Manual Driver Search field, search for the NVIDIA graphics card model, "RTX 5080" in this example
3. Select the GeForce RTX 50 Series | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | Windows 11 entry from the list
4. Left-click the Find button
5. Select either View buttons from the GeForce Game Ready Driver or NVIDIA Studio Driver
6. Select the Download button to save the installer to your Downloads folder or selected location

Install the NVIDIA Graphics Driver

To update the NVIDIA Graphics Drivers to the latest version from NVIDIA's website:

1. Save and close any open applications
2. Navigate to the downloaded graphics driver, then right-click on the saved driver installation file and select Run as administrator to start the installation process
3. Allow the NVIDIA driver installation through the User account control window
4. Click OK to extract the NVIDIA Display Driver package contents
   
5. At the System Check step, select either the NVIDIA Graphics Driver with NVIDIA App or the NVIDIA Graphics Driver alone, the NVIDIA App is gaming oriented and unnecessary for most users. Select AGREE AND CONTINUE
   
6. At the License Agreement step, select the Express (Recommended) radio button then select NEXT to continue
   
7. The installation will take some time to complete
   
8. When complete please restart the computer Start > Power > Restart
   

Windows should now detect the NVIDIA Graphics Controller in the Device Manager and show the latest drivers.

If you have any questions or would like a recommendation, feel free to reach out to our support at support@plugable.com

No, target display mode generally requires a direct Thunderbolt connection from a compatible MacBook or Mac Mini to a compatible iMac. Graphics adapters and docking stations do not pass the required Thunderbolt video data.

Why Target Display Mode Is Not Compatible With Docks or Adapters

Target Display Mode is a legacy feature that allows certain older Mac systems to use an older model iMac as an external display via a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt data cable. Most Plugable docking stations and graphics adapters are USB devices that do not meet the specific Thunderbolt data requirements for 2011 through mid-2014 iMac systems. While Thunderbolt 3 or newer docks may provide video capability, they are generally recommended for Apple M-Series systems which do not support this feature.

iMac Models as Display

Apple provides system compatibility here but we can summarize it in the following:

24-inch and 27-inch iMac (2009 and 2010)

• macOS 10.13 “High Sierra” or earlier
• Compatible with Macs from 2019 or earlier with macOS 10.15 “Catalina” or earlier
  • NOTE: some MacBooks in this range do not include a Mini DisplayPort output and may not be compatible
• Connected with a Mini DisplayPort cable

iMac models (2011 through mid-2014)

• macOS 10.13 “High Sierra” or earlier
• Compatible with Macs from 2019 or earlier with macOS 10.15 “Catalina” or earlier
  • NOTE: some MacBooks in this range do not include a Mini DisplayPort output and may not be compatible
• Connected with a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 cable - these use the Mini DisplayPort connector
  • NOTE: This is not compatible with Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) cables

Alternative Options

For earlier 2009-2010 iMacs, it may be possible to use a USB Type-C to DisplayPort adapter paired with a DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable. However, this configuration is untested and we do not support this configuration.

Our research has shown mixed results using these early model iMac systems with adapters, modern unsupported Apple hosts, or Windows computers. Because Target Display Mode is no longer supported by modern Apple hardware and software, there is no guaranteed workaround for newer systems.

Modern displays offer higher resolutions, multiple connection options: both DisplayPort and HDMI, and newer features like High Dynamic Range (HDR) and higher refresh rates than iMac systems. Many modern displays can support multiple host computers either by switching between inputs or with picture-by-picture or picture-in-picture modes.

Applicable To

• 24-inch and 27-inch iMac (2009 and 2010)
• iMac models (2011 through mid-2014)
• macOS 10.13 “High Sierra” or earlier

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!

If you routinely discharge your MacBook battery and fully recharge the battery often, macOS may set a battery charge limit to 80% to "reduce battery aging". In most cases this is a good option to have, however if you need the battery to be fully charged this setting can be disabled.

Disable the battery charge limiter

1. Select System Settings the Apple menu
2. Select Battery from the left column in System Settings
3. Select the Info button ("I" inside a circle) on the Charging line near the top of the right panel
4. Toggle off the Optimize Battery Charging option

A bit more detail

Time

Lithium-Ion batteries used in modern notebook computers are significantly more reliable and predictable than previous battery technologies, however like all batteries they both degrade over time regardless of use.

All battery technologies will begin to degrade after production, when in storage, or in active use. When storing a Lithium-Ion battery normally it is recommended to partially discharge the battery to help minimize degradation in storage.

Cycles

Battery life spans are often described in discharge/charge cycles, by limiting the top-end charge (often limiting the charge to 80%) system manufacturers seek to reduce the degradation with each charge cycle. One method is to simply over-spec the battery and set the operating system's 100% threshold to 80% of the battery's maximum capacity, this has the added benefit that over time as the battery degrades the charge controller could allocate more of the top-end charge potential to shift the reported 100% capacity maintaining the same power capacity over a longer period of time. Apple doesn't seem to use this approach, instead using the full capacity of the battery and implementing the battery charge limiter to help maintain that full capacity.

Apple macOS has a battery health report in the System Settings > Battery panel there is an info button for Battery Health which shows the Battery Condition and Maximum Capacity.

Our recommendation

We recommend sticking with the system's default battery charge settings, unless you specifically need to charge the battery to 100%.

The default setting helps to maintain the battery lifespan of the system, however could cause reduced work time while on battery. Batteries are no longer a user serviceable component of MacBook or most modern notebook computers, increasing the cost of battery replacement in both time and labor fees compared to older systems where batteries could easily be removed with one or two locking latches/levers.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at support@plugable.com and we'll be happy to help!