Second monitor not detected on my Acer Aspire A715-41G Laptop. Need help

DonnaLynch1

Hi,

I have been having issues with adding a 2nd monitor to my Acer laptop, I plug in the monitor and within the display settings it doesnt detect it.

I have gone through lots of ideas, updating drivers, looking at settings and purchased a USB -HDMI video adapter. None of these are working.

StarTech.com USB 3.0 to Dual HDMI Adapter - 1x 4K 30Hz & 1x 1080p - External Video & Graphics Card - USB Type-A to HDMI Dual Monitor Display Adapter - Supports Windows Only - Black (USB32HD2) : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

Is it the laptop ? it does have gaming drivers and wondered if its something to do with this.

Appreciate anyone' advice, as I am using it for work and having an extra screen will be really useful.

Thank you in advance.

Puraw

Hi @DonnaLynch1 — thanks for the details! Since you’re trying to add a second monitor, here’s what you need to know:

🧩 USB-C Port Limitation The USB-C port on the Aspire A715-41G is data-only — it doesn’t support video output via DisplayPort Alt Mode. So USB-C to HDMI/DP adapters won’t work unless they use DisplayLink technology.

🔌 Your Current Adapter The StarTech USB32HD2 is DisplayLink-based and supports:

• 1x 4K @ 30Hz
• 1x 1080p @ 60Hz
• Windows only (no macOS/Linux support)

🔧 Driver Required To get it working, install the driver manually from StarTech’s support page. Steps:

1. Download and extract the ZIP file
2. Install the driver
3. Restart your laptop
4. Connect the adapter and monitor

🖥️ Better Dual-Monitor Option If you want smoother performance and dual 4K @ 60Hz output , consider this DisplayLink-certified adapter: Minthouz USB 3.1 to Dual HDMI Adapter – 2x 4K @ 60Hz It supports:

• Dual 4K @ 60Hz HDMI outputs
• USB-A and USB-C hybrid cable
• Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android, Ubuntu
• DisplayLink driver required: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-DisplayLink-Graphics-Outputs-Compatible/dp/B094G5JLNC?th=1

💡 If You Only Need One Monitor You can skip the adapter entirely and use the laptop’s built-in HDMI port, which supports up to 4K @ 60Hz 3. It’s plug-and-play and doesn’t need any drivers.

Let us know if you’re sticking with one monitor or going for two — we’ll help you optimize the setup either way!