Using Dual Monitors in a Skype for Business / Lync Meeting

aka: How to use multiple monitors in the Skype for Business client to split video and content streams during meetings like Lync Room Systems do.

So, I recently got asked by a client if it was possible to split the Video and Content in a meeting across two screens like in a Lync Room System and to be honest I’d never tried and thought it was not possible.

A quick look in the Skype4B client and even searching the Office forums has Microsoft reps suggesting this is not possible when indeed it is. So I’d figured I’d throw this up here for anyone else that thought, like I used to. That it couldn’t be done. (Proof , Mark my reply as useful so others see it)

Start/Join your meeting as usual and present/accept any content sharing. In this example I’m in the call with #NotPatRichard on the whiteboard but the concept is the same for a multiparty conference.

Start your Skype meeting

Present / Accept Content
Image credit goes to 

Once the session is started, you will see your avatar is displayed in the lower right corner of the screen (I need to update that picture, I don’t wear ties.)

If you hover your mouse over your icon (or of that who is speaking) the current avatar will drop down a bit and show a “pop out” icon. Click this to float the video gallery

split-screen-skype-for-business-meeting-3

 

You can now drag this to your second screen and click the Full Screen icons to expand the views

split-screen-skype-for-business-meeting-5

split-screen-skype-for-business-meeting-6
Tada! You now have the video on one screen and content on the other!

Hope this helps someone else.

 

9 thoughts on “Using Dual Monitors in a Skype for Business / Lync Meeting

  1. james

    Is this possible with 3 screens or more?! I haven’t found a way to do this once multiple callers are involved. The “pop out” option dissapears.

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoJames Arber Post author

      Hi James, This is more for Content on one screen with video on the other, Similar to how the Lync Room systems used to function. Not sure you could achieve this with multiple video endpoints.

      Reply
  2. Dennis

    When the video is maximised after being split to an independent screen, why are the black bars there on the top and bottom, i cant find a way to get rid of them, i noticed it eats up the top and bottom of the video…

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoJames Arber Post author

      I’d have to check but a guess would be the video is still in gallery view, it doesn’t maximise the main video to allow for things like the RoundTable camera to be presented at the bottom of the screen.

      Reply
  3. KT

    Hi James–is it possible to share a PPT (in presentation mode, if possible) on one monitor and still see the S4B video/chat,etc in the other monitor?

    Reply
    1. Avatar photoJames "UcMadScientist" Arber Post author

      This still works in both office 2016 MSI, C2R and Office 2019 Preview (tested on 16.0.10228.20104)

      Reply

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