How do I setup dual monitors in XFCE?

First, open up monitor config - it's in Start > Settings > Settings Manger, then open the Display item.

Make sure both your displays are on.

Then, open a terminal and run this:

xrandr

The output will look something like this:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 2464 x 900, maximum 4096 x 4096
LVDS1 connected 1024x600+1440+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 220mm x 129mm
   1024x600       60.0*+   65.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 connected 1440x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 408mm x 255mm
   1440x900       59.9*+   75.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x800       74.9     59.8  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1024x768       75.1     70.1     60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   640x480        72.8     75.0     66.7     60.0  
   720x400        70.1

Then, run the following, changing VGA1 and LVDS1 to match the appropriate display:

xrandr --output VGA1 --left-of LVDS1

Note that you can move change --left-of to --right-of.

Now, it should work, but you've still got one problem.

It will disappear after you logout. So, you need to add it to your login items.

Head over to Start > Settings > Settings Manger, then open "Session and Startup", add the above command to your login items, and you're good to go!

There is a different solution to this problem.

According to this article, xfce 4.11 and 4.12 have implemented multi-monitor set-up out of the box. I guess this question will therefore be obsolete for ubuntu 13.04.

Meanwhile, for ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10, one can use the xfce 4.12 ppa :

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xubuntu-dev/xfce-4.12
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
xfce4-display-settings -m

Now you can use Arandr.

It allows you to do that in visual editor and then save settings as shell script with xrandr command script.

Then you can add it to autostart.

I had the same problem and solved it using a graphical application. The name is grandr and it is in the universe repository (Ubuntu 11.04). You can change your dual setup at will. I hope that it helps.

If you have a "monitor switching" button on your keyboard

1. Plug in external monitor.
2. Click your monitor switching button, and then in the "Displays" dialog choose what monitor you want to use, or if you want one to extend the other or mirror the other:

If you have no "monitor switching" button on your keyboard

1. In the Whisker menu, find the Setting Manager and click Display (or search for Display in the Whisker menu).
2. Check "Configure new displays when connected", and close the dialog:
3. Plug in the external monitor
4. The "Displays" dialog should have popped up automatically, now you can choose what monitor you want to use, or if you want one to extend the other or mirror the other:

More information: http://docs.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-settings/display

Step 5. Create a script (vi /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh) and include following

         xrandr --output DVI-0 --mode 1280x1024 
         xrandr --output DVI-1 --mode 1920x1080 
         xrandr --output DVI-0 --auto --right-of DVI-1 --pos 1920x0 

   change the file permission chmod 755 /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh 
   (note: my screen1 is DVI-1 and screen2 is DVI-0, and replace resolution as per need)

Step 6. Execute the script and see if it works. (/etc/X11/dual_monirot.sh)

Step 7. If the script works, include the script to Auto Start

        Menu >> Settings >> Session and Startup >> Application Autostart >> Add 
                Name: Dual Monitor Xfce 
                Description: Dual Monitor Xfce 
                Command: /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh

Step 8. Restart and enjoy

Step 9. Redo step 7 for all users logged in as the user

Thanks so much. I now have an extended dual monitor setup (MSI CR700, Nvidia GeForce 8200M G), with Xubuntu 12.04. After many days of grief with various versions of Ubuntu, I installed Xubuntu 12.04 and got dual mirrored monitors. To get an extended desktop across both monitors I found the advice here (http://www.webupd8.org/2012/11/how-to-use-multiple-monitors-in-xubuntu.html) very helpful. But arandr is buggy; it worked once, then I got a grey screen hiding the desktop and launcher at the bottom of the screen. The advice from 78 above, namely: xrandr followed by: xrandr --output VGA1 --left-of LVDS1 (adjust VGA1 and LVDS1 depending on output of xrandr) has fixed the problem. Many thanks.

Yes, Xrandr and/or the version 4.12 gui for the display settings will enable you to switch positions of monitors, and it is possible to have the panel with its applications menu on the right-hand monitor. However, desktop icons will still appear on the left-hand monitor.

It would be good if Xfce would implement something like the FolderView setting in KDE, whereby you can have the primary monitor on the right (with its panel and desktop icons).

-----------------------SOLUTION FOR xrandr: screen cannot be larger than-------------

Step .1 Check if you have xorg.conf file in /etc/X11 .....yes: goto step 3 else step 2

Step .2 Create xorg.conf file using following step

                 Step 2.a    switch to console mode: Alt+Ctrl+F1
                 Step 2.b    kill x server: sudo service lightdm stop
                 Step 2.c    generate new xorg.conf file: sudo X -configure -- this
                             will create xorg.conf.new file in your current dir
                 Step 2.d    rename and move: sudo mv xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
                 Step 2.e    return to GUI: sudo start lightdm

Step .3 Open /etc/X11/xorg.conf and add "Virtual 3200 1080" under subsection "Display"

                 Step 3.a    vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
                 Step 3.b    Add "Virtual 3200 1080" to ALL SubSection "Display" 
                             FOR ALL SCREEN if you have more than one "Display"
                             Subsection and more than 1 screen (replace 3200 1080 
                             with your desired screen resolution)
                             FOR EXAMPLE:
                                    Section "Screen"
                                    Identifier "Screen1"
                                    Device     "Card1"
                                    Monitor    "Monitor1"
                                         SubSection "Display"
                                               Viewport   0 0
                                               Depth     1
                                               Virtual 3200 1080
                                         EndSubSection
                                     EndSection
                                    Section "Screen"
                                    Identifier "Screen2"
                                    Device     "Card1"
                                    Monitor    "Monitor1"
                                         SubSection "Display"
                                               Viewport   0 0
                                               Depth     1
                                               Virtual 3200 1080
                                         EndSubSection
                                     EndSection

Step 4. Restart your computer/laptop

Step 5. Create a script (vi /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh) and include following xrandr --output DVI-0 --mode 1280x1024 xrandr --output DVI-1 --mode 1920x1080 xrandr --output DVI-0 --auto --right-of DVI-1 --pos 1920x0 change the file permission chmod 755 /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh (note: my screen1 is DVI-1 and screen2 is DVI-0, and replace resolution as per need)

Step 6. Execute the script and see if it works. (/etc/X11/dual_monirot.sh)

Step 7. If the script works, include the script to Auto Start Menu >> Settings >> Session and Startup >> Application Autostart >> Add Name: Dual Monitor Xfce Description: Dual Monitor Xfce Command: /etc/X11/dual_monitor.sh

Step 8. Restart and enjoy

Step 9. Redo step 7 for all users logged in as the user

(Please let me know if it worked [email protected])