ProPresenter multi-screen and stage display setup

Multi-screen output is one of ProPresenter’s defining workflows, and it is also where setup mistakes can become visible quickly. This guide follows a diagnostic order so the operating system, ProPresenter and physical signal chain are checked separately.

Sort out the operating system first

For physical system-connected displays, start by making sure the operating system sees and arranges them correctly. ProPresenter can also create non-system outputs such as NDI, supported SDI hardware, Syphon on macOS and placeholders.

• Connect each physical display and confirm the operating system lists the displays you intend to use as system outputs.
• For separate audience content, set the arrangement to extended rather than mirrored. If the projector is showing the operator desktop, display mode is one of the first things to check.
• Set each physical output to a resolution and refresh rate supported by the display or processor, then match the ProPresenter screen configuration to the intended signal.
• Identify which physical display corresponds to each system output before assigning Audience or Stage content.

Then configure screens in ProPresenter

Open Screens → Configure Screens. Renewed Vision separates crowd-facing Audience screens from Stage screens, and the output menu can include system displays, NDI, supported SDI hardware, Syphon on macOS and placeholders.

1. Audience screen. The main output the congregation or attendees see. Match its resolution to the projector or LED wall input.
2. Stage display. A separate output for musicians and speakers, with its own layout showing current slide, next slide, a clock and messages.
3. Additional audience screens. Lobby, overflow or side screens, which can show the same content or something different.
4. Production output. Depending on the workflow, an Audience screen can be routed through NDI, supported SDI hardware, a system display/capture path or Syphon on macOS before it reaches a switcher or encoder.

Cables, adapters and the things that fail

Physical signal paths can fail independently of ProPresenter. If a system-connected screen drops out or loses signal, check the cable, adapter, converter, display input and operating-system detection before changing presentation content.

• Use cabling and extenders rated for the resolution, refresh rate and distance in your installation.
• For longer runs, use the signal-extension method recommended for your hardware rather than assuming passive HDMI will be reliable at any distance.
• Reduce unnecessary adapters during diagnosis so you can identify which part of the chain is failing.
• If sleep/wake is part of your real operating routine, test that routine during maintenance and confirm all outputs return correctly.

How many screens can your machine drive?

This is a hardware limit, not a software one. On Apple silicon Macs the number of supported external displays varies significantly by chip, and base models support fewer than Pro or Max variants. On Windows it depends on your GPU and its outputs. Check the specification of your exact model before promising a third screen. Our system requirements guide covers this in more detail.

NDI, Syphon and capture cards

ProPresenter can use system outputs, NDI, supported SDI hardware and Syphon on macOS. If an NDI path is missing or unstable, Renewed Vision recommends checking NDI version compatibility, network discovery/subnet configuration and using NDI Studio Monitor or Video Monitor to isolate whether the issue is in ProPresenter, the receiving application or the network. For a network bottleneck, the vendor recommends a dedicated hardwired gigabit network.

Test the whole chain, in order

1. Send a test slide with text at the edges to every screen and confirm nothing is cropped.
2. Play a video on the audience output while watching the stage display for stutter.
3. If sleep/wake is part of your operating routine, test it and confirm the outputs return correctly.
4. During a maintenance window, test how the system recovers from the connection failures you are realistically planning for.
5. Run a full rehearsal with the actual service content, not a test pattern.

Document the exact working screen assignments, resolutions and signal path after the rehearsal. That gives the next operator a known-good baseline if something changes later.