How to Use Windows Laptop As Monitor for Raspberry Pi

If you are watching this tutorial, then you must know about Raspberry Pi and its use. So without making more delay let's start this Instructable. But before that, we want to clarify something:

• We have used Raspbian OS in this case.
• It is one of the many ways by which you can get the same result. So if you don't feel comfortable you can use other methods also. Please let me know the process in which you are comfortable in.
• The software we have used is available on the internet and found these very helpful and easy to use. Feel free to tell me what are the other software that can be used.
• The whole process will take about 2-3 minutes, though it mainly depends on your internet connection speed.
• We have also made three other Instructables about the following topics based on Raspberry PI -

1. How to install Operating System in Raspberry Pi. - https://www.instructables.com/id/HOW-TO-INSTALL-RAS..

2. How to use android device as a monitor for Raspberry Pi. - https://www.instructables.com/id/HOW-TO-USE-ANDROID...

3. How to use Linux based laptop as Raspberry Pi monitor - https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Use-Your-Li...

4. How to use iOS devices as a monitor of Raspberry Pi - https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Use-Ios-Dev...

Check these out if you are interested.

We have a separate video demonstrating the whole process. Here's the link:

Step 1: Install Operating System in Pi

You can skip this step if you have installed the OS already in the Pi.If yes then go to step 2 or else look the complete OS installing instructions in this link that I uploaded.

https://www.instructables.com/id/HOW-TO-INSTALL-RAS...

Step 2: Download Required Apps

Download and install required software -

1. PUTTY (Download link - http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty...)
2. VNC Viewer (Download link - https://www.realvnc.com/download/viewer/)

Install these apps.

Step 3: Power Up Pi and Connect With Router

Connect USB power adapter to your Pi (5V-2A recommended).

Connect the Ethernet port of Pi to the LAN port of your router.

Step 4: Find Your Raspberry Pi IP Address

1. Open your browser.
2. Go to your router IP (for me, it was 192.168.0.1. You can find it on the router sticker.)
3. Login to your router settings.
4. Search for LAN ports.
5. Find Raspberry Pi in the list and note the IP address (for me, it was 198.162.0.105.)

Step 5: Create SSH Connection With Your Pi

Open Putty software.

1. Type in the ip address of raspberry pi (192.168.0.105).
2. Click on open.
3. Type in "pi" as username and "raspberry" as password.
4. Now you are logged in to your PI.
5. Type in the command - "sudo apt-get install tightvncserver" (Exclude " ")
6. When installation is completed again type "tightvncserver" and return.
7. It will ask for a password. Give the password and give it again to verify. Remember the password.
8. Note down the desktop number. Here it is 1.

Look at the screenshots for reference.

Step 6: Use VNC Viewer to View Pi Screen in Your Windows Laptop

Open VNC Viewer software.

Type in the IP address of raspberry pi with the desktop number like this - 192.168.0.105:1

1 is the desktop number and 192.168.0.105 is the IP address of the raspberry pi.

For you, it will be different.

Click on connect. If any security warning comes ignore that and continue. This is not harmful, so relax.

After that, the app will ask that password which you have given in the last step. Give that and continue.

BINGO!! Now you are on the monitor of your raspberry.

So that's it. If you face any error or any difficulty in completing the process, feel free to ask us in the comment.

Take a look at our Youtube channel 'Being Engineers' -

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpB6R5qY3ZQt00C5K...

Peace! :)

Comments

[KazV]

This article doesn't do what it claims.
It describes how to ssh/VNC into one's raspberry pi, which is COMPLETELY different than using Windows as a MONITOR for Raspberry Pi.
The whole point of wanting a monitor is so you can look at it WITHOUT logging in via the network.
For example, my Pi 4 stopped showing up on the network. I wanted to see its display output as it booted up. Therefore I had to take it to my computer, unplug my monitor from the computer, and plug it into the Pi 4.
What I wanted, which is what the title of this article implied, is to be able to just plug it into my Windows laptop, instead of having to disconnect the monitor FROM the laptop.

[Warthog Labs]

I can't hear any audio when I try to play videos or music from the pi. There is an unmute button at the top of the screen but it doesn't work. Is there a solution to this?

[malopezusu]

Hey!
Lets say I got my Pi connected to my laptap just fine.
How do I go back to my laptops OS? Do I just shut down the Pi? Or do something thru PuTTY?
Thanks

[Shreyanshnarwe1]

Look , Using this does nothing to your device , all it does is display your pi on your pc , Use alt+F4 to close vnc , and it'll be completely fine

[ManojB54]

Sir, Is it mandatory to connect to the LAN port of the router? If so, what is the reason behind the router and the raspberry pi.

[Shreyanshnarwe1]

The reason behind that is so your pi and computer can communicate using the lan

[tinyweasel]

You need to connect it to find out the pi's IP address.

[tectonic1900]

Hello world, I want to know if I can use this method when using kali linux on a pi???

[Shreyanshnarwe1]

As long as it is a pi , Yes

[MathieuG21]

Hello, I am not able to connect to my Raspberry Pi 4 B using PUTTY. Connection error. I got the IP address from Avast (192.168.1.1 is not responding and 192.168.0.1 does not give me what I am looking for), and Avast is showing two Raspberry devices: both have different IP addresses. The first one gives me "Network error: Connection refused". The other ones gives me "Network error: Connection timed out". For your information, I loaded hass.io and wifi configuration: https://github.com/home-assistant/hassos/blob/dev/Documentation/network.md

[AlyssonR2]

One address should be the wired and one the wireless connection.

The one that tells you "Connection Refused" is the one to use. That message tells you that SSH is *not* running - which it should not be on a fresh install. To enable SSH:

When you have created your disk image on your SD card, open the
BOOT partition and add an empty file called ssh (three letters,
no extension).

When you boot your Raspberry Pi, give it a few minutes.
Switch it off and then reboot it.

SSH should now be available.

Oh, and try using the RealVNC server before you install TightVNC - TightVNC is giving me a lot of problems right now.

[AlyssonR2]

When you have created your disk image on your SD card, open the
BOOT partition and add an empty file called ssh (three letters,
no extension).

When you boot your Raspberry Pi, give it a few minutes.
Switch it off and then reboot it.

SSH should now be available.

[AlyssonR2]

SSH is no longer enabled by default. in order to enable it, do the following:

When
you have created your disk image on your SD card, open the BOOT
partition and add an empty file called ssh (three letters, no
extension).

When you boot your Raspberry Pi, give it a few minutes. Switch it off and then reboot it.

SSH should now be available.

Oh, and try using the RealVNC server before you install TightVNC - TightVNC is giving me a lot of problems right now.

[tigerl10]

I don't know if I did wrong, but I couldn't use vnc on my pc after a reboot, BUT, when I restarted the "tightvncserver" I could log back in.

[Sualdam]

I know this is an old article, but I just got a Pi4 and wanted to avoid having to keep switching inputs on my monitor. I came across this article by accident. It worked first time! Great job, and thanks for putting it up.

Incidentally, I made the connection using WiFi - not an ethernet link - which the Pi4 has natively, and it was fine. The connection is also very fast for what I am doing, and I used the standalone VNC viewer rather than the installed version. This is on a 4k monitor (the Pi4 is also 4k).

Once again, excellent article.

[hall_simon]

Nice write up. It's good for people to learn how to do things from first principles. Once you've done this a few times though you'll be looking for an easier way. The easiest way I know of is to use PiBakery

http://www.pibakery.org/

It really is the easiest way to setup a Pi!

[HyperN]

The IP address of the Pi changes every time do you have any idea how to give it a permament IP ?

[Being Engineers]

Thanks Simon. we just went through pibakery and does sound interesting! we will try it out for sure. :)

[Mr. M.P]

I could have really used this guide a week ago as I stumbled and cobbled together information. I do have a question though...I can get into the GUI (VNC) and into the text interface (Putty/Remote Desktop) (and FTP) but neither work with RetroPie. Is there any way to just use one program to control the Raspian?

[FireSword]

Thanks for this tutorial. I just did this today, but I have Ubuntu Mate. Unfortunately I got some problems, probably becasue I use old tightvnc client for windows. VNC works but, it always show a small console on top left, and the grapshics is not smooth. I tried XRDP - with no configuration I was able to connect with WIndows 7 - Remote Desktop Connection. But it is also slow and not very pretty :) I noticed that every time I connect, the system opens a new VLC player for the session, which is not the same as the one already running.