DisplayFusion makes it easier to work with multiple monitors. In this respect, it avoids some of the limitations present in Windows built-in utility and even software tools designed for certain graphics cards. This way, using this product, you can have different wallpapers and screensavers on each of your monitors. Moreover, it lets you replicate Windows taskbar on all of them using different sets of shortcuts. The tool allows you to configure resolution, color, refresh rate and orientation for each of your monitors. What’s more, your choices can be saved as profiles that can be easily loaded using hotkeys.
The application has a nice interface. It permits carrying out most tasks instead of using the system’s display settings dialog. However, you may want to perform most operations by assigning hotkey combinations to them. Another way to avoid using the program’s main interface is by using the small button displayed on the title bar of the active window.
One of the most difficult things about working with multiple monitors is that your mouse pointer may get lost at times. DisplayFusion helps you perceive everything being displayed as a large workspace. Besides, its Snapping options allow dragging and organizing windows more efficiently, thus saving monitor space. Soon, you’ll notice that the small button on the title bar is the easiest way to rapidly move the active window to another monitor. This spares you the effort of dragging a window along various monitors until you find the right place.
As seen, this tool has plenty of features. Yet, there’s also the possibility of adding new ones, as it also lets you create additional functions. In this respect, the application supports writing your own macros using C# and VB.net. Another very powerful feature is the use of triggers, which run custom or user-created commands when such events as window creation and desktop unlock take place. Luckily, DisplayFusion can be controlled via a wi-fi connection, which means that you can use your smartphone or tablet to perform most of the operations already mentioned.
In general, DisplayFusion will be absolutely welcomed if you usually work with multiple monitors. It has free and paid versions, therefore some features are only available after payment. In this regard, some of these restrictions include a limited number of hotkeys and the impossibility of changing logon background. Fortunately, both versions use the same installer and the program lets you try the full version one time only after installing, after that it automatically reverts to the limited one.
v5.0.1 [Feb 11, 2013]
Change: Taskbar support for new alternate Start Menu: Classic Shell
Change: Taskbar support for new alternate Start Menu: Start8
Change: Taskbar support for new alternate Start Menu: StartIsBack
Change: Taskbar support for new alternate Start Menu: Start Menu Х
Change: Alternate Start Menu (Classic Shell) is no longer bundled, DisplayFusion will use the existing Classic Shell installation if detected
Change: Taskbar Jump Lists now support the full Windows Jump Lists (frequent, pinned, tasks... etc)
Change: Taskbar Jump Lists can now be navigated using the keyboard
Change: Added a new Taskbar button mode: "DisplayFusion taskbars show all windows, Windows taskbar shows none"
Change: Wallpaper Image Provider: WallpaperFusion
Change: Wallpaper Image Provider: 500px
Change: Wallpaper window re-uses the image loading windows, so you don't have to re-search for images on different monitors
Change: Added an Advanced Setting to allow scaling (grow or shrink) of the Start Buttons
Change: Added an Advanced Setting to remove the hot-corner gap in Windows 8 on the DisplayFusion taskbar
Change: Added an Advanced Setting to force TitleBar Buttons to be positioned using the normal size, even when maximized (good for Matrox monitor divider)
Change: Added a prompt when deleting a Wallpaper or Desktop Icon profile that is in use by a Monitor Profile
Change: You can now double-click a monitor image in the Wallpaper window to open that file in Windows Explorer
Change: Win8 Feature: "Move Power User Menu (Win X) to current mouse position"
Change: Win8 Feature: "Bypass Windows Start Screen" (boots straight to the desktop)
Change: Win8 Feature: "Adjust Border Margin/Padding"
Change: Win8 Feature: "Mini-Start Screen" (shrink the Windows 8 Start Screen to a specific size)
Change: Wallpaper background colour can now be a gradient
Change: Added a Function to toggle the Window Location feature
Change: Added an "Adjustments" tab in the wallpaper window for scaling/moving/rotating/flipping images
Change: Added a "Show in Explorer" menu item to the wallpaper window (right-click a monitor in the preview pane at the top)
Fix: Window Location performance and compatibility improvements
Fix: TitleBar Button performance and compatibility improvements
Fix: Taskbar button grouping detection improvements
Fix: Performance improvements for the Settings and Wallpaper windows
Fix: Wallpaper window is now sized correctly (with scrollbars when needed)
Fix: Languages no longer revert to auto-detected when updating
Fix: Taskbar buttons now show the correct icons for some problem applications
Fix: DisplayFusion Taskbar transparency now matches the Windows Taskbar in Windows 8
Fix: Windows 8 TitleBar Button alignment improvements
Fix: Wallpaper preview icons no longer show "my computer" icon sometimes
Fix: Context menus no longer open behind the Taskbar
Fix: Improved alpha blending on Start Button images
Fix: Wallpaper files are no longer locked in Explorer
Fix: Taskbar no longer disappears when "Show Desktop" is used
Fix: No longer receive a GDI error when pasting images into the Wallpaper window
Fix: Screen Savers now allow "preview mode" to be unchecked when spanned
Fix: Search Charm no longer appears in odd locations in-front of Metro apps
Fix: TitleBar Buttons no longer blink over certain applications (Adobe CS6)
Fix: PuTTY can now be resized using Functions
Fix: Start Menu is now drawn correctly when using a WindowBlinds custom theme
Fix: Taskbar Preview Size advanced setting now works correctly
Fix: Monitor Profile detection issues (with cloning, Eyefinity) are resolved
Fix: "CurrentMonitor is NULL" issue has been resolved
Fix: DisplayFusion Screen Saver is now correctly disabled when changing to the Free version of DisplayFusion
Fix: Window Snapping with Adobe CS6 (and possibly others) now works without messing up the window
Fix: Taskbar clock text improvements
Fix: Screen Saver previews failed to load sometimes
Fix: Screen Saver list was duplicated sometimes
Desktop monitor software utility to partition screen, select/create desired pattern, and set windows in position
