Present on a projector, TV or second screen
Presenter Cue runs in the browser, so anything your computer can show, it can present on. Here’s the quickest setup for each room.
Step by step: presenter view on a projector
- Extend your screen. Connect the projector or TV and set it to extend your desktop. Then open presenter view with the notes button beside Present.
- Open the audience window. Drag the audience window onto the projector and click it for full screen. The room sees only the slides.
- Present from your laptop. Keys, a clicker or your phone move both screens together. Press T to pause the timer, B for a black screen and Esc to end.
One screen (or a mirrored projector)
Press Present. The slides fill the screen; press F if the browser didn’t go full screen. The room sees what you see, so use your phone remote for notes (Pro).
Two screens (extended)
Set the projector or TV to extend your desktop. Open presenter view and choose Open audience window, drag that window to the projector and click it for full screen. Your laptop keeps your notes; the room sees only slides.
Smart TVs and casting
Casting a browser tab (Chrome’s Cast, AirPlay screen mirroring) works like a mirrored screen: present full screen and use your phone for notes.
Video calls
Share the browser window or tab that shows the slides. In presenter view, share the audience window, not your laptop’s screen.
Before you leave for the venue
- Know the connector. HDMI is most common; many laptops need a USB-C adapter. Bring your own.
- Bring a backup. The JSON backup on a USB stick opens in Presenter Cue on any computer with a browser; a PDF (Pro) opens anywhere.
- Open the deck once while online. After that, the studio and your deck work offline.
Getting the picture right
- Slides cut off at the edges on a TV: turn off overscan, or set the picture size to “Screen fit” or “Just scan”.
- Black bars: slides are 16:9. Older 4:3 projectors show bars above and below; that’s normal.
- Washed-out colors: projectors in bright rooms flatten dark themes. Switch to a light theme such as Paper or Mono.
- Text too small at the back: sit in the back row before you start; if you can’t read it, the layout has too much text.
Casting and smart TVs
You can cast the browser tab or your whole screen to a TV with Chromecast, AirPlay or Miracast. Casting adds a small delay, so for a live talk a cable is more reliable. If you cast, present from the tab you cast and keep the phone remote for control.
Hybrid rooms
When some people are in the room and some are on a call, put the audience window on the room’s screen and share the same window in the call. Both audiences see the same slides; you keep presenter view on your laptop.
Questions
The audience window opened on the wrong screen. How do I move it?
Press Esc to leave full screen, drag the window to the other screen, then click it or press F.
The slides look cut off on the TV.
Turn off “overscan” or set the picture size to “Screen fit” or “Just scan” in the TV’s settings.
Why do my slides look blurry on the projector?
Older projectors have a low resolution. Use a light theme and fewer words per slide; text that’s large enough looks sharp even on older projectors.
Can I present from an iPad?
Yes, in Safari. Connect the iPad to the projector with an adapter or AirPlay and present full screen.
What if the venue has no cable for my laptop?
Bring the JSON backup on a USB stick and open it in a browser on the venue’s computer, or bring a PDF (Pro).
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