# Previewing on a separate monitor **URL:** \ **Category:** Scripting\ **Created:** [September 8, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807 "2020-09-08T12:06:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/1 "2020-09-08T12:06:16Z")
Is there any plugin out there that is specially made for previewing on a separate monitor? Would be quite nice actually if Glyphs had possibility of detatching windows instead of everything being fixed in tabs. That way I could just drag some windows over to the other monitor. Any solutions? ---
**Author:** ![obiobik](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/41988e/32.png) [@obiobik](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/obiobik)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/2 "2020-09-08T13:00:49Z")
there is preview panel which is a separate preview window on window\> preview panel. But its features are a little bit limited. ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/3 "2020-09-08T13:03:05Z")
Ye I’m aware of that panel and like you say it is quite limited. ---
**Author:** ![mekkablue](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/mekkablue/32/23_2.png) [@mekkablue](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/mekkablue)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/4 "2020-09-08T13:20:55Z")
There are plug-ins (Waterfall and GlyphSILE). But I recommend to keep a browser, TextPreview or InDesign window on the 2nd monitor, and see the font in its natural environment. ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/5 "2020-09-08T13:25:42Z")
Thank you mekkablue. I’ll check out these scripts. I of course often check the typeface in other programs, but I’m more thinking of the workflow while drawing, and without exporting all the time. ---
**Author:** ![GeorgSeifert](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/georgseifert/32/259_2.png) [@GeorgSeifert](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/GeorgSeifert)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/6 "2020-09-08T13:49:31Z")
Exporting is quite quick: Cmd+E+Enter. If you use the Adobe fonts folder, you get an update in a second or two. ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/7 "2020-09-08T13:59:02Z")
Yep, i know that. But, like I said, I’d like it to be inside the program and instant. Not everyone’s needs are the same:) Being able to have separate windows instead of tabs would be perfect actually, but I understand(from other threads) this is something you don’t like/need. Or If there was another preview window as well, but that one would work just like a normal window where you could write whatever would also be perfect. But I will just have to dream about this happening in the future! ---
**Author:** ![mekkablue](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/mekkablue/32/23_2.png) [@mekkablue](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/mekkablue)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/8 "2020-09-09T14:25:44Z")
Have you tried the plug-ins? ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/9 "2020-09-09T14:38:59Z")
Yes. the Waterfall works alright, it’s instant and I have the choice of writing what I want. But it’s still a bit limited since it’s not possible to really adjust anything. The SILE preview is not instant and I might as well use the InDesign method. ---
**Author:** ![gor.jious](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/gor.jious/32/9472_2.png) [@gor.jious](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/gor.jious)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 5:44pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/10 "2020-09-10T17:44:46Z")
Have you tried the **Simple Preview** plugin? I recently started using and like the ability to change the font size without changing the panel size (a feature I wish the regular preview panel had). There is also **Rotate View** which is nice because it is a separate panel which allows focusing on a single glyph…along with rotating it. ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/11 "2020-09-11T12:33:35Z")
Simple preview does indeed look to be something that I’m looking for. I downloaded it some time ago and without much testing I ran out of the 15 day trial! So I’m gonna try to get it activated again now. Rotate View might be useful for something, but still just focuses on the same as the preview panel does. ---
**Author:** ![GeorgSeifert](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/georgseifert/32/259_2.png) [@GeorgSeifert](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/GeorgSeifert)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/12 "2020-09-11T19:19:31Z")
Can you make a mock-up of what you like to see? A quick photoshop or a pencil sketch. ---
**Author:** ![KasperPSR](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/user_avatar/forum.glyphsapp.com/kasperpsr/32/4786_2.png) [@KasperPSR](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/KasperPSR)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/13 "2026-05-25T12:50:45Z")
I just wanted to add to this thread, that I’d like the ability to separate a tab from the string of tabs in the top panel and drag it to an external monitor for previewing purposes. It would just be a much nicer and more flexible way of continually previewing changes you’re making instead of having to export and have another piece of software running which drains the computers resources. And being able to reorganise the tabs would be nice too. Sometimes you realise that you want to add a couple of tabs with a certain group of characters for proofing or whatnot… and want these tabs not to be placed at the end of the list. Would be great to be able to drag to reorganise instead of having to copy paste tabs into new ones. ---
**Author:** ![giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@giu](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/u/giu)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 1:26pm UTC](https://forum.glyphsapp.com/t/previewing-on-a-separate-monitor/15807/14 "2026-05-25T13:26:38Z")
That is basically what I was thinking too. If the tabs could work like in Chrome for example. Just being able to drag tabs to another screen, that’s it.