PDF2Screen — Manual

1. Introduction

PDF2Screen is a professional dual-screen PDF presentation tool designed for live events, conferences, academic lectures, and training seminars. Unlike standard PDF readers, PDF2Screen is built for scenarios where you need a dedicated display output with reliable, smooth performance.

With PDF2Screen you can display your PDF on a projector or second screen while maintaining full control from your operator display — complete with drawing tools, laser pointer, next-slide preview, and integrated Slide Timer sync.

Key Features at a Glance

Dual-screen output to projector or HDMI display
Live drawing tools — pen, highlighter, eraser with per-page memory
Virtual laser pointer synced to the audience screen
Next slide preview panel
Thumbnail sidebar for quick navigation
Zoom from 50% to 400% with fit-to-width and fit-to-page modes
Page rotation left and right
Drag & drop file opening
Slide Timer integration
Full keyboard control

2. Getting Started

System Requirements

OS: Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
RAM: 4 GB minimum
Disk: 290 MB free space
Display: 1280 × 720 minimum resolution
For dual-screen: A second monitor, projector, or HDMI-connected display

Installation

Download the PDF2Screen installer from your CueCongress Dashboard.
Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
Launch PDF2Screen from the Start Menu or desktop shortcut.
Enter your license key when prompted to activate the app.

Tip: You can also activate your license from within the app via Help → Activate License.

3. Interface Overview

The PDF2Screen interface consists of the following main areas:

Toolbar

Located at the top of the window. Contains controls for:

Open File — open a PDF via file dialog
Dual-Screen — send the presentation to the second screen
Fullscreen — enter fullscreen mode
Zoom controls — zoom in/out, fit-to-width, fit-to-page
Rotation — rotate pages left or right
Page navigation — previous/next page, page number input
Laser Pointer — toggle the laser pointer
Drawing Tools — pen, highlighter, eraser, color picker
Thumbnails — toggle the thumbnail sidebar

Main View

The central area displays the current PDF page. This is your operator view — the audience sees the same content on the second screen.

Next Slide Preview Panel

Located on the right side of the window. Shows a preview of the next page. Drag the divider to resize or double-click to reset to default size.

Thumbnail Sidebar

Located on the left side when enabled. Displays visual thumbnails of all pages for quick navigation.

4. Opening PDF Files

Via File Dialog

Click the Open button in the toolbar, or press Ctrl+O.
Browse to your PDF file and click Open.
The PDF will load and display the first page.

Via Drag & Drop

Locate your PDF file in Windows Explorer.
Drag the file directly into the PDF2Screen window.
The PDF loads instantly.

Tip: PDF2Screen remembers the last opened file. On next launch, your previous PDF is restored automatically.

5. Dual-Screen Presentation

PDF2Screen is designed to display your PDF on a second screen (projector, TV, or HDMI monitor) while you control the presentation from your main display.

Setting Up Dual-Screen

Connect your second display (projector or monitor) via HDMI or DisplayPort.
In Windows Display Settings, set the second screen to Extend mode (not duplicate).
Open PDF2Screen and load your PDF.
Click the Dual-Screen button in the toolbar to send the presentation to the second display.
The audience view opens on the second screen in fullscreen mode.

Tip: All your tools — laser pointer, drawings, navigation — are synced in real time to the audience screen.

Note: Make sure Windows is set to Extend mode, not Duplicate. Duplicate mode will show the operator toolbar on the projector.

6. Fullscreen Mode

Fullscreen mode maximises the presentation view, hiding the toolbar for maximum screen real estate.

Entering Fullscreen

Press F11, or
Click the Fullscreen button in the toolbar.

Exiting Fullscreen

Press F11 or Escape, or
Click the floating exit button that appears when you move the mouse.

Tip: The toolbar auto-hides in fullscreen mode. Move the mouse to the top of the screen to reveal it temporarily.

7. Page Navigation

Using the Toolbar

Click the ← Previous or Next → buttons in the toolbar.
Click the page number field, type a page number, and press Enter to jump directly to that page.

Using the Keyboard

→ or ↓ — Next page
← or ↑ — Previous page
Home — First page
End — Last page

Using the Thumbnail Sidebar

Click any thumbnail in the sidebar to jump directly to that page.

8. Zoom & Scaling

PDF2Screen supports zoom levels from 50% to 400%, with automatic fit modes for quick adjustment.

Zoom Controls

Zoom In — click + button or press Ctrl++
Zoom Out — click − button or press Ctrl+−
Reset Zoom — press Ctrl+0
Fit to Width — fits the page width to the window
Fit to Page — fits the entire page in the window

Tip: Pages auto-fit when you resize the window. PDF2Screen renders sharply on HiDPI and 4K displays.

9. Page Rotation

Rotate pages to match the orientation of your PDF — useful for scanned documents or portrait-mode content displayed on landscape screens.

Rotate Left — rotates the current page 90° counter-clockwise
Rotate Right — rotates the current page 90° clockwise

Rotation is applied to the display only — your original PDF file is not modified.

10. Laser Pointer

The built-in virtual laser pointer is synced to the audience screen in real time, allowing you to highlight areas of your PDF during the presentation.

Using the Laser Pointer

Toggle On/Off: Press L or click the laser button in the toolbar.
Temporary Use: Hold Ctrl to show the laser while held, release to hide.
Move your mouse over the presentation to position the laser dot.

Tip: The laser pointer is only visible on the audience screen — your operator view shows a cursor indicator so you know where it is.

11. Drawing & Annotations

Annotate your PDF live during the presentation. Drawings are synced to the audience screen in real time and saved per page.

Drawing Tools

Pen — freehand drawing with adjustable colour and stroke width
Highlighter — semi-transparent highlight strokes
Eraser — erase individual strokes

Activating Drawing Mode

Press D or click the Draw button in the toolbar.
Select a tool: Pen, Highlighter, or Eraser.
Choose your colour using the colour picker.
Draw directly on the page with your mouse.

Undo & Clear

Ctrl+Z — undo the last stroke
Clear All — removes all annotations from the current page

Per-Page Memory: Drawings are saved per page. Navigate to another page and return — your annotations are still there.

12. Thumbnail Sidebar

The thumbnail sidebar displays visual previews of all pages for quick navigation during your presentation.

Showing/Hiding Thumbnails

Press T or click the Thumbnails button in the toolbar.

Navigating with Thumbnails

Click any thumbnail to jump directly to that page.
The currently active page is highlighted in the sidebar.
Scroll the sidebar to browse all pages.

13. Next Slide Preview

The next slide preview panel shows what's coming next — allowing you to prepare your commentary before advancing to the next page.

Using the Preview Panel

The preview panel is located on the right side of the main view.
It automatically shows the next page as you navigate.
Resize: Drag the divider between the main view and the preview panel.
Reset: Double-click the divider to restore the default size.

Tip: The preview is only visible on your operator screen — the audience does not see it.

14. Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Open PDF	Ctrl+O
Next Page	→ / ↓
Previous Page	← / ↑
First Page	Home
Last Page	End
Zoom In	Ctrl++
Zoom Out	Ctrl+−
Reset Zoom	Ctrl+0
Fullscreen	F11
Exit Fullscreen	F11 / Escape
Toggle Laser Pointer	L
Temporary Laser Pointer	Hold Ctrl
Toggle Drawing Mode	D
Toggle Thumbnails	T
Undo Drawing Stroke	Ctrl+Z

15. Troubleshooting

PDF Does Not Open

Make sure the file is a valid PDF (not password-protected or corrupted).
Try opening a different PDF to verify the app is working correctly.
Check that you have enough disk space.

Second Screen Not Detected

Check that the display cable is properly connected.
In Windows Display Settings, click Detect to refresh connected displays.
Make sure the second display is set to Extend mode, not Duplicate.
Restart PDF2Screen after connecting the display.

Laser / Drawing Not Visible on Audience Screen

Make sure the Dual-Screen mode is active (audience window is open).
Check that the audience window is on the correct display.

App Runs Slowly on Large PDFs

Large PDFs with many high-resolution images may take a moment to render. This is normal.
Close other memory-intensive applications to free up RAM.

License Activation Failed

Check your internet connection — activation requires an online check.
Make sure you are entering the license key exactly as received (copy/paste recommended).
If you have exceeded your device limit, deactivate an old device from your Dashboard.

Still having issues? Contact us at info@cuecongress.com and we'll help you out.

16. License & Activation

Activating Your License

Launch PDF2Screen. If not yet activated, the activation dialog appears automatically.
Enter your license key (format: XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX).
Click Activate. An internet connection is required.
Once activated, PDF2Screen is fully unlocked on this device.

Device Limit

Your license allows activation on a fixed number of devices (shown in your Dashboard). If you need to switch to a new computer:

Log in to your CueCongress Dashboard.
Go to your licenses and find the PDF2Screen entry.
Click Manage Devices and remove the old device.
Activate on the new computer.

Subscription & Renewal

PDF2Screen is sold as an annual subscription. Your license renews automatically each year. You will receive an email confirmation before renewal. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time from your Dashboard.

Lost your license key? Log in to your Dashboard to find all your license keys.

PDF2Screen Manual

Table of Contents