If you want to use an aftermarket monitor mount or wall mount your monitor, it can get tricky if your monitor doesn’t come with VESA mounting holes. But that doesn’t mean we should lose hope!
Today we’re going to cover how to mount a monitor, even if it doesn’t have any mounting holes.
To mount a monitor that does not have any mounting holes, you will need to use a VESA adapter. These are brackets that mount to other features of your monitor and come with mountable VESA holes.
If you’re not very familiar with a “VESA” mount system, we have a dedicated article on VESA mounting 101.
Not All Monitors Have Mounting Holes
A common question with monitors and mounting is: do all monitors have mounting holes?
The answer is no, not all monitors have mounting holes. Many monitors these days do have VESA mounting holes, but this is something the buyer has to look for if you specifically want them.
I always recommend purchasing a monitor that has mounting holes. This just gives you flexibility for future mounting options. Those on a budget however will find that some lower-end monitors don’t have mounting features added.
I purchased the monitor in the image above for my partner because it was affordable and had a nice non-traditional-looking base. I soon found that there are no mounting holes on the back of this monitor.
Can You Mount A Monitor Without VESA Holes?
Fortunately, the answer here is YES! But there are a few drawbacks. Let’s get those out of the way so there are no surprises.
You Need To Remove The Factory Stand
If your monitor does not come with VESA mounting holes, it might also mean it’s not simple to remove the factory stand.
You may have to disassemble the back panel of the monitor to access the stand removal screws.
It’s important to remove the factory monitor stand because we will be replacing it with a VESA adapter instead. The factor stand can get in the way of the adapter and just be a huge eyesore if you want to use an aftermarket mount anyways.
Aesthetics
The second drawback is that monitor mounting without factory VESA holes can be unattractive depending on the type of VESA adapter you use. Not all VESA adapters are noticeable, but many are.
Some adapters have arms that reach toward the top and bottom of your monitor. These arms have small lips that hold the monitor in place, and they are definitely visible.
Don’t worry, not all monitors need this type of adapter.
Also, for monitor mounts used in bed where the monitor is literally on top of you, it might be a bit riskier to use these methods. It’s better to purchase a monitor with the proper mounting holes in a situation where the monitor is above you.
If you have made peace with those two reasons, great job! Let’s get into the actual solution here.
Ways To Mount Monitors Without Mounting Holes
1) Budget VESA Adapter
If you’re looking for a cheap, quick, and simple way to get VESA compatibility right away, this could be right for you.
This is a four-piece solution that you attach to your aftermarket VESA arm first and then install your monitor.
They are advertised to work well with monitors between 17-27 inches in size. With a weight capacity of over 17 lbs, this will hold most modern monitors very safely. If you’re unsure what your monitor weighs, we have a dedicated article on the average monitor weight.
This steel monitor bracket securely holds your screen and converts suitable monitors into 75mm or 100mm VESA mounting holes to mount onto a monitor arm or wall mount. Soft padding in the durable plastic grips to prevent scratching of the monitor edges, and a sleek low profile matte black finish compliments modern monitors.
A slight drawback with this model is that you have visibility of the adapter from the front side of your monitor. All four corners will be sticking out, especially if you have a smaller monitor.
2) Low Visibility VESA Adapter
If you are willing to spend a little more, you can get a much better-looking VESA adapter.
Well, the adapter itself is actually pretty bulky, but you won’t see most of it once installed.
This universal VESA adapter kit fits most flat and curved 20” to 32” monitors, TVs, and AIO computers lacking VESA holes. This supports up to 22 lbs, has adjustable height and depth brackets, and adds padding to protect your valuable equipment from scuffs and scratches.
The monitor clamp lips on this bracket are very low profile. Pretty much the minimum size that would allow for safe monitor mounting.
It has extending arms that nest within each other so the overall bracket size stays small. It also lets you mount from many different lateral locations.
This mount lets you dial in your clamping positions more than any other mount I’ve seen on the market.
In addition to clamp position flexibility, the clamping bolts on this bracket deserve some praise. The clamping pad at the end of the bolt is on a ball joint. That means it will clamp while conforming to the shape of your monitor!
If you have a curved monitor or a monitor with a curved back, this is definitely the cleanest and safest way to give your monitor a VESA mount.
3) Use Monitor Specific VESA Adapters
Depending on what monitor you have there is a way to very cleanly add a VESA adapter without any clamping lips visible.
Simply find out the model number of your monitor. This is typically shown on the front bezel, in the settings menu, or on the back panel of your monitor.
Search your model followed by “VESA adapter”.
For example, the HP 22cwa monitor that I previously purchased has a specific VESA adapter for this model and a bunch of similar HP monitor models.
This VIVO Quick Adapter Solutions bracket is designed only for HP Pavilion models (25xw, 24xw, 23xw, 22xw, 22cwa, 27cw, 25cw, 24cw, 23cw, and 22cw), providing convenient mounting options with solid steel construction to keep your monitor safe and allowing them to fit standard VESA mounts.
Here are some more monitor-specific adapters that can give you a very clean VESA mounting appearance and installation.
This one is definitely worth it if you find there are adapters specific to your monitor model. You don’t see any of the clamping points, and it just works.
4) VESA Adapter With Monitor Mount
This monitor arm desk mount is equipped with a VESA adapter, making it a universal solution that fits non-VESA hole monitors, and has a versatile design with two mounting options (desk clamp + grommet) for added flexibility, allowing you to mount it securely on your desk or through a grommet hole.
If you want a complete off-the-shelf solution that gives you a monitor stand with the VESA adapter already installed, here it is!
These monitor stands only take up a small fraction of your desk as they have a tiny clamping area. They give you back so much more desk space than a factory monitor stand.
The VESA bracket here is very similar to the first item on our list. You can save some cash by buying this combo if you need them both anyways.
5) Dual Monitor Mount VESA Adapter
This dual monitor desk mount is compatible with non-VESA monitors, accommodating 2 screens 13” to 27” in size, weighing up to 17.6 lbs each. The mount comes with articulation, height adjustment, and hook padding to protect your screens from scratches and slipping.
For the power users out there, I didn’t forget about you. If you find yourself having not one, but two non-VESA compatible monitors, there is a solution for you!
This kit comes with two VESA adapters along with a dual monitor table clamp stand. These dual monitor mounting arms are part of our article on fitting two monitors on even the smallest desks. It’s very space efficient.
Alternatives To VESA Mount Adapters
Before you go with a VESA adapter, there is one last approach that is worth considering. That is using the humble monitor shelf.
Use Monitor Shelves Instead
Monitor shelves are great because they lift your monitors off your desk. This frees up the room where the monitor stand once was and also places your monitor at a much more ergonomic-friendly height.
You get a concealed storage space underneath the shelf and a free usable top surface of the shelf. You basically utilize more vertical space.
This solution also helps you avoid the drawbacks of VESA mounting non-VESA monitor mounts that we talked about earlier!
- Comes in natural wood, black, and brown colors
- Supports up to 100 lbs
- Comes with 5x Stainless Steel legs
- 42 inch x 10.5 inch top platform
- Lifetime Warranty
- Stainless legs might be too "shiny" for certain desk setups
Monitor shelves made our article on the best ways to organize desks, and how to organize desks without drawers. This is also a valuable alternative recommended to those trying to mount their all-in-one PC.
Use Floating Shelves as a Monitor Wall Mount Alternative
You can’t use a desk shelf if you are trying to wall mount a non-VESA monitor. What you can do instead is simply mount a small shelf on your wall and place your monitor on top.
There are some real advantages here. This is why it makes our article on how to wall mount all-in-one computers that don’t have VESA mounts.
First, you don’t have to purchase both a fancy VESA adapter and a fancy wall monitor mount. You just need to grab a shelf, which makes this route cheaper.
The easy-to-install wall-mountable floating shelf requires no tools—simply place, push, slide, and hang. It safely supports various items up to 25 pounds like plants, books, photos, and decor. Perfect for organizing spaces from entryways to offices, it complements diverse décor styles with various finishes available, catering to modern, rustic, traditional, and transitional themes.
Your local hardware store likely sells floating shelves which means you can get your hands on a solution on the same day.
You can even DIY this shelf if you have some wood lying around, making this a dirt-cheap solution. Wood can be customized with oils and stains too to match the rest of your room.
Shelves should be installed directly into the wall studs of your house if you want to support your monitor.
Your shelf will have a higher capacity than the VESA wall mounts too because your monitor will be closer up against the wall. Amazon also has some of these simple floating wall shelves you can choose from.
These longer shelves mean you can also store books, a clock, and anything else you could find handy at your desk.
A shelf like this is different from just having your monitor on your desk. You free up a bunch of desk space by moving your monitor from your table to a dedicated shelf.
Just make sure you set up your monitor at an ergonomic height and ensure the shelf can support the monitor’s weight in the first place.
What Exactly Is A “VESA” Mount?
‘VESA Mount’ is the name of the standard defining the screw pattern on the back of monitors. It has screws spaced out in a square pattern. For monitors, this is usually 75x75mm or 100x100mm.
Having a standard like this makes it easy to find compatible hardware. If you have a monitor with a 100mm VESA pattern, you simply have to search for VESA monitor mounts that have the 100mm screw pattern.
Because this is the most popular mounting hole pattern, it is easy to find compatible mounts. If you have a Dell monitor, check out our article on removing stock Dell monitor stands.
