How to Close Laptop and Use Monitor: 2 Working MethodsĀ
Working with multiple screens is one of the latest trends today. You probably have seen one of those sleek workspace videos on Instagram with 10 active monitor screens and immersive neon lights, right? Trust me, some people really are living in 2070 already!
The real benefit of multiples screen is that it helps you work more productively. In fact, this research shows that people who worked with more than one desktop screen had a 10% increase in productivity and a 20% reduction in errors (plus reduced stress). What a blessing!
If you also want to enjoy the benefits of using multiple screens on Windows, you’ve come to the right place. There are two ways to close the laptop and use the monitor without cutting off the display. Let’s begin!
How to Close Laptop and Use Monitor
Method 1: Change settings in the control panel
The control panel is the hub of all settings and configurations in windows. So, it is faster and easier to set how to close your laptop and use a monitor from there. Just follow these steps.
- Type “control panel” in the search bar and click to open it.
- Search for “Power Options” in the search bar and click the first result.
- You should have something like this in the directory: [Control panel > Hardware and sound > Power options]
- On the left navigation bar, select the option that says, “Choose what closing the lid does“
- Under the “When I close the lid,” click on the drop-down menu and set it to “Do nothing” under the two columns [On battery and Plugged in]
- At the bottom of the page, select Save changes.
Pro tip: You can open the power options faster if you right-click on your battery icon in the taskbar.
So, whether your laptop is plugged in or running on battery, you can now close the lid and use the monitor without the screen going off. However, it is best to keep the laptop plugged in while sharing your screen because this setting will consume more power.
Method 2: Use the command line
This option is helpful if you are unable to complete the settings from the command prompt. Or if you’re just the type that likes to get things done faster with the command line.
It is pretty fast. You just need to input one command, and it’s done. Here is how:
- Open Command prompt
- Type “CMD” in the search bar and double click “Command Prompt”
- If your laptop is plugged in, run the following command:
- powercfg /setacvalueindex scheme_current sub_buttons lidaction 0
- If your laptop is working on battery, use this command:
- powercfg /setdcvalueindex scheme_current sub_buttons lidaction 0
Voila! It is done.
Those familiar with command prompt know that you can change the integer value at the end of the command for a different setting. The reason why we have 0 in the command is that it stands for “Do nothing.” If you set it to 1, the PC will sleep, 2 will make it hibernate, and 3 will shut down.
Next Step
You have now learned how to close your laptop and use a monitor in the control panel and command prompt. While using command prompt is the faster option, it may not be straightforward. So just use the control panel to avoid problems. I wrote this article with the assumption that you have connected your external monitor. If you have not, I’ll be covering how to connect a laptop to a monitor as an external display soon. If any of these methods worked for you, let us know in the comment.
