What to Know
- Open Control Panel to Power Options > Choose what closing the lid does.
- Find When I close the lid under Plugged in; select Do nothing. The monitor will stay on from now on.
- Important: Picking this option for On battery will drain the battery quicker when you're not plugged in.
This article explains how to set up your computer so that you can close the laptop and still use your external monitor.
How to Keep Using the Monitor When You Close Your Windows Laptop
Normally, when you close your laptop, the external monitor shuts off. Your laptop is configured this way by default. It happens because the laptop goes into a power-saving mode when the lid is closed.
To prevent this from happening, follow these steps to set up your computer to not power down when the laptop lid is shut. This will let you continue to use the other monitor.
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Open Control Panel and go to Hardware and Sound > Power Options.
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Select Choose what closing the lid does.
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Find the drop-down menu under the Plugged in column and in the When I close the lid row.
If you want to be able to close the laptop and use the monitor when you're not attached to a power source, open the menu under On battery instead (or do it for both), but be mindful of our warning at the bottom of this page.
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Choose Do nothing.
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Select Save changes. Now, your monitor will remain on when you close the laptop.
A Warning About Keeping Your Laptop on When Closed
Your computer will use more power than you're used to it using if you let it remain on when you close the lid. This usually isn't a problem for most people. However, if your laptop stays on even when it's on battery, you risk your laptop dying on you.
The choice is yours, but consider that most people don't use their second monitor unless they're at a desk. When at a desk, the laptop is usually plugged in, meaning it won't run out of battery when the lid is closed.
Our advice is to select 'Do nothing' only for the 'Plugged in' option. If you find it necessary to do so for 'On battery' as well, just keep that in mind as you use your laptop.
How to Connect Two Monitors to a LaptopFAQ
- How do you connect a Dell laptop to a monitor?
To connect your Dell laptop to an external monitor, identify your computer’s ports and connect your laptop to the monitor using the appropriate cable. Go to Settings > System > Display to adjust the video settings for each display.
- How do you clean a computer monitor?
To clean your computer monitor, power down the device and wipe gently using a soft, dry cloth. If necessary, you can dampen the cloth with distilled water or a mixture of water and white vinegar.
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