Transforming your compact laptop screen to a larger monitor can enhance productivity and enrich your gaming experience. I can tell you from my personal experience that it’s a very easy process and a total game-changer. Do you wish to know how to close your Laptop and use an External Monitor? If yes, continue reading!
Benefits of closing your Laptop and using an External Monitor:
Closing your laptop and using an external monitor has several benefits, some of which are listed below:
- Larger and potentially better-quality screen.
- Customizes your workspace.
- Improves your productivity and gaming experience.
- Proper heat management protects your Laptop’s battery life.
- Get more refresh rates.
Preparing Your Laptop and Monitor
Before diving into the technical process, you should prepare your laptop and monitor. Make sure you have the appropriate cables. For most laptops, a HDMI cable will do just fine. However, some might require a VGA, DVI, or DisplayPort cable. Check what output ports your laptop has and choose your cable accordingly.
Also, make sure you have an external keyboard and mouse. Once your laptop is closed, you won’t be able to use its built-in keyboard or trackpad.
Closing Your Laptop and Using an External Monitor: a step-by-step Guide
Now that you have all the required equipment ready let’s start the technical process. The process includes configuring your Laptop to stay awake, even when it is closed. Here are the steps for both Windows and Mac:
For Windows:
Open the ‘Control Panel‘.
Navigate to ‘Hardware and Sound‘ and then select ‘Power Options‘.
Select ‘Choose what closing the lid does‘ in the left-hand menu.
In the ‘When I close the lid‘ section, select ‘Do nothing‘ for both ‘On battery‘ and ‘Plugged in.’ And make sure to click “Save Changes”.
Your Windows configuration is complete.
For Mac:
- Open ‘System Preferences‘ and go to ‘Energy Saver‘.
- Go to the Power Adapter tab.
- Tick ‘Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off‘.
Remember to save the changes. Now, you can close your laptop lid without your laptop going to sleep.
Tips for a Smooth Transition
Now, you’re almost ready to use your big Monitor screen instead of your tiny Laptop screen. But I have a few tips that you should keep in mind:
1. Make sure you’ve set your monitor as your primary display:
You can usually do this in the display settings of your operating system. This means that when you start up your laptop, everything will appear on the monitor, not on your closed laptop.
2. Be patient and prepared for some trial and error:
Getting your display resolution, scaling, and other settings right may take some tweaking.
3. Ensure your laptop is adequately ventilated:
Though closing your laptop can help with heat management, ensuring the back vents (if any) aren’t obstructed is crucial. I once had my laptop sitting on a soft surface, blocking the vents, and well, it wasn’t pretty.
Conclusion
There you have it – a simple guide on how to close your laptop and use an external monitor. It’s a simple setup that brings along a realm of benefits like a larger, customizable workspace, better heat management, and an enhanced user experience. Remember to have the right equipment in place, configure your laptop settings correctly, and be ready for a bit of tweaking for a smooth transition. Now close that laptop and step into the world of larger screens!
FAQs
No, using an external monitor will not damage your laptop. It’s designed to handle multiple displays. Just ensure your laptop is well-ventilated to prevent overheating, especially if running resource-heavy applications.
Not at all. Once you’ve set your laptop to remain awake when you close the lid, these settings will remain until you decide to change them. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it scenario, making it easy for you to continue where you left off.
There could be several reasons for this. The problem could be as simple as a loose cable, or you might need to adjust your display settings. Ensure that your monitor is set as your primary display and that the correct resolution is selected.
Absolutely! Many laptops can support two or even three monitors. However, you’ll need to ensure you have enough ports, or you might need to use a docking station or an adapter. Also, remember that running multiple displays can be more demanding on your laptop, so consider its capabilities.
