Why does my monitor display turn off when my laptop is closed?

Why does my monitor display turn off when my laptop is closed?
I’ve been experiencing an issue with my setup where I use an external monitor with my laptop. Every time I close the laptop lid, the monitor display goes dark and turns off. This is quite frustrating because I was hoping to use my laptop as a desktop replacement with the lid closed to save desk space. I’ve checked all the connections, and everything seems to be in order. The monitor works perfectly when the laptop lid is open, but as soon as I close it, the external monitor stops displaying. I’m not sure why this is happening, and I would really like to find a way to keep the monitor on even when I close the laptop lid. Any help in understanding why this occurs would be greatly appreciated.
5 Answers

I had the same problem where my laptop’s external monitor would shut off when I closed the device. I discovered that this is due to the laptop’s power settings that trigger sleep mode to save energy. To resolve this, I made changes to the settings so my laptop would remain active with the lid closed. Here’s how I did it on my Windows laptop:
- Press the Windows key + X to open the Power User menu.
- Select Power Options.
- On the left, click Choose what closing the lid does.
- Choose Do nothing from the drop-down menus for both On battery and Plugged in.
- Click Save changes.
Since making this change, my external monitor no longer turns off when I close my laptop’s lid.

Your issue arises because most laptops are set to enter a power-saving mode when you close the lid. This can be particularly annoying if you want to use an external monitor while keeping your laptop closed. Here’s a brief guide to prevent this:
1. Open the system settings.
2. Go to Power & Sleep settings.
3. Find Additional power settings.
4. Choose what closing the lid does.
5. Set it to Do nothing for both battery and plugged-in modes.
Remember, though, keeping your laptop running with the lid closed may still rely on an external power source to prevent your system overheating and ensure longevity.

The basic reason for the monitor display turning off when your laptop is closed is that the system is designed to conserve power by entering sleep or hibernation mode. This is typically the default setting and can be adjusted in your power settings.
- Access your laptop’s control panel.
- Go to System and Security, then Power Options.
- Select What closing the lid does.
- Change the option to Do nothing.
By doing so, you prevent the laptop from entering sleep mode thus allowing your external monitor to remain active. Adjustments within the BIOS settings may also be necessary for some specific laptop models.

The monitor display turns off when your laptop is closed because your laptop defaults to sleep mode when the lid is shut. Here’s how you can change this:
- Open the Control Panel on your laptop.
- Click on Hardware and Sound.
- Select Power Options.
- Click on Choose what closing the lid does on the left side.
- In the drop-down menu for When I close the lid, select Do nothing for both On battery and Plugged in.
- Save changes.
By doing this, your laptop will continue to run even when the lid is closed, keeping the external monitor active.

Addressing the ‘monitor display turn off when laptop is closed’ issue can be approached from a hardware or software perspective. One common cause is your power settings. The laptop is designed, by default, to either sleep or hibernate when the lid closes to save battery.
On Windows:
1. Navigate to the Control Panel.
2. Click Hardware and Sound.
3. Go to Power Options.
4. Select Choose what closing the lid does.
5. Choose Do nothing from the list.
On macOS, you need to connect a power source and an external keyboard/mouse for the system to bypass the sleep mode when your lid is closed. It ensures that your external display remains on.