Have you ever connected your laptop to a projector or a larger monitor for a presentation, only to find yourself stuck in that mode later? Your screen might be duplicated, extended, or even blank, and you just want your laptop to behave normally again. It’s a common situation that can feel a bit confusing, but turning off projection is usually a quick and simple process.
Think of your laptop’s projection settings as a way to manage how it shares its screen. Whether you’re finishing up a meeting or disconnecting from your TV, knowing how to switch back to your regular display is a handy skill. Let’s walk through the easiest ways to get your solo screen back.
The Quickest Way with the Keyboard
Most laptops have a dedicated shortcut key that is the fastest route. Look for a key on your keyboard, usually among the ‘F1’ to ‘F12’ keys, that has a symbol of a monitor or two screens. To use it, you typically need to hold down the ‘Fn’ (Function) key on your keyboard and then press that monitor key. Tapping this combination cycles through the different display modes like ‘Duplicate’, ‘Extend’, and ‘Second screen only’ until you land on ‘PC screen only’, which turns off the projection and returns everything to normal.
Using the Windows Project Menu
If the keyboard shortcut isn’t working or you prefer a visual method, Windows has a built-in menu for this. Simply press the Windows key + P on your keyboard at the same time. A small menu will pop up on the side of your screen with four options. Select ‘PC screen only’. This action immediately disconnects the projected display and ensures all your windows and applications are only visible on your laptop.
Adjusting Display Settings in Windows
For more control, you can use the Windows Settings menu. Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and choose ‘Display settings’. Scroll down to the section labeled ‘Multiple displays’. Click the drop-down menu and select ‘Show only on 1’ (where ‘1’ represents your built-in laptop screen). This is a surefire way to disable the external display and confirm that your laptop is the primary and only screen in use.
When a Simple Restart Helps
On rare occasions, the settings might not seem to stick, or the external display still appears in the settings even when disconnected. If this happens, a quick restart of your laptop can help. Restarting clears temporary system glitches and resets the display drivers, ensuring a clean slate and that only your laptop’s screen is active when it powers back on.
With these methods, you can confidently connect to external displays for work or entertainment and just as easily return to using your laptop by itself. It’s all about knowing which simple command or setting to use.
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