Keep Screen On When Laptop is Closed [Windows 11 Guide]

Find out about clamshell mode on your PC

4 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

No other device can match the portability and convenience of a laptop computer. If you wish to buy and use a laptop for work purposes or if you like to consume some information on a screen larger than your laptop from time to time, you may wish to connect it to an external display.

This is where the issue arises since you will most likely want to keep the monitor on when the laptop is closed on Windows 11. By default, the Windows 11 lid close action is set to put your laptop to sleep when you close the lid.As you might imagine, having an open laptop lid sitting on your desk while connected to a newly bought external monitor is not an ideal situation, nor is it a comfortable one to be exposed to. Thus we will show you how to customize the Windows 11 lid close action in order to fix this issue.

You don’t have to put up with this cruel condition, and you can close the lid of your laptop without putting it to sleep or interfering with its operation. Let’s see how you can achieve this, right after we understand what hibernate and sleep modes are.

How do I keep the monitor on when the laptop is closed on Windows 11?

Press theWindowskey on your keyboard to open theWindows Searchfunction.
TypeControl Panelin the search boxand click to open the topmost result.

3.Navigate toPower Options.

4.Next, select theChoose what closing the lid doesoption to edit the Windows 11 lid close action when opening your laptop.

5.Here, you can select theDo nothingoption under theOn batterysection andPlugged inone, in order to keep your monitor on when the laptop lid is closed.

For more information on the other options, check outMicrosoft’s pageon those actions.

In order to do nothing when the laptop lid is closed in Windows 11, you need to tweak your PC’s Power Settings.

When your laptop is linked to anexternal monitor, you may now close the lid and continue working without having to worry about it going to sleep or hibernating.

Note that this mode of operation is called the clamshell mode and refers to a working laptop that has the lid shut off.

What can I do if lid customization settings are missing?

Now you should be able to change the Windows 11 lid close action when starting settings as we have shown in the first solution, as well as tweak the lid open action configuration.

Are hibernate and sleep mode the same thing?

Two computer modes that must be distinguished aresleep and hibernate modes, which are frequently used interchangeably but are not the same thing in reality.Sleep mode is a power-saving one that allows activities to restart once the device is ultimately charged again.

Hibernate mode, is intended to conserve power, but it differs from sleep mode in terms of what happens to your data. The documents and files that you are now working on are stored in the RAM, requiring only a minimal bit of power in the process.The former effectively accomplishes the same thing as hibernate mode, except it stores the information on your hard disk, allowing you to power off your computer and saving all of the energy it would have consumed.When you turn your computer back on, the hard drive allows you to pick up precisely where you left off with your work. Hibernate is primarily intended for laptops, and it is most effective when you are not planning to use your device for an extended time.Moreover, if you encounter troubles when connecting a second monitor, check out our guide on what to do when yourlaptop doesn’t detect the second monitor.Alternatively, take a look at our post on how tofix random external monitor behavior, such as turning off or disconnecting.Don’t hesitate to tell us what you think in the comments section below as well as if you have more solutions in mind. Thanks for reading!

Keep Screen On When Laptop is Closed [Windows 11 Guide]#

How do I keep the monitor on when the laptop is closed on Windows 11?#

What can I do if lid customization settings are missing?#

Are hibernate and sleep mode the same thing?#

Keep Screen On When Laptop is Closed [Windows 11 Guide]

How do I keep the monitor on when the laptop is closed on Windows 11?

What can I do if lid customization settings are missing?

Are hibernate and sleep mode the same thing?