How to Close Laptop Lid and Use Monitor on Windows 11?

A laptop’s portability and versatility are unparalleled. However, connecting it to an external monitor is a useful option if you need to use it in a business presentation, or simply because you prefer seeing information on a screen larger than your laptop’s.

But here’s where things get sticky – since you’ll be using an external display, you’ll likely want to close your laptop’s lid, and Windows is set up by default to put your laptop to sleep whenever this happens. Having an open laptop on your desk hooked up to an external monitor isn’t always convenient!

Fortunately, Windows 11 allows you to configure the behavior of your laptop when the lid is closed.

By accessing the Power Options and tweaking a few settings, you’ll be able to keep your laptop’s lid closed while you’re working away using your external monitor/s.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Start Menu (press the Windows key), type in the search bar “Control Panel” and then select it from the search results.

   

2. Click on View by the dropdown menu and select Large Icons.
   

   

3. Scroll down and locate the Power Options section.

   

4. Click the Choose what closing the lid does option located in the window’s upper left corner.

   

5. Click the When I close the lid column and select Do nothing from the dropdown menus under On battery and Plugged in.
   

   

6. To save the changes you’ve made click Save change situated in the bottom section of the window.

Note: If you want Windows to do nothing when you close the lid of your laptop, you can change the setting under “On battery” for the “When I close the lid” option by selecting an alternate action, such as sleep, hibernation, or shutdown. You can choose one of these options only when your laptop is plugged in and not on battery.