External Monitors

What Happens When You Close a Laptop Lid with an External Monitor

Connecting a laptop to a larger monitor can turn it into a comfortable desk computer. A common question follows: can you close the laptop lid and keep using the external screen? Sometimes yes. Sometimes closing the lid immediately puts the computer to sleep. The difference is not usually a property of the monitor. It comes from how the laptop and operating system are configured to respond when the lid closes, along with requirements such as external power or an attached keyboard and mouse on some systems.