Activating Your Laptop's External Monitor Port

Most laptop computers require a function key command to activate the external monitor port. The chart below lists the external monitor port activation/deactivation commands for common laptop manufacturers and models. With most laptops, the activation/deactivation command acts as a toggle switch: repeat the command to display the image on the internal laptop display, the external display (projector) or both displays simultaneously. In some cases the internal display of some laptops will need to be turned OFF to achieve optimal image quality on the projector.

Computer	Key Command to Activate Port	Key Command to Deactivate Port
Acer	Ctrl-Alt-ESC while computer boots activates the setup menu; system config; advanced sys config; display device; LCD/CRT	Ctrl-Alt-ESC
	FN + F5	FN + F5
AST	FN + F5	FN + F5
	FN + F3	FN + F3
	FN + F12	FN + F12
	FN + D	FN + D
	Ctrl + D	Ctrl + D
	Ctrl + FN + D	Ctrl + FN + D
AMS	FN + F2	FN + F2
AMT	Set-up; (Advanced) Screen Display; Select CRT	Set-up; (Advanced) Screen Display; Select LCD
AT&T	FN + F3	FN + F3
	FN + F6	FN + F6
Advanced Logic Research	Ctrl + Alt + V	Ctrl + Alt + V
Altima	Shift + Ctrl + Alt + C	Shift + Ctrl + Alt + C
	Set-up Conf.Simulscan	Set-up Conf.Simulscan
Ambra	Ctrl + Alt + Esc for set-up screen	Ctrl + Alt + Esc for set-up screen
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	FN + F5	FN + F5
	F2; choose option; F5	F2; choose option; F5
Amrel	Set-up screen	Set-up screen
	Shift + Ctrl + D	Shift + Ctrl + D
	FN + F6	FN + F6
Apple	See Macintosh	See Macintosh
Aspen	Automatic	Automatic
Austin	Ctrl + Alt + Comma	Ctrl + Alt + Comma
	FN + F12	FN + F12
Award	FN + F6	FN + F6
BCC	Reboot the computer	Reboot the computer
Bondwell	Reboot for LCD/CRT options to appear	Reboot for LCD/CRT options to appear
Canon	FN + F6	FN + F6
	Set-up menu	Set-up menu
	FN + F7	FN + F7
	Change set-up to CRT	Change set-up to LCD
Chaplet	Select from set-up screen	Select from set-up screen
	FN + F6	FN + F6
	FN + F4	FN + F4
Chembook	FN + F6	FN + F6
Chicony	Ctrl + Alt + Esc	Ctrl + Alt + Esc
Automatic	Automatic
Commax	Ctrl + Alt + # 6	Ctrl + Alt + # 5
	FN + F7	FN + F7
	FN + F6	FN + F6
Compaq	FN + F4	FN + F4
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	Automatic	Automatic
	Ctrl + Alt + <	Ctrl + Alt + >
CompuAdd	FN + F3 Set-up select Display LCD/CRT	FN + F3 Set-up select Display LCD/CRT
	Alt + F for screen set-up option	Alt + F for screen set-up option
	Automatic	Automatic
Compudyne	Ctrl + Shift + D	Ctrl + Shift + D
	Set-up screen	Set-up screen
	FN + F8	FN + F8
Data General	Ctrl + Alt + Command	Ctrl + Alt + Command
	2 CRT/X at DOS prompt	Reboot
DataVue	Ctrl + Shift + M	Ctrl + Shift + M
Data View	Ctrl + Shift + M	Ctrl + Shift + M
DEC	FN + F4	FN + F4
	FN + F5	FN + F5
	Automatic	Automatic
Dell	FN + F8	FN + F8
	FN + F12	FN + F12
	Ctrl + Alt + <	Ctrl + Alt + >
	FN + D	FN + D
	Ctrl + Alt + F10	Ctrl + Alt + F10
Digital	Automatic	Automatic
	FN + F2	FN + F2
Dolch	Set dip switch to CRT before boot-up	Set dip switch to LCD before boot-up
Epson	Set dip switch to CRT before boot-up	Set dip switch to LCD before boot-up
	FN + F12	FN + F12
EPS Technologies	FN + F4	FN + F4
Everex	Select from set-up screen	Select from set-up screen
	FN + F10	FN + F10
	Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C	Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L
Fujitsu	FN + F10	FN + F10
Gateway	FN + F3	FN + F3
	FN + F1	FN + F1
	Option in set-up	Option in set-up
	FN+F4	FN+F4
Grid	Ctrl + Alt + Tab	Ctrl + Alt + Tab
FN + F2	FN + F2
Hewlett Packard	FN + F5	FN + F5
	FN + F12	FN + F12
	FN+F4	FN+F4
Hitachi	FN + F7	FN + F7
	FN + F8	FN + F8
	FN +F5	FN +F5
Honeywell	FN + F10	FN + F10
Hyundai	Set-up screen option	Set-up screen option
IBM	FN + F7	FN + F7
	FN + F1 for set-up	FN + F1 for set-up
	Set-up LCD to CRT	Set-up CRT to LCD
	Ctrl + Alt + S	Ctrl + Alt + S
	Automatic	Automatic
	FN + F2	FN + F2
Infotel	FN + F12	FN + F12
Jetbook	FN + F6	FN + F6
	FN + F12	FN + F12
Kaypro	Automatic	Automatic
Kris Tech	FN + F8	FN + F8
Leading Edge	FN + T	FN + T
Macintosh	Select Monitor Icon on Control Strip; Select Resolution to match display device	Select Monitor Icon on Control Strip; Select Resolution to match display device
	Control Panel folder; Display folder; Activate Video Mirroring; warm reboot	Control Panel folder; Display folder; Deactivate Video Mirroring; warm reboot
	Control Panel folder; Monitors; switch primary display by dragging white menu bar to Monitor 2	Control Panel folder; Monitors; switch primary display by dragging white menu bar to Monitor 1
	Many Macintosh computers are not compatible and have no external video port; in these cases there sometimes is a third party device available
Magitronic	FN + F4	FN + F4
Mastersport	FN + F2	FN + F1
Micro Express	Automatic	Automatic
Micron	FN + F2	FN + F2
	FN + F12	FN + F12
Microslate	Automatic	Automatic
Midwest Micro	FN + F11	FN + F11
Mitsubishi	SW2 On-Off-Off-Off	SW2 Off-On-On-On
NCR	Set-up screen option	Set-up screen option
NEC	FN + F3	FN + F3
	FN + F10	FN + F10
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	Select "Active" from set-up	Deselect "Active" from set-up
	CRT at the DOS prompt	LCD at the DOS prompt
Olivetti	Automatic	Automatic
	FN + O	FN + O
	FN + Asterisk	FN + Asterisk
Packard Bell	FN + F10	FN + F10
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	Ctrl + Alt + <	Ctrl + Alt + >
Panasonic	FN + F2	FN + F2
	Set-up option	Set-up option
	FN+F3	FN+F3
ProStar	FN + F6	FN + F6
	Ctrl + Alt + S at startup	Ctrl + Alt + S at startup
Sager	FN + F6	FN + F6
	FN + F9	FN + F9
Sampo	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + C	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + C
Samsung	FN + F4	FN + F4
	Set-up screen option	Set-up screen option
	FN + F5	FN + F5
	FN + F6	FN + F6
Sanyo	Set-up screen option	Set-up screen option
Sharp	FN + F5	FN + F5
	Set dip switch to CRT	Set dip switch to CRT
Sotec	FN + F5	FN + F5
	FN + F1	FN + F1
Sun	Ctrl + Shift + M	Ctrl + Shift + M
Tandy	Ctrl + Alt + Insert	Ctrl + Alt + Insert
	Set-up option	Set-up option
Tangent	FN + F5	FN + F5
Texas Instruments	FN + F2	FN + F2
	FN + F3	FN + F3
	Switch CRT On	Switch CRT On
	Press SETUP key on keyboard	Press SETUP key on keyboard
	Type ALTVID at DOS prompt	Type ALTVID at DOS prompt
	Ctrl + Alt + Setup	Ctrl + Alt + Setup
	FN + Setup at DOS prompt - Screen Display = BOTH	FN + Setup at DOS prompt - Screen Display = LCD
	Ctrl-Alt-Esc	Ctrl-Alt-Esc
	Win95 Control Panel; TI SETUP; System Config; Display device; LCD/CRT/both	Win95 Control Panel; TI SETUP; System Config; Display device; LCD/CRT/both
	Win3.1 Travelmate Set-up; TI SETUP; System Config; Display device; LCD/CRT/Both	Win3.1 Travelmate Set-up; TI SETUP; System Config; Display device; LCD/CRT/Both
	FN + F12	FN + F12
	FN + F10	FN + F10
	FN + F5	FN + F5
Top-Link	Set-up option	Set-up option
	FN + F6	FN + F6
Toshiba	FN + End	FN + End
	Ctrl-Alt-End	Ctrl-Alt-End
	Automatic	Automatic
	Type TSetup at DOS prompt; select display location int/ext/both	Type TSetup at DOS prompt; select display location int/ext/both
	FN + F5	FN + F5
	Ctrl + Alt + End	Ctrl + Alt + End
	FN + End	FN + End
	Ctrl + Alt + End	Ctrl + Alt + End
	Set-up option	Set-up option
Twinhead	FN + F7	FN + F7
	FN + F5	FN + F5
	Automatic	Automatic
US Logic	FN + F8	FN + F8
Winbook	FN + F6 (simul); FN + F10 (int/ext)	FN + F6 (simul); FN + F10 (int/ext)
	Ctrl + Alt + F10	Ctrl + Alt + F10
	FN + F12	FN + F12
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	FN + F8	FN + F8
Wyse	Automatic	Automatic
Zenith	FN + F10	FN + F10
	FN + F7	FN + F7
	FN + F2	FN + F2
	FN + F1	FN + F1
Zeos	Ctrl + Shift + D	Ctrl + Shift + D
	FN + F1	FN + F1