Use external display with lid open and screen off?

Hi drgarys,

Thanks for posting. It sounds like you want to know if you turn off the MacBook display when connected to an external display but keep the lid open; is that right?

The links below provide some great information about using your Mac with an external display. To use your Mac with the lid open, you would need to have the Mac's internal display on as well. Otherwise, closed-display mode may be worth considering, but it would depend on exactly what you'd like to do with the configuration.

Use external monitors with your Mac

Use your Mac notebook computer in closed-display mode with an external display

I hope this helps get you started. Take care.