I have three external monitors. One of these is also connected to my desktop computer. This same display provides power to my MacBook via a single USB-C cable so disconnecting it is not a good option. Mirroring is also not an option due to the other external monitors.
How do I prevent MacOS using this monitor so I can use it on my desktop and still be able to use the other two monitors with my MacBook?
Hi oliverpolden,
Thank you for reaching out using Apple Support Communities. Here to help.
Hoping to gain some clarity on your configuration to help make recommendations.
If we're understanding you correctly, you have three displays, and are wanting to use two of them to display your MacBook, and the third to display your desktop computer. You also use the third monitor for charging the MacBook via USB-C. It sounds like when you use this charging port, it is also displaying the MacBook to this display, which is not your intent.
Could you provide information about the displays, what brand or model are they? You may want to check with the manufacturer on if there is a way to configure the USB-C port to behave as charging-only. The following resource will provide information about compatibility of external displays with the Mac.
Use external monitors with your Mac
Hope this helps. Take care!
I don't think the models of monitors is relevant. In both Linux and Windows there is simply the option to configure a display as disabled. I would have expected this option to perhaps be available when pressing the option key.
I guess what I'm saying is that there should be an option to disable a monitor from within display preferences but there doesn't appear to be.
As I said in my initial post, of course I can just disconnect the monitor cable, disconnect the MacBook power supply from the monitor, and plug it directly into my MacBook. (My monitor does not have a USB-C port, so I'm using a cable that I plug the USB-C power into and that effectively gives me the single cable with USB-C at one end that I plug into my MacBook and HDMI at the other into my monitor). I like to have a clean setup with just the single cable plugged into my MacBook, plus I save a port that way. My power supply is hidden behind my desk, so unplugging it is a massive chore. With the three monitors, if I had to use one of the ports solely for power, I would have no ports left. I do have dongles I can use but they're just horrible to have sat on your desk.
So, I know I have the option of physically changing the cables. I guess this is a "feature request" to allow displays to be disabled in the same way every other OS seems to have. I say "feature request" in quotes because I bet the code already exists to do this and possibly has been an option in the past. As more people start adopting power from their Monitor and possibly having cases where they need to be plugged in for power but don't want to use the monitor for whatever reason, this is an important feature to have.
Unplugging the display cable to disable the display is so simple, MacOS has never had a feature like the one you are suggesting.
But you are welcome to suggest that such a feature be added:
.
If you want to use this display more casually, you should reconsider NOT using it as the power supply for your MacBook Pro. Instead, plug in the Apple Power Adapter to power the MacBook Pro.
Then when the display connection to the MacBook Pro annoys you, unplug it from the MacBook Pro with impunity.
It's not the plugging into my Mac that I have an issue with, it's removing and re-plugging in the cable into my monitor. I've made a feature request and you're saying that it's not possible to disable a display in software so I guess this is concluded.
Obviously I know about any physical options to stop the MacBook using the monitor. Other options include using a separate power supply and cable, but my point is there wouldn't need to be a workaround if there was the option to disable a display in software, which granted, only a small percentage of users would probably want and could cause confusion for those that don't understand it.
That's your opinion that the cable is simple to unplug. It's not when the cable is behind everything and difficult to get to, it's also not so easy if it's a desktop computer, but thank you for the feedback form.
Nothing inherent in the design of the Mac forces you to place the display-cable in an area that is inaccessible.
Disable a connected display
