I have just purchased my first Mac, a Mac Book Pro. I am trying to attach an external screen and would like to know what the equivalent of Fn F7 in Windows is, ie. this enable you to toggle between laptop and external screen.
Thanks,
Rosemary
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
Thanks for the prompt reply. I had found CMD F1 in another post, and have managed to get the external screen working, but with the laptop screen on as well.
I have two more questions:
1) do I have to close the laptop screen to make it go blank?
2) what is the meaning of mirror screen and extended screen? Sorry these terms are new to me.
Regards
Rosemary
1) In order to operate the laptop with the screen closed, you need an external keyboard and mouse. Here are the rules for clamshell mode.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3131
2) Mirror mode presents the same content on both the laptop and the external monitor. Extended desktop mode makes you desktop as large as the two monitors combined. You can drag an application off the right side of your screen and it appears on the TV.
Captfred
Good morning rosemarym.
"Mirror screen" means that you will see exactly the same thing on both screens.
"Extended screen" means that the two screens will act as a single large screen. For example, if you have a really wide spreadsheet, you could drag it so that it spans both screens, thus allowing you to see 50 columns (for example) instead of only 25 without having to scroll right or left. Extended screen is also a good way to compare documents or photos side by side. Place one document on the left hand screen and the other on the right hand screen. Or you might want to keep your email visible on one screen while watching a movie on the other. Lots of uses!!
Hope this is helpful. Enjoy your day.
OK thanks again! The possibiities for the extended screen seem endless, I shall bear this in mind for the future.
I am working with a wired keyboard and trackpad, so have now managed to close the laptop, following the instructions on the link you gave me.
Great service here.
Regards
Rosemary
You can't toggle between the screens as they're both on as soon as the external is connected. You can toggle Mirror mode and extended mode with CMD F1.
Regards,
Captfred
Glad to help Rosemary. 🙂
Captfred
How to toggle between external screen
