Turning off Macbook Display when using External Display on Lion

Question

Level 1

15 points

Turning off Macbook Display when using External Display on Lion

Before Lion you could turn off the internal display on a Macbook by closing the lid, putting the Macbook to sleep and using an external keyboard/mouse to wake it up. After waking up, the internal display would be off and you could open the lid and it would stay off. This allowed better airflow while using an external display, not to mention saved resources like video memory etc. If you wanted to turn the display back on all you had to do was select Detect Displays from the Display menu on the Menu Bar, or put it to sleep and wake it up with the lid open.

On Lion this function no longer works. Lion will automatically execute a Detect Displays when the lid is opened. I don't want to run Dual displays at the moment, my desk is not setup for this and I don't need it. I much rather have more video ram available when I'm playing World of Warcraft.

I know that not having control over what display is active is a more novice user friendly function, but some of us are not novices, Windows has had for years the ability to disable any display from the displays control panel. Most if not all windows laptops come with a dedicated function button expressly to select the active display (press it external display only, press again, internal display only, press again internal and external mirrored, press again internal and external dual display mode). This can be cumbersome and overwhelming to novice users I get it, but Apple should implement some fix for us gaming nerds. I want to keep my lid open to have better airflow and I want my internal display off. How about and advanced button on the Display Preferences.

Anyone know of any existing workarounds?

Macbook Pro 17"-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 10:21 PM

Reply

Answer 1

wv636

Level 1

4 points

Aug 8, 2011 2:46 AM in response to iansari

I'm not sure if this was posted alread, but a very safe way to apply the trick is.... using a paperclip to test everything:

- move a paperclip along the edges of your screen to find all the magnets

- test with the paperclip how strong the magnets pull the paperclip

- test with your fridge magnet how strong that one pulls the paperclip: if it's weaker than the screen's magnets, then your very safe!

- estimate where your screen's magnets "touch" the body of the laptop

- try each of these spots with your fridge magnet to see if anything happens.

This way there is practically no risk that you put too strong a magnet too close to a fragile part of your computer. Unless you're super clumsy, of course.

The sweet spot on my macbook air (i7) is directly right to the return key (about 2 cm away from the right usb port).

I'm so happy that now I do not have to buy SwitchResX, just to get back functionality that existed in Snow Leopard. (My other problem is getting Fortran syntax colouring back in XCode 4, which exists in XCode 3, but that is a bit off topic.)

Reply

Answer 2

mkedge

Level 1

0 points

Aug 18, 2011 4:41 AM in response to DrBenru

this is how my macbook looks right now 😟

Reply

Answer 3

chenga.8

Level 1

15 points

Aug 31, 2011 6:58 AM in response to chenga.8

Forgot to add the way back (just in case):

If it screws up your system, just zap the PRAM next boot (cmd-opt-p-r) and you'll be back to the default Lion state. Or if you can still get into terminal, this command will get you back to Lion's default state as well:

sudo nvram -d boot-args

Reply

Answer 4

septi

Level 1

10 points

Sep 1, 2011 9:06 AM in response to chenga.8

It doesn't work for me. I entered it in Terminal and typed in my password, didn't got any error though but it doesn't work. I also tried it after reboot but it has the same behaviour as before.

What did I wrong?

Reply

Answer 5

DrBenru Author

Level 1

15 points

Sep 1, 2011 9:52 AM in response to septi

@septi There could be several reasons for it not to work including that this command does not work on your particular model Mac. The first thing you should realize is that the command changes a pre-startup boot parameter that your computer will keep everytime it turns on, so the first time you type the command you have to first restart your mac before it will work. Also this is not a command that you should be typing several times

in Terminal you can type

nvram -p

This should give you all the contents of the firmware nvram in your computer. The last line should be:

boot-args         iog=0x0

if your boot-args reads something else you can delete it by typing:

sudo nvram -d boot-args

Now even if you have boot-args set correctly and you've already restarted your mac after setting boot-args you may need to force your computer to detect displays. For this purpose I put a checkmark in the "Show Displays in menu bar" option at the bottom left of the window in System Preferences > Display. Lets say your macbook is on and the screen lid is closed, if the Display menu (a little icon of a screen on the right side of the menu bar) lists more than one display then select Detect diplays with the lid closed. Once Display shows only the setting for your external display you may open your Macbook lid and the internal display should remain off. If you want to re-activate the internal display you need only select detect displays again from the menu with the lid open and both displays will be on.

Hope this helps you.

And again thanks to chenga.8 for the great tip.

Reply

Answer 6

Sep 13, 2011 11:31 AM in response to DrBenru

I like the way that OS X Lion changed the Clamshell behavior, but I do miss the old way as well, and still do like using it that way, too. My solution is to use my earbuds, just one is neccessary, and place one over the reed switch on the case. I then have the best of both ways, and can easily switch back and forth with little effort. Looks cool, too, almost Appley...

Reply

Answer 7

imranh42

Level 1

0 points

Sep 30, 2011 11:16 PM in response to Mark Alexander

Yes it sends but briefly and then reverts back to MacBook Pro. However the other problem is that the audio controls on the MacBook Pro are not available when the computer is started. It has to be booted by plugging in headphones and waiting till the speaker icon on the bar is activated.

Reply

Answer 8

sman789

Level 1

0 points

Oct 18, 2011 9:58 AM in response to DrBenru

Found the perfect solution to use an external with my Macbook Pro and still use the keyboard and trackpad.

Step 1: Plug in USB mouse

Step 2: Place 1.5"x1.5" fridge magnet on bottom of left speaker.

Step 3: Let the Macbook switch over to the external, keyboard and trackpad will turn off.

Step 4: Wiggle the USB mouse, use it for a few seconds.

Step 5: Quickly remove magnet, press F5 or F6 a few times to turn on backlit keyboard. Place magnet back on. All this is done in maybe 1 or 2 seconds.

Step 6: Keyboard and trackpad should be working with internal display off. Take off the magnet after a minute or so and remove USB mouse.

Hopefully you have what you want. I set a hot orner to turn the display off. I don't sleep or close the Macbook and it hasn't change the display configuration for a few days now.

Reply

Answer 9

ieWilk

Level 1

0 points

Nov 20, 2011 9:21 PM in response to chenga.8

Appreciate if you can confirm if this method is applicable to extended display, non mirror mode and on battery power?

I've tested on my MBP 13" pro (early 2011) model with Lion 10.7.2 and it didn't work. 😟

Reply

Answer 10

ntrvrs

Level 1

0 points

Nov 30, 2011 1:07 AM in response to DrBenru

You guys really should read DaringFireball. All you need to do is this terminal command, shut down computer and reboot

sudo nvram boot-args="iog=0x0"

To undo this change type type the following command or zap the PRAM (press Cmd+Opt+p+r at power up):

sudo nvram -d boot-args

Now put away your silly magnets!

http://daringfireball.net/linked/2011/10/20/lion-macbook-display

Reply

Answer 11

Dec 2, 2011 11:32 AM in response to DrBenru

After finding out that I could switch which display that I wanted my dock and menu bar on I realized that it was way better to just use both screens.

You can also use secondbar to have to menus on both displays as well.

I ended up just using the 22" external monitor as my main screen with dock etc and then the 11" MBA screen as kinda a scratch paper, side table deal. Much better.

Reply

Answer 12

Jshmut

Level 1

0 points

Mar 20, 2012 12:54 PM in response to DrBenru

I have found an awesome work around solution using the magnet tick that will allow gained keyboard and touchpad use.

NOTE:This solution only works for people with starcraft 2 installed.(I am also guessing that any game which takes up the full screen might work as well but have only tested it with starcraft 2)

Step One: Use the magnet to trick your monitor so that your only running your external in full resolution

Step Two: Boot up Starcraft 2 in full screen mode.

Step Three: Once your in full screen mode, go ahead and take the magnet off.

Step Four: You can now minimize or quit Starcraft 2 and your external monitor will stay as the primary with full resolution as well as added keyboard and trackpad functionality.

whala! =)

Reply

Answer 13

Jdmguam

Level 1

0 points

Apr 13, 2012 6:45 PM in response to ieWilk

Was there an update to the Lion OS? Today I connected my macbook pro to my external monitor and it worked like snow leopard. I was able to operate my macbook pro in open clamshell mode while using my external monitor as the main monitor. The internal display was turned off. I am curious if they finally got around to changing that feature or if it is just a glitch.

Reply

Answer 14

Apr 16, 2012 8:24 AM in response to DrBenru

I think I found some another solutions on this, below is step that I try to described

1. setup "Not Mirrored" on display preferences...

2. Drag the taskbar to external screen, for mine, it will show red border on screen which selected.

3. i close the lid

4. move the bluetooth mouse as normal id lion. so it came on 1 display only.

Will try to capture the picture / video and post to

Have Fun.

Reply

Answer 15

Apr 22, 2012 2:41 AM in response to mavrick_yut

Hi

I am trying the solution which involves: boot-args iog=0x0

However, even after rebooting my Macbook, this does not change anything. After reboot, the screen still remains functional. If I shut the lid, the external monitor defaults to the main monitor, but only for a short while before it too goes into sleep mode.

I am using a Magic Mouse, could this be the reason?

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but the command line above switches the monitor off, meaning I am able to use the trackpad with the external monitor? And that I can leave my lid open so that the speakers are still functional?

Thanks

Reply