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Laptop Activation


Laptop Computer Video Port Activation Chart

Most laptop computers require a function key or software command to activate/deactivate the laptop video output signal. The chart below lists the video activation commands for common laptop manufacturers. Many manufacturers use different commands for different models. If none of the commands for your brand listed do not work, consult with the manufacturer for the proper command. 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 simultaneous display setting will not work properly if the native resolution of the projector does not match the native resolution of the laptop LCD display. This means that 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
  • FN + F5
  • Ctrl-Alt-ESC
  • FN + F5
Advanced Logic Research
  • Ctrl + Alt + V
  • Ctrl + Alt + V
Altima
  • Shift + Ctrl + Alt + C
  • Set-up Conf.Simulscan
  • Shift + Ctrl + Alt + C
  • Set-up Conf.Simulscan
  • Ambra
  • Ctrl + Alt + Esc for set-up screen
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F5
  • F2; choose option; F5
  • Ctrl + Alt + Esc for set-up screen
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F5
  • F2; choose option; F5
  • Amrel
  • Set-up screen
  • Shift + Ctrl + D
  • FN + F6
  • Set-up screen
  • Shift + Ctrl + D
  • FN + F6
  • Acer
    • Ctrl-Alt-ESC while computer boots activates the setup menu; system config; advanced sys config; display device; LCD/CRT
    • FN + F5
    • Ctrl-Alt-ESC
    • FN + F5
    AMT
    • Set-up; (Advanced) Screen Display; Select CRT
    • Set-up; (Advanced) Screen Display; Select LCD
    Apple See Macintosh See Macintosh
    Aspen
    • Automatic
    • Automatic
    AST
    • FN + F5
    • FN + F3
    • FN + F12
    • FN + D
    • Ctrl + D
    • Ctrl + FN + D
    • FN + F5
    • FN + F3
    • FN + F12
    • FN + D
    • Ctrl + D
    • Ctrl + FN + D
    AT&T
  • FN + F3
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F3
  • FN + F6
  • Austin
  • Ctrl + Alt + Comma
  • FN + F12
  • Ctrl + Alt + Comma
  • 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
  • Set-up menu
  • FN + F7
  • Change set-up to CRT
  • FN + F6
  • Set-up menu
  • FN + F7
  • Change set-up to LCD
  • Chaplet
  • Select from set-up screen
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F4
  • Select from set-up screen
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F4
  • Chembook
    • FN + F6
    • FN + F6
    Chicony
  • Ctrl + Alt + Esc
  • Automatic
  • Ctrl + Alt + Esc
  • Automatic
  • Commax
  • Ctrl + Alt + # 6
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F6
  • Ctrl + Alt + # 5
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F6
  • Compaq
  • FN + F4
  • FN + F2
  • Automatic
  • Ctrl + Alt + <
  • FN + F4
  • FN + F2
  • Automatic
  • Ctrl + Alt + >
  • CompuAdd
  • FN + F3 Set-up select Display LCD/CRT
  • Alt + F for screen set-up option
  • Automatic
  • FN + F3 Set-up select Display LCD/CRT
  • Alt + F for screen set-up option
  • Automatic
  • Compudyne
  • Ctrl + Shift + D
  • Set-up screen
  • FN + F8
  • Ctrl + Shift + D
  • Set-up screen
  • FN + F8
  • Data General
  • Ctrl + Alt + Command
  • 2 CRT/X at DOS prompt
  • Ctrl + Alt + Command
  • Reboot
  • Data View
    • Ctrl + Shift + M
    • Ctrl + Shift + M
    DataVue
    • Ctrl + Shift + M 
    • Ctrl + Shift + M
    DEC
  • FN + F4
  • FN + F5
  • Automatic
  • FN + F4
  • FN + F5
  • Automatic
  • Dell
  • FN + F8
  • FN + F12
  • Ctrl + Alt + <
  • FN + D
  • Ctrl + Alt + F10
  • FN + F8
  • FN + F12
  • Ctrl + Alt + >
  • FN + D
  • Ctrl + Alt + F10
  • Digital
  • Automatic
  • FN + F2
  • Automatic
  • FN + F2
  • Dolch
    • Set dip switch to CRT before boot-up
    • Set dip switch to LCD before boot-up
    EPS Technologies
    • FN + F4
    • FN + F4
    Epson
  • Set dip switch to CRT before boot-up
  • FN + F12
  • Set dip switch to LCD before boot-up
  • FN + F12
  • Everex
  • Select from set-up screen
  • FN + F10
  • Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C
  • Select from set-up screen
  • FN + F10
  • Ctrl + Alt + Shift + L
  • Fujitsu
    • FN + F10
    • FN + F10
    Gateway
  • FN + F3
  • FN + F1
  • Option in set-up
  • FN + F3
  • FN + F1
  • Option in set-up
  • Grid
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab
  • FN + F2
  • Ctrl + Alt + Tab
  • FN + F2
  • Hewlett Packard
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F12
  • Hitachi
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F8
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F8
  • Honeywell
    • FN + F10
    • FN + F10
    Hyundai
    • Set-up screen option
    • Set-up screen option
    IBM
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F1 for set-up
  • Set-up LCD to CRT
  • Ctrl + Alt + S
  • Automatic
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F1 for set-up
  • Set-up CRT to LCD
  • Ctrl + Alt + S
  • Automatic
  • FN + F2
  • Infotel
    • FN + F12
    • FN + F12
    Jetbook
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F6
  • 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
  • Control Panel folder; Display folder; Activate Video Mirroring; warm reboot
  • Control Panel folder; Monitors; switch primary display by dragging white menu bar to Monitor 2
  • Many Macintosh computers are not compatible and have no external video port; in these cases there sometimes is a third party device available
  • Select Monitor Icon on Control Strip; Select Resolution to match display device
  • Control Panel folder; Display folder; Deactivate Video Mirroring; warm reboot
  • Control Panel folder; Monitors; switch primary display by dragging white menu bar to Monitor 1
  • Magitronic
    • FN + F4
    • FN + F4
    Mastersport
    • FN + F2
    • FN + F1
    Micro Express
    • Automatic
    • Automatic
    Micron
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F2
  • 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 + F10
  • FN + F2
  • Select "Active" from set-up
  • CRT at the DOS prompt
  • FN + F3
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F2
  • Deselect "Active" from set-up
  • LCD at the DOS prompt
  • Olivetti
  • Automatic
  • FN + O
  • FN + Asterisk
  • Automatic
  • FN + O
  • FN + Asterisk
  • Packard Bell
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F2
  • Ctrl + Alt + <
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F2
  • Ctrl + Alt + >
  • Panasonic
  • FN + F2
  • Set-up option
  • FN + F2
  • Set-up option
  • ProStar
  • FN + F6
  • Ctrl + Alt + S at startup
  • FN + F6
  • Ctrl + Alt + S at startup
  • Sager
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F9
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F9
  • Sampo
    • CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + C
    • CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + C
    Samsung
  • FN + F4
  • Set-up screen option
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F6
  • FN + F4
  • Set-up screen option
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F6
  • Sanyo
    • Set-up screen option
    • Set-up screen option
    Sharp
  • FN + F5
  • Set dip switch to CRT
  • FN + F5
  • Set dip switch to CRT
  • Sotec
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F1
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F1
  • Sun
    • Ctrl + Shift + M
    • Ctrl + Shift + M
    Tandy
  • Ctrl + Alt + Insert
  • Set-up option
  • Ctrl + Alt + Insert
  • Set-up option
  • Tangent
    • FN + F5
    • FN + F5
    Texas Instruments
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F3
  • Switch CRT On
  • Press SETUP key on keyboard
  • Type ALTVID at DOS prompt
  • Ctrl + Alt + Setup
  • FN + Setup at DOS prompt - Screen Display = BOTH
  • Ctrl-Alt-Esc
  • 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
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F5
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F3
  • Switch CRT On
  • Press SETUP key on keyboard
  • Type ALTVID at DOS prompt
  • Ctrl + Alt + Setup
  • FN + Setup at DOS prompt - Screen Display = LCD
  • Ctrl-Alt-Esc
  • 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
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F5
  • Top-Link
  • Set-up option
  • FN + F6
  • Set-up option
  • FN + F6
  • Toshiba
  • FN + End
  • Ctrl-Alt-End
  • Automatic
  • Type TSetup at DOS prompt; select display location int/ext/both
  • FN + F5
  • Ctrl + Alt + End
  • FN + End
  • Ctrl + Alt + End
  • Set-up option
  • FN + End
  • Ctrl-Alt-End
  • Automatic
  • Type TSetup at DOS prompt; select display location int/ext/both
  • FN + F5
  • Ctrl + Alt + End
  • FN + End
  • Ctrl + Alt + End
  • Set-up option
  • Twinhead
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F5
  • Automatic
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F5
  • Automatic
  • US Logic
    • FN + F8
    • FN + F8
    Winbook
  • FN + F6 (simul); FN + F10 (int/ext)
  • Ctrl + Alt + F10
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F8
  • FN + F6 (simul); FN + F10 (int/ext)
  • Ctrl + Alt + F10
  • FN + F12
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F8
  • Wyse
    • Automatic
    • Automatic
    Zenith
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F1
  • FN + F10
  • FN + F7
  • FN + F2
  • FN + F1
  • Zeos
  • Ctrl + Shift + D
  • FN + F1
  • Ctrl + Shift + D
  • FN + F1