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Connecting External Devices
To use an external monitor
Connecting an external monitor
1. Click Start, Turn Off Computer, Turn Off.
2. Connect the monitor cable from the monitor to the monitor port on the back of the
computer.
3. Connect the monitor to a power source and turn it on.
4. Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Switching the display to the external monitor
• Press Fn+F5 to cycle through the display options: notebook display, external monitor,
both.
–or–
Click Start, All Programs, Utilities, Display Settings.
You can also add a display settings icon in the taskbar for quick access.
• If you need to use both displays at once, press Fn+F5 repeatedly until the image
shows on both displays. With the default display settings, the external monitor uses
the same settings as the internal display. The external monitor displays the same
image as the internal display, regardless of the screen area, colors, and other settings,
and the refresh rate is the same for as the internal display (60 Hz). If you use only the
external monitor, you can select settings that aren’t limited by the internal display.
Adjusting monitor resolution and other settings
1. Click Start, Control Panel, Appearance and Themes, Display.
2. On the Settings tab, adjust the Screen area. Other settings are also available.
For high-resolution external monitors, see “Hardware Specifications” on page 134 for the
maximum supported resolutions, colors, and refresh rates. The capabilities of external
monitors vary greatly, and the display quality of your monitor may not be optimal at
higher settings.
If you need to increase the refresh rate on the external monitor, you can switch to only the
external monitor. An alternative is to make one display a “secondary” display so you can
select independent refresh rates:
1. Click Start, Control Panel, Appearance and Themes, Display.
2. On the Settings tab, click the Advanced button, and then the Displays or Monitor tab.
Set the refresh rate on the Monitor tab.
80 Reference Guide