Process

• 1). Turn off the external monitor (if it's being used by another device) and the laptop, and unplug the power cords.
  
  
• 2). Connect the laptop to the external monitor via the desktop monitor's video cable. Locate and identify the video port on your laptop, which is a trapezoid-shaped port with 15 pin-holes split into three rows. The exact location of the port may vary from one model to another, located on a side in some laptops, or to the back on others. The video cable from the external monitor has a corresponding cable head--15 pins enclosed in a metallic trapezoid and covered in a box-like assembly.
  
  
• 3). Plug in the power cords and switch both devices on. If the external monitor does not light up after the laptop's operating system is loaded, you may have to change the laptop's display mode. Laptops have a special key labeled 'Fn' which must be pressed in conjunction with another key, usually F3, F5, F8 or F9, to switch between display modes. Refer to your laptop's user manual for instructions on which key combination changes your display mode. Alternatively, look for a small "CRT/LCD" label near the numbered-F keys, or a small icon depicting a screen. Press the 'Fn' key and the appropriate numbered-F key to change modes.
  
  
• 4). Turn off the laptop's LCD screen to conserve power. Some laptops, immediately after detecting an external monitor and displaying images on it, will switch off the LCD screen automatically. In other models you may have to turn it off manually. Keep pressing the key combination until the LCD screen turns blank.
  
  
• 5). Configure the display. If you do not customize the display, especially for the external monitor, the laptop will continue sending its default video signals to the monitor, which will result in small, blocky or low-quality images. Check whether the external monitor is recognized by the operating system, since you cannot change the resolution if the monitor is not detected. When detected, set the resolution by navigating to "Display Properties."