How to remove Display from Desktop in Windows 11/10

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If you have a multiple monitor setup on your Windows 11/10 Enterprise and/or Pro for Workstations edition, you can remove and restore a connected external display on demand without having to physically disconnect and reconnect the display OR turn on or off the display power for the Specialized Display. In this post, we will show you how to remove the Display from the Desktop in Windows 11/10.
According to Microsoft; the Specialized Display feature enables a Display to be dedicated to a specific purpose, such as:

Fixed-function arcade/gaming rigs like cockpit/driving/flight/military simulators
Medical imaging devices that have custom panels (e.g. grayscale X-ray displays)
Dedicated video monitoring scenarios
Monitor panel testing and validation (e.g. in the factory)
Video walls

The Remove display from desktop feature will prevent your Windows computer from using an externally connected display without having to disconnect the display – this allows you to easily have your computer reconnect and use the display again when needed.
You can remove the display from Desktop in Windows 11/10 in either of two ways which we will cover in this section; PC users can use option two if their Windows edition is not as mentioned earlier but have NVIDIA graphics and drivers installed on their system.

1] Via Settings app

How to remove Display from Desktop in Windows
To remove Display from Desktop in Windows 11/10 via Settings app, do the following:

Press Windows key + I to open Settings app.
Click/tap on the System icon.
Click/tap on Display on the left pane.
On the right pane, click/tap on the Advanced display settings link towards the bottom of the page.
On the next page that opens, select a display you want to remove or restore in the Choose display section drop-down menu.
Now, under the Remove display from desktop section, toggle the button to On (remove) or Off (restore) per your requirement.
Exit Settings app when done.

Read: How to change from Dual monitor to Single in Windows

2] Via NVIDIA Control Panel

Remove display from Desktop via NVIDIA Control Panel
To remove Display from Desktop in Windows 11/10 via NVIDIA Control Panel, do the following:

Open NVIDIA Control Panel.
On the left navigation pane, under Display. click on the Set up multiple displays link.
On the right pane, under Select the displays you want to use, uncheck (remove) or check (restore) the displays per your requirement.
Click/tap on Apply.
Finally, click on Yes on the prompt that appears to confirm and save changes.
Exit NVIDIA Control Panel when done.

That’s it!
Read: How to add Project Display option to Desktop Context Menu in Windows

How to undo Remove display from desktop?

If you want to undo Remove display from desktop, you can follow these instructions:

Plug into another display.
Right-click on the desktop and select Display settings.
Next, select Advanced display settings.
Select the display you turned off in the Select a display to view or change the settings for it drop-down menu.
Now turn off the Remove display from desktop toggle switch.

Read: How to change Primary and Secondary monitor on Windows

How do I turn off the display in Windows 11/10?

To disable one monitor in a dual monitor setup using Windows Settings, do the following:

Press Win+I to open Windows Settings.
Go to System > Display.
Find out the Extend these displays drop-down list.
Choose the Show only on 1 or Show only on 2 option.
Click the Keep changes button.

How do I get back to normal desktop on Windows 11/10?

To get your Desktop back to normal on Windows 11/10, follow these steps:

Press Windows key and I key together to open Settings.
In the pop-up window, choose System to continue.
On the left panel, choose Tablet Mode.
Check the Don’t ask me and don’t switch option.

How do I turn off Extended display?

To turn off Extended display, follow these steps:

Right-click on the desktop.
Click on Screen resolution.
Under Multiple displays, select Show Desktop Only on 1.
Click on Apply > OK.

Read: How to turn off Laptop Screen when using External Monitor.
Date: July 27, 2022Tags: Display

Obinna Onwusobalu, has studied Information & Communication Technology and is a keen follower of the Windows ecosystem. He runs a computer software clinic. He says it’s best practice to create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your PC.

July 26, 2022

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