Is Your Monitor Powered Off? Check This Way

There are several ways to determine whether a monitor is powered off. One method is to use software tools such as PowerShell, which can remotely check the power status of a monitor. Another approach is to utilise the video card's display detect function, which is available in control panels of certain GPUs like NVIDIA. Additionally, specific cable connections such as DisplayPort and DVI-D allow Windows to install and uninstall the monitor as a plug-and-play device, enabling the user to check the device manager to identify if the monitor is turned on or off.

Check VGA cable connection

If your monitor is connected using a VGA cable and you're getting no signal, there are several things you can do to check the VGA cable connection.

First, check that the VGA connector fits perfectly into its port. You can try pushing the connector in further, until you feel the pins or pointed bits on the plug are locked in place and not bent. VGA connectors usually have screws on both ends of the connection, so make sure these are tightened.

Next, check the VGA port for any damage, or something inside the port that might be preventing the signal from getting through. If the port appears damaged, try replacing the connector if possible.

You can also try replacing the VGA cable with another identical signal cable, such as an HDMI or DVI cable, to see if that works. If the new cable works, then the issue is likely with the original cable.

If you have another device, such as a laptop, you can try connecting your monitor to that device using the same VGA cable. If the monitor successfully detects the signal and displays content from the other device, then the issue is likely with your original device.

Use Windows 10 display settings

If you're using Windows 10 and want to check if your monitor is powered off, there are a few methods you can try.

Firstly, if your monitor is connected through DisplayPort or DVI-D, Windows will install and uninstall the monitor as a plug-and-play device. In this case, you can check the device manager to see if your monitor is listed as installed or not, which will indicate whether it's turned on or off.

If your monitor is connected through HDMI or SUB-D (VGA), Windows will always list these devices as connected, even if they are turned off. In this case, you can try using third-party software such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, which have an option to blank the remote screen. This will ensure that no one can see the screen while you are connected remotely.

Another method is to use the Windows display settings. Right-click on your desktop wallpaper and select "Display Settings". Then, click on the display that you want to check in the "Select and Arrange Displays" section. Scroll down to "Multiple Displays" and select the option to "Disconnect this Display". This will treat the monitor as if it's disconnected, even if it's turned off but still plugged in.

Additionally, if you're using an NVIDIA graphics card, you can try turning off the second monitor in the NVIDIA settings by removing the checkmark. This will bring any programs open on the second monitor back to your main screen.

Finally, you can use PowerShell to check the monitor's status. The following command will return "False" or "True" depending on the monitor's state:

> [Get-CimInstance -Namespace root\wmi -ClassName wmiMonitorID].Active

This command checks the monitor's status by querying the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) service.

Use PowerShell to check monitor status

To check the status of your monitor using PowerShell, you can use the following command:

Powershell

Get-CimInstance -Namespace root\wmi -ClassName wmiMonitorID).Active

This command will return either "True" or "False", indicating whether the monitor is powered on or off. If you have multiple monitors, you will get a response for each monitor.

• `Get-CimInstance` is a PowerShell cmdlet used to retrieve information about CIM (Common Information Model) instances.
• `-Namespace root\wmi` specifies the namespace where the WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) classes are located.
• `-ClassName wmiMonitorID` specifies the WMI class that contains information about the monitor's status.
• `.Active` is the property that indicates whether the monitor is active or powered on.

You can also use the following command to get information about multiple monitors connected to your system:

Powershell

Get-WmiObject win32_desktopmonitor

This command will return information about the screen height and screen width of each monitor connected to your system.

Additionally, you can use the `WmiMonitorBasicDisplayParams` WMI class to get information about whether a display is active and its capabilities. Here is the command:

Powershell

Get-CimInstance -Namespace root\wmi -ClassName WmiMonitorBasicDisplayParams

This command will return information about the active display and its capabilities, such as the supported display features.

It is important to note that PowerShell is a cross-platform tool available on Windows, Linux, and macOS, and it is optimized for dealing with structured data, REST APIs, and object models.

Use third-party software

If your monitor is connected to your computer through an HDMI or VGA cable, Windows will always list these devices as connected even if they are turned off.

If your monitor is connected through a display port or DVI-D, Windows will install and uninstall the monitor as a plug-and-play device. You can check in the device manager if your monitor is listed (installed) to figure out if the monitor is turned on or off.

If you want to ensure that nobody turns the monitor on, you can use third-party software such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer, which both have an option to blank the remote screen.

If you are using an NVIDIA graphics card, you can use the built-in display detect function in the Windows control panel. Turning the monitor off and then clicking "detect" will show if the second screen is deactivated.

If you are using a Windows operating system, you can use the Windows key + P to switch between "Mirrored" and "Extended" modes when the monitor is turned off and on.

Check with an HDMI connection

If your monitor is connected to your computer using an HDMI cable, you can check if it is powered on or off by using the Windows Display Settings.

Firstly, ensure that your monitor is connected to your computer via an HDMI cable. Then, open the Windows Display Settings by right-clicking on your desktop wallpaper and selecting "Display Settings".

In the Display Settings window, you will see a list of all the displays connected to your computer. If your HDMI monitor is powered on, it should appear in this list. If it does not appear, it may be powered off.

Additionally, you can try adjusting the display settings for the HDMI monitor in this menu. For example, you can try changing the display orientation or resolution. If the monitor is powered on and recognised by your computer, you should see these changes take effect on the monitor.

Another way to check if your HDMI monitor is powered on is by using third-party software or scripts. For example, on Linux, you can use the "ddccontrol" tool to access DDC information and determine if the monitor is switched on or off.

Finally, if your monitor is connected to a computer running Windows 10, you can use the built-in NVIDIA display detect function in the Windows control panel. This function may be able to detect if your HDMI monitor is powered on or off.

Frequently asked questions