The Best Time To Turn Off Your Monitor

There are several reasons why you might want to turn off your monitor, such as conserving energy, reducing eye strain, or simply saving power. Modern LCD monitors with LED backlights are unlikely to be affected by being left on continuously. However, older LCD monitors with hot-cathode fluorescent backlights or cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors may benefit from being turned off to prevent damage to the heated tungsten filaments. Additionally, turning off your monitor can be useful during a lightning storm or to protect against power surges.

If you want to turn off your monitor while keeping your computer running, you can adjust the power settings on Windows 10 and 11. You can set your monitor to turn off automatically after a certain amount of idle time or use third-party software to manually trigger your monitor to turn off using a hotkey.

To save energy

Saving Energy

Computer monitors consume a lot of energy, so turning them off when not in use can help save energy and reduce your carbon footprint. This is especially true for older monitors, which can use significantly more power than modern energy-efficient models.

If you're using a laptop, turning off your monitor when not in use can significantly increase your battery life. Additionally, if your computer is performing background tasks, such as a virus scan or downloading a large file, turning off the monitor can help conserve power.

Another way to save energy is to use third-party software, such as Dekisoft Monitor Off Utility, which allows you to turn off your monitor on-demand using a hotkey. This can be useful if you want to manually turn off your monitor when you step away from your computer.

While turning off your monitor can save energy, it may not result in significant power savings, as the amount of power used by your computer depends on various factors, including the hardware and software you are using. For greater energy savings, consider using energy-efficient hardware and software, and turn off your computer completely when not in use.

To reduce eye strain

Firstly, adjust your monitor's settings to reduce eye strain. This includes increasing the font size to ensure that text is easily readable, adjusting the screen's contrast to around 60-70%, and matching the brightness of your monitor to the ambient lighting in your workspace. If you're in a bright room, increase the brightness, and vice versa. Additionally, consider changing the colour temperature to a warmer, yellowish tone in dark rooms and a colder, bluer tone in bright rooms.

Secondly, proper staging of your workspace is crucial. Position your monitor directly in front of you, at eye level, and about an arm's length away. This reduces neck strain and supports a comfortable line of vision. Ensure there is no glare on your monitor from other light sources, as this makes your eyes work harder.

Thirdly, develop good habits to reduce eye strain. Take frequent breaks from looking at your screen. Follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look away from your screen and focus on a fixed point at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This relaxes the focusing muscles in your eyes. Additionally, remember to blink more often, as blinking moistens your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation.

By making these adjustments and developing good habits, you can effectively reduce eye strain caused by monitors and screens.

To save power while letting the system run

If you want to save power while letting your system run, you can turn off your monitor. This is a good idea if you're stepping away from your computer for a while but don't want to close whatever programs or applications you have running.

How to Turn Off Your Monitor

On a desktop computer, this is usually as simple as pressing the power button on the monitor. On a laptop, it's a little more complicated. Depending on your brand and model, there may be a manual display shutdown command attributed to one of your function keys. Check your laptop's documentation or perform a web search of the device's product name and the phrase 'function keys' to find out.

Power-Saving Mode

If you're using a Windows operating system, you can also set your monitor to automatically enter power-saving mode after a certain period of inactivity. This can be done by adjusting your power options in your settings. You can choose from a variety of time intervals, such as 5 minutes or never. Once you've chosen your preferred setting, your monitor will turn off after the specified time interval, but your computer will continue to run. You can wake your monitor back up by moving your mouse or pressing any key on your keyboard.

Other Options

If you don't want to use power-saving mode, there are other ways to save power. For example, you can adjust your laptop power plan settings to reduce screen brightness or turn off your screensaver. You can also download third-party software, such as Dekisoft Monitor Off Utility, which allows you to manually turn off your monitor with a hotkey.

Benefits of Turning Off Your Monitor

Turning off your monitor can help you save energy and reduce your power bill. It can also help prevent "screen burn", which can permanently damage the monitor display. Additionally, turning off your monitor can reduce eye strain, which is beneficial if you're going to be away from your computer for an extended period of time.

To prolong the life of the monitor

For users running Windows 10 or 11, there are built-in power options that allow you to automatically turn off your monitor after a set amount of idle time. This can be accessed by clicking the Start button, typing "power options" in the search field, and then selecting the appropriate settings for your device.

If you prefer a more manual approach, there are third-party software options available, such as Dekisoft Monitor Off Utility, which allow you to create custom hotkeys to turn off your monitor on demand. These software solutions can be especially useful if you have multiple monitors that you want to control simultaneously.

Another way to prolong the life of your monitor is to reduce the brightness setting. By lowering the backlight brightness, you can extend the lifespan of your monitor while also reducing power consumption.

It is worth noting that abruptly turning a monitor on and off frequently may not be advisable, as it can cause damage over time. Instead, consider using standby mode or sleep mode, which powers down the panel and turns off the backlight while still drawing a small amount of power.

Finally, for those who want to ensure their monitor is truly off and not just displaying a black screen, check for a light on the panel that indicates whether it is powered on or in standby mode.

To avoid accidental key presses or mouse movements

Turning off your monitor can be a great way to conserve energy, reduce eye strain, and save power. There are a few ways to do this, and it is helpful to know how to avoid accidental key presses or mouse movements that might interrupt the process.

Firstly, you can adjust your settings to automatically turn off your monitor after a set amount of time. This can be done on Windows 10 and 11 by going into your power settings and choosing the desired time interval. This will ensure that your monitor turns off after a period of inactivity, and you can simply move your mouse or press any key to wake it up.

Another option is to use third-party software, such as Dekisoft Monitor Off Utility, which allows you to manually turn off your monitor with a hotkey. This can be useful if you want to turn off your monitor immediately without waiting for the automatic timer.

By utilising these methods, you can ensure that your monitor turns off as intended and remains off until you are ready to use it again. This can help you achieve your desired goals of energy conservation, eye strain reduction, and power saving.

Frequently asked questions