How to turn off Surface Pro monitor only WITHOUT it sleeping?

Anonymous
2013-06-25T07:44:51+00:00

I've read many question posted similar to this.  The truth is none of them answer it. Let's change that or at least get Microsoft to do something about it. Every other computer in the world can do this...why not the surface pro!!! I see the exact behavior occur that I desire when I go to second screen only option...but it doesn't stay there.  For obvious reasons....we need a new power option! Does anybody know how to effectively "yell" at Microsoft?

***Subject edited for clarity by the moderator.***

Surface | Surface Pro | Install and update

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Anonymous
2013-09-19T00:48:23+00:00

Greetings Mark,

The best option available, is while the Surface is connected to a second monitor, to set it to "Second screen only".

You can do this by:

  1. Swipe from the right
  2. Touch Devices
  3. Touch Second Screen
  4. Touch Second Screen only.

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-03-15T19:02:23+00:00

    Well, the screen saver "blank" was actually the only way to do it in the past.  Microsoft removed the settings capability of the screen savers and cannot activate the "hot corner" feature.  That was the only way available other than the power settings to do it.

    Sleep mode has to be shut off no matter what because when it activates, it closes all programs.  Now, the "Screen" setting located in "Settings" and the sub-section "Device" has the screen control panel right there.  I posted a screenshot of it on a previous post above.  That one does turn off the screen just like the screensaver did in the past but no hot corner control to activate it manually.

    That is the only option you have in Windows 10.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-15T18:11:18+00:00

    This still doesn't solve the problem, because I would have to change those settings all day long.  I would have to set a large timeout when I want to keep it on, then change it to 1 minute when I want to turn it off, and so on.

    I want to be able to turn off the screen when I want to, not on a random timeout. This is basic stuff that all laptops have supported for years, for example on my Asus Laptop:

    As you can see you can set it to turn off the display when you press the power button. On the Surface Pro 3 that option was never available. That is what I need.

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-03-15T17:21:15+00:00

    Get used to that Metro UI "Settings" app because in the latest Insiders Build of Windows 10 "Creators Update" (which everybody will get in April) gets rid of the original Control Panel altogether.  The more advanced Windows gets, the less features you will see - looks like that might be the case in the near future.

    Also, Windows Update and also the "Store" (which updates Metro UI apps) can cause some of your problems as well.  An app cannot be running if it is being updated.  So, you may find a loss of control and have to reboot anyhow.

    For some of the settings you are looking for, try the "Appearance" section.  That is where I found the screen saver.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-03-15T17:10:41+00:00

    If I remember correctly when I first got the surface if I set the monitors to turn off, I could not get them to turn back on.  I'd have to reboot the system even though sleep was set to never.

    So I manually turned off the external monitors.

    I just tried your setting and it did turn off the external monitors and I did get them to come back on but, I'll have to keep testing because if i left it overnight it would have to be rebooted in the morning.

    Perhaps they finally fixed it in an update.

    The metro UI was/is missing many settings that you can see in the control panel. But, you can't search on screen and find this setting.  You have to search on power options.  Screen search only gives you screen saver.

    Judy

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