How to Automatically Turn Off Your Monitor When Shutting Down Your Computer

Automatically turning off your monitor when you shut down your computer not only conserves energy but also enhances privacy, especially in public or shared spaces. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to achieve this in both Windows and macOS operating systems.

Windows: Customizing Display Settings for Shutdown

For users of the Windows operating system, you can customize your display settings to turn off the monitor more efficiently at shutdown. Here’s how to do it:

Access the Control Panel: Open the Control Panel and navigate to Hardware and Sound. Select Power Options: Look for the Power Options under the Choose what the power buttons do section. Change Advanced Power Settings: Click on Change plan settings next to your current power plan, and then click on Change advanced power settings. Adjust Display Settings: Expand the Display section and set the time for the display to turn off when idle. This will help manage when it turns off during use but not necessarily at shutdown.

While this setup won't turn off the monitor immediately during the shutdown process, it will ensure that the display is off when the computer is idle. Additionally, ensure that your video drivers are up to date to avoid any unexpected behavior at shutdown.

macOS: Energy Saver Settings for Better Power Management

On macOS, managing the display through the Energy Saver settings can be even more straightforward. Here are the steps:

Access System Preferences: Go to the System Preferences and select Energy Saver. Adjust Display Settings: Set the time for the display to turn off after no activity, similar to the Windows method. While this setting won't directly affect the display during shutdown, it manages the display behavior efficiently.

When you shut down your Mac via the Apple menu, the display should automatically turn off as part of the shutdown process, ensuring a more significant power-saving effect.

Additional Tips for Advanced Users

For more advanced users, creating scripts to turn off the display just before shutdown can yield even better results. Here are some examples:

Windows Batch Script for Display Off

Install a tool like NirCMD if you don't have it already. Create a batch script that first runs a command to turn the monitor off:

@echo off
nircmd.exe monitor off
shutdown /s /t 0

This script will turn off the monitor and then shut down the computer immediately.

macOS AppleScript for Display Off

Create a new AppleScript file and add the following code:

tell application System Events
    tell process Finder
        keystroke q
    end tell
end tell

Run this script before shutting down your Mac to turn off the display and then proceed with the shutdown.

Hardware Solutions for Ultimate Power Savings

If your monitor has a power-saving feature, make sure it's enabled. Some monitors can turn off completely when they detect no signal from the computer. However, most monitors will still enter a sleep mode, consuming some power but much less than when fully on.

Pressing the power button to turn the monitor 'off' leaves it in a sleep mode, which consumes some power but less than when in use. For maximum power savings, unplug the monitor or cut the power from the cord, but this may not be practical for all users.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can achieve a high level of power management and privacy when shutting down your computer. Whether you're using Windows or macOS, these methods will help you save energy and ensure your monitor is off after you’re done working.

If you need more specific instructions or help with a different operating system, feel free to reach out!