Extended Desktop: Wallpaper with no Icons on the Projector
There are two methods to project your laptop:
- Clone: Projector shows exactly the same thing as the laptop (easiest and most common)
- Extended Desktop: Projector shows the wallpaper background but no icons as shown below (advanced and confusing if unexpected) (does not work well with Smart Boards or Tablets)
How To Switch Between Clone and Extend
To choose between cloning and extending the desktop, follow these directions:
- Make sure your laptop is connected to the projector and the projector is turned on. If necessary, press Source on your Avervision and/or use FN+F4 so the projector is displaying the computer. Then use FN+F4 again so the projector is not displaying the computer, and the Avervision is still set to the correct Source.
- Right-click on the desktop and choose Properties (or click Start, Control Panel, and open Display Properties)
- Click the Settings tab
- Click the box in the middle with the number 2 (this is your projector)
- Select or deselect the Extend option. Deselect to clone (usual selection)
- Click OK
When you remove your computer from the dock, be sure to choose Start...Undock Computer so the windows you were using on the projector will stop trying to open on the projector.
Why Extend?
When using the Extended desktop, you can have windows, icons, programs, notes, etc visible on your laptop screen while your projector only shows the one window you have moved to it.
This means you could be projecting a document to your class on the extended desktop while taking notes on the class reaction or participation in a separate document that is not visible to the class.
How to Work with the Extended Desktop
In order to use Extended Desktop, you need to know how to Maximize, Restore, and Move windows. To learn these skills, follow this link: http://www.internet4classrooms.com/pc_manage_win.htm
To view a window on the extended desktop:
- Move your mouse around to find out where the extended desktop is located. By default it's to the right.
- If necessary, restore the window so it is not maximized.
- Move the window to the extended desktop.
- If desired, Maximize the window so it fills the projected screen.
Undock When Done
Be sure to click Start and choose Undock Computer before you take the computer off the dock. Otherwise, programs may still open on the extended desktop even though you can no longer see it.
If this happens, do one of the following:
- Put the computer back on the dock and choose Start...Undock Computer.
- In the taskbar, right-click on the name of the window you cannot see and choose Move. (If Move is not available, click Restore and then right-click again and choose Move.) Then use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the window back to your laptop screen.
