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Are there any tools for Windows 7 that will allow me to enable/disable monitors from the command-line?

For example, my GTX 480 has three outputs (2x DVI and 1x HDMI) but only two displays can be active at any given time. I'd like for a command-line to allow me to disable one of the DVI monitors and enable the HDMI monitor, etc.

(I've found NirCmd which is an amazing utility but it doesn't seem to support this...)

EDIT: UltraMon seems capable of doing this but I really hoping for a more light-weight command-line solution...

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  • 1
    FWIW, I do use UltraMon for this. You can set display profiles and hotkey them, that's not really very much work.
    – Shinrai
    Jul 8, 2011 at 16:11
  • howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/…
    – user125545
    Mar 29, 2012 at 20:53

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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With the freeware MultiMonitorTool it's quite easy:

MultiMonitorTool.exe /disable 1
MultiMonitorTool.exe /enable 2 3
MultiMonitorTool.exe /switch 3
MultiMonitorTool.exe /disable \\.\DISPLAY2
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  • this tool though very nice is not really efficient I've tried it and switching between two configuration wasn't working really well
    – Kiwy
    May 16, 2018 at 16:50
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    The tool also provides /turnoff and /turnon commands if you want to toggle the sleep state of the monitors without actually disabling them. (since this moves its windows onto the other monitors and such)
    – Venryx
    Sep 27, 2018 at 1:46
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    I have a similar issue. This answer does work, but unfortunely I cant enable the specific screen again that I need to enable once I disabled it. It seems to only work one way. Not sure why. It works correctly on the other screens I have.
    – Don King
    Apr 8, 2020 at 15:42
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You can use devcon to do that (you will need to determine your hardware ID, probably here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\DISPLAY

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311272

If you need a 64-bit version, you can get it in the Windows Driver Kit:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=11800

http://www.techlikes.com/2010/09/25/devcon-problem-in-windows-7-solved.html# (for some usage issues).

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  • That KB link is wrong but I'm not sure DevCon will do what I'm looking for. That can be used to disable the entire dispaly device but I want to disable/enable a specific monitor...
    – SofaKng
    Jul 8, 2011 at 15:45
  • @SofaKng I fixed the link. I do see my actual monitor in those registry keys, but maybe you are right. I would test it.
    – KCotreau
    Jul 8, 2011 at 15:51

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