If you have an external monitor on hand, you can simply use your laptop as a desktop for the time being.Ĭonnect your laptop to an external monitor to ensure it’s truly the screen that’s broken and not something deeper.
If your screen has a hairline crack along the edge, you can continue to use your laptop as usual, though it’s probably a good idea to avoid moving it, closing it, or traveling with it, because any pressure on the screen can cause the crack to get bigger. If your laptop’s output looks fine on the external display, you likely have a simple screen issue and not something more serious.įix it: The good news about a broken screen is that you don’t need to fix it right away. Some laptops also have an external display mode that you will need to activate, usually via Function keys. You will need an output port (HDMI, mini-HDMI, DisplayPort, mini-DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA) and an external monitor or TV to do this, as well as the correct cable. If there’s no visible damage, but the screen is acting weird, you can try plugging an external monitor into your laptop. If your screen is visually damaged or cracked, just continue to use your computer normally to see if any other issues arise. First things first: Check to make sure that only your laptop’s screen, and not something more important (such as the graphics card) has been damaged.
