How do I turn off a display with a macOS Shortcut?

To remove a display from the desktop without unplugging it, use BetterDisplay’s Connect or Disconnect a Display action. It uses an On, Off or Toggle choice rather than a raw DDC power value.

1. Create a Shortcut in Apple’s Shortcuts app and search for BetterDisplay actions.
2. Add Connect or Disconnect a Display and select the intended Display.
3. Choose Off to disconnect it, On to reconnect it, or Toggle to reverse its current connection state.

Use explicit On/Off actions when an automation must reach a particular state regardless of its starting state. Connection management requires the relevant Pro feature and a supported display. The app’s disconnection safeguards still apply.

To disconnect two or more monitors with one command, add a separate Connect or Disconnect a Display action for each intended display to the same Shortcut, setting each to Off. You can assign a keyboard shortcut to that Shortcut. Use another sequence with On to reconnect them. The actions remain subject to connection safeguards, including the last physical display safeguard.

App Menu > Tools > Displays and Virtual Screens > Disconnect All But Main keeps the current main display connected and attempts to disconnect the other eligible displays. It works with an external main display as well as a built-in one, but does not bypass built-in-display safety restrictions. An iMac or an affected M3 configuration can keep its built-in display connected until its specific permission is enabled under Connection Management Settings…. Read the model-specific recovery warning before changing that permission.

For manual use, the display block’s on/off switch in the app menu can perform the same disconnection when configured for that action. A dimmed switch can reflect Pro availability or a connection safeguard. Accessibility permission alone does not unlock the feature. See the display header and connection switch for its available actions.

Soft disconnection removes the display from the desktop layout. It is different from sending a hardware power command, and standby behavior depends on the Mac and connection. A raw Send DDC action needs the monitor’s supported command and value. Check those details before using it.

To disconnect the built-in display automatically when an external screen connects on Apple silicon, open Settings > Displays > Overview > Display Connections > Connection Management Settings… and enable Disconnect built-in display when an external display is connected. This requires Pro and an eligible external display. Built-in-display safety restrictions still apply. Keep automatic recovery enabled if you want the app to attempt reconnection when no eligible display remains. The linked reference explains model-specific restrictions and recovery limits.

See Display Connections for platform behavior and recovery, and Shortcuts for the action catalog. If the built-in display reconnects briefly and then turns off again, check the automatic-disconnect rule.