Question Laptop favoring USB over HDMI connected monitor

[TashaD]

Hey guys! Going to preemptively thank anyone who responds to this. So, thanks for your help!

Original setup: I'll set a scene so this is easier to understand. At my desk I already have my own PC and a 32" monitor. Also connected, I have the second smaller monitor that my job gave me to set up with my laptop to work from home. The second monitor is very new, and was able to share display as well as charge the laptop through USB-C. That monitor was used as power, while my main original monitor, I extended the display to via HDMI. This has been a great setup because space is limited and having 3 wires (while definitely a 1st world problem) extending all over the place is not desirable, plus having a large monitor to have my multitude of work windows up.

Problem: Suddenly my laptop won't display to the HDMI monitor if the USB-C is plugged in. If I unplug the USB, the display extends to my larger monitor no problem. But the moment I plug the USB-C back in for charging, it switches to that monitor. It wasn't doing this originally so I honestly don't know what happened. Can anyone help me avoid having to use additional cables to get this to work? Additionally, I assume the GPU on the laptop doesn't support 3 displays, because it doesn't detect a 3rd display despite them both being plugged in.

TLDR: Laptop is suddenly favoring the monitor I use for charging via USB-C over the monitor I actually want to use connected with HDMI.

Edit: Ultimately this can be fixed by just not using the smaller monitor as a charging port. It was just nice to not having cables running across my floor, so I'd like to fix it lol

 

[velocityg4]

With all monitors connected and laptop open for the built in.

• Go into the Settings app (Start Menu > sprocket icon).
• Choose System the Display

The main areas you care about here are

• Rearrange your displays
• Multiple Displays

Under Rearrange your displays. You want to Identify your displays. It probably shows three displays and one is greyed out. Just hit Identify to find your working displays numbers. Note what number each display is. The missing one is your display which is off.

• Click on your USB C monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and check "Make this my main display".
• Click on your laptop monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and click the drop down menu and choose disconnect this display.
• Click on your HDMI monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and click the drop down menu and choose Extend desktop this display.

When you disconnect your monitors. Your laptop should go back to the internal. Then return to your setup. When you plug them back in.

Windows Key + P should quick switch different display options.

 

[TashaD]

With all monitors connected and laptop open for the built in.

• Go into the Settings app (Start Menu > sprocket icon).
• Choose System the Display

The main areas you care about here are

• Rearrange your displays
• Multiple Displays

Under Rearrange your displays. You want to Identify your displays. It probably shows three displays and one is greyed out. Just hit Identify to find your working displays numbers. Note what number each display is. The missing one is your display which is off.

• Click on your USB C monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and check "Make this my main display".
• Click on your laptop monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and click the drop down menu and choose disconnect this display.
• Click on your HDMI monitor under Rearrange your displays. Go to Multiple Displays and click the drop down menu and choose Extend desktop this display.

When you disconnect your monitors. Your laptop should go back to the internal. Then return to your setup. When you plug them back in.

Windows Key + P should quick switch different display options.

Thanks for your fast reply!
I've tried playing around with these settings. It only shows two monitors, the laptop display and one external monitor. If the USB-C is not connected, it will show the HDMI as the second display. Once the USB-C is plugged in, it replaces the second display and the large monitor disappears. I assume there is no third display because of GPU limitations on the ThinkPad. Additionally, there is no disconnect display option.

 

[velocityg4]

Thanks for your fast reply!
I've tried playing around with these settings. It only shows two monitors, the laptop display and one external monitor. If the USB-C is not connected, it will show the HDMI as the second display. Once the USB-C is plugged in, it replaces the second display and the large monitor disappears. I assume there is no third display because of GPU limitations on the ThinkPad. Additionally, there is no disconnect display option.

If your internal display is set as the main display. There will be no option to set disconnect. Did you change the USB-C to main display first?

Try the Windows Key + P to second screen only. Then mess with the display settings to see if the HDMI shows up.

 

[TashaD]

If your internal display is set as the main display. There will be no option to set disconnect. Did you change the USB-C to main display first?

Try the Windows Key + P to second screen only. Then mess with the display settings to see if the HDMI shows up.

The laptop display was set to main display. I tried setting main to the second monitor, still not option to disconnect. I just tried setting to second display only, but it doesn't detect ANY display after doing that except for the main one.

 

[velocityg4]

I just noticed your edit. Stating using the USB-C as a charging port causes the issue.

Does using the USB C for video only. Then adding the HDMI work? Or is it a different port you have to use for video if the USB-C isn't being used for charging?

 

[TashaD]

I just noticed your edit. Stating using the USB-C as a charging port causes the issue.

Does using the USB C for video only. Then adding the HDMI work? Or is it a different port you have to use for video if the USB-C isn't being used for charging?

The laptop is charged by and extends display to the monitor simultaneously in the single USB-C connection. I've tried adding the HDMI second, or using the HDMI and then adding the USB-C. Both result in the desired monitor not being recognized. If I start with HDMI, it will display the way I want it, the moment I plug in the USB-C the secondary display immediately switches to that monitor, and the HDMI monitor no longer shows up in display settings. I've tried playing around with making different ones the main monitor in settings, I can't seem to get anything to work.

Originally, I needed to leave the HDMI plugged in first and then plug in the USB-C after to get the correct display any time I restarted the laptop. But now that method doesn't work. It stopped working after I was seeing if I could set up both display, and I checked one off as main display. But changing which is the main display doesn't change anything. I've also tried to clear external display cache, but as it's a work laptop I don't have admin privs.