# Trigger ‘When External Display is Active’

**URL:** <https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760>\
**Category:** Configuration Help & General Discussion\
**Created:** [November 10, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760 "2021-11-10T19:34:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![folj](https://community.folivora.ai/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/ba9def/32.png) [@folj](https://community.folivora.ai/u/folj)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2021, 7:34pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/1 "2021-11-10T19:34:53Z")

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Is there a trigger that fires when the external display becomes active?  
I would like to switch on a homekit light when I’m using my display.  
My MBA is connected to the display through a USB-C dock. I also use this connect for charging while the MBA is asleep.

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**Author:** ![Andreas\_Hegenberg](https://community.folivora.ai/user_avatar/community.folivora.ai/andreas_hegenberg/32/39221_2.png) [@Andreas\_Hegenberg](https://community.folivora.ai/u/Andreas_Hegenberg)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2021, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/2 "2021-11-10T19:46:37Z")

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Good idea, I'll add such a trigger soon. It's currently not there yet though.

Can you think of good configuration options this trigger should offer?

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**Author:** ![folj](https://community.folivora.ai/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/ba9def/32.png) [@folj](https://community.folivora.ai/u/folj)\
**Post date:** [November 10, 2021, 8:02pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/3 "2021-11-10T20:02:59Z")

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In my particular case, the dock provides charging, storage, display connection and a USB-A keyboard.  
As mentioned, I regularly connect my sleeping laptop (with the display shut) to the dock to begin charging when it's not in use. In this case the display would be off and I wouldn't want my HomeKit lighting to switch on.

I could imagine others might want to change their audio input/outputs when using an external display. Disabling True Tone might be useful for those who use a monitor for photo/video editing. Activating a 'movie' found for those who use a projector for video content.

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**Author:** ![andy4222](https://community.folivora.ai/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@andy4222](https://community.folivora.ai/u/andy4222)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 8:45am UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/4 "2022-10-30T08:45:30Z")

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Is adding a trigger on monitor connect still part of the roadmap?

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**Author:** ![Andreas\_Hegenberg](https://community.folivora.ai/user_avatar/community.folivora.ai/andreas_hegenberg/32/39221_2.png) [@Andreas\_Hegenberg](https://community.folivora.ai/u/Andreas_Hegenberg)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2022, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/5 "2022-10-30T16:21:15Z")

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you can create such a trigger for specific monitors using conditional activation groups.

1.) Create a new conditional activation group and use the activeScreenResolutions to check whether your external screen is connected

 ![image](https://community.folivora.ai/uploads/default/original/3X/4/c/4ce1e6c94079f9e6a849b25438cd4424b0c32bf3.jpeg)

2.) Then in the "Automations, Named & Other Triggers" use the "Conditional Activation Group Activated" trigger:

 ![image](https://community.folivora.ai/uploads/default/original/3X/9/8/989220edd7ffa8a4350822057f9aa6c00fb90519.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![jaime](https://community.folivora.ai/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@jaime](https://community.folivora.ai/u/jaime)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/6 "2023-01-06T23:51:23Z")

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This is SO good

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**Author:** ![MaxPowers](https://community.folivora.ai/user_avatar/community.folivora.ai/maxpowers/32/29120_2.png) [@MaxPowers](https://community.folivora.ai/u/MaxPowers)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://community.folivora.ai/t/trigger-when-external-display-is-active/24760/7 "2024-03-19T03:04:00Z")

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I don't seem to have activeScreenResolutions as a condition option. Has this been removed?