Dell S2421HS/S2421HSX/S2721HS/ S2721HSX Dell Display Manager User’s Guide Model: S2421HS/S2421HSX/S2721HS/S2721HSX Regulatory model: S2421Ht/S2721Ht
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your computer. Copyright © 2020 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners. 2020 – 07 Rev.
Contents Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Using the Quick Settings Dialog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Setting Basic Display Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Assigning Preset Modes to Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Organizing Windows with Easy Arrange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Managing Multiple Video Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Overview Dell Display Manager is a Microsoft Windows application used to manage a display or a group of displays. It enables manual adjustment of the displayed image, assignment of automatic settings, energy management, window organization, image rotation, and other features on selected Dell displays. After installed, Dell Display Manager runs each time the system starts and places its icon in the notification tray.
Using the Quick Settings Dialog Clicking Dell Display Manager’s notification tray icon to open the Quick Settings dialog box. When more than one supported Dell displays are connected to the computer, a specific target display can be selected using the menu. The Quick Settings dialog box enables convenient adjustment of the display’s brightness, contrast, resolution, window layout, and so on. You can select Manual Mode or Auto Mode, and the screen resolution can be changed.
Dell S2721HS/S2721HSX S2721HS/S2721HSX The Quick Settings dialog box also provides access to Dell Display Manager’s advanced user interface that is used to adjust basic functions, configure auto mode and access other features. NOTE: Feature Function Description Quick DDM Access Quick key to call up DDM UI • • Ctrl+Shift+D Use Page Up/Page Down key or click on “>” to flip through all Easy Arrange layouts.
Setting Basic Display Functions You can select Manual Mode that enables you to manually select a preset mode or select Auto Mode that applies a preset mode based on the active application. An on-screen message displays the current preset mode whenever it changes. The selected display’s Brightness and Contrast can also be directly adjusted from the Basic tab.
Dell S2421HS/S2421HSX S2421HS/S2421HSX Dell S2721HS/S2721HSX S2721HS/S2721HSX 8 | Setting Basic Display Functions
Assigning Preset Modes to Applications The Auto Mode tab allows you to associate a specific Preset Mode with a specific application, and apply it automatically. When Auto Mode is enabled, Dell Display Manager automatically switches to the corresponding Preset Mode whenever the associated application is activated. The Preset Mode assigned to a particular application may be the same on each connected display, or it can vary from one display to another.
Dell S2721HS/S2721HSX S2721HS/S2721HSX 10 | Assigning Preset Modes to Applications
Organizing Windows with Easy Arrange Easy Arrange helps you to effectively organize your application windows on the desktop. You first choose a pre-defined layout pattern which suits your work, then you just need to drag the application windows into the defined zones. Press “>” or use Page Up/Page Down key to find more layouts. To create a custom layout, arrange the open windows and then click Save.
Dell S2421HS/S2421HSX S2421HS/S2421HSX Dell S2721HS/S2721HSX S2721HS/S2721HSX 12 | Organizing Windows with Easy Arrange
If you are using multiple displays in an array or matrix, Easy Arrange layout can be applied across to all the displays as one desktop. Select “Span multiple monitors” to enable this feature. You need to align your displays properly to make it effective.
There are other advanced ways for the usage of Easy Arrange. Refer to table below. Feature Function Description Enhanced Easy Arrange Custom layouts • Save and name 5 customized Easy Arrange patterns. • Configure x*y patterns. 5 MRU (mostrecently-used) layouts • Press Ctrl+Shift+Home to cycle among the last 5 MRU layouts. On the fly partition resizing • Hold down Ctrl while resizing current Easy Arrange layout to adjust the size and numbers of cells in a layout.
Managing Multiple Video Inputs The Input Manager tab provides convenient ways for you to manage multiple video inputs connected to your Dell display. It makes it very easy to switch between inputs while you work with multiple computers. All video input ports available to your display are listed. You can give each input a name as you like. Please save your changes after editing.
You can use the dropdown list to switch to any input source. Dell S2421HS/S2421HSX DP (Active) HDMI DP HDMI HDMI DP HDMI S2421HS/S2421HSX Dell S2721HS/S2721HSX DP (Active) HDMI DP HDMI HDMI DP HDMI S2721HS/S2721HSX NOTE: DDM communicates with your display even when the display is displaying video from another computer. You can install DDM on the computer you frequently use and control input switching from it. You may also install DDM on other computers connected to the display.
Restoring Application Positions DDM can help you restore application windows into their positions when you reconnect your computer to the display(s). You can quickly access to this feature by right-clicking on DDM icon in the notification tray. If you choose “Auto-restore window layout”, your application windows’ positions are tracked and remembered by DDM. DDM automatically puts the application windows into their original positions when you reconnect your computer to your display(s).
Applying Energy Conservation Features On supported Dell models, an Options tab is available that provides PowerNap energy conservation options. You can choose to set the display’s brightness to the minimum level, or to put the display to sleep when the screensaver is activated.
Other Shortcut Keys Shortcut keys can be defined for below operations, you can define the shortcut keys for quick access to perform these operations: • Program shortcut key: to quickly open the Quick Settings dialog box. • Easy Arrange MRU shortcut key: to quickly apply the 5 recently used window layouts. • Application window shortcut key: to launch a quick menu for options under Auto Mode and Easy Arrange.
Attach DDM To Active Window (Only Windows 10) DDM icon can be attached to the active window you are working on. Click on the icon for easy access to below features. Feature Function Description Attach DDM to Change preset or • DDM icon attached to active window and user can easActive Window snap to different ily switch windowposition, change color preset mode, (only Windows partitions and associate auto preset mode.
Troubleshooting If DDM does not work with your display, DDM will show below icon in your notification tray. Click on the icon, DDM shows a more detailed error message. Please note that DDM only works with Dell branded displays. If you are using displays from other manufacturers, DDM doesn’t support them. If DDM is unable to detect and/or communicate with a supported Dell display, please take below actions to troubleshoot: 1.
DDM may not work with below displays: • Dell display models earlier than year 2013 and D-series of Dell displays. For more information see www.dell.com/support/monitors. • Gaming displays using Nvidia-based G-sync technology • Virtual and wireless displays do not support DDC/CI • Some early models of DP 1.2 displays, it may be necessary to disable MST/DP 1.2 using the display OSD If your PC is connected to the Internet, you will be prompted to upgrade to a newer version of DDM when it is available.
