Monarch Windows app adds hotkeys for quick monitor detach and layout switching

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As a multi-monitor user myself, I find it annoying that Windows still makes it difficult to control setups with three or more displays. Win + P is useful, but it does not let you choose which specific monitor to disable once you go beyond basic two-display scenarios. In practice, the built-in approach often means opening display settings and disconnecting a monitor manually.

A Redditor from the Monitors subreddit has released a free Windows app called Monarch that targets this exact workflow. Monarch uses Windows display topology APIs (DisplayConfig) to detach and reattach outputs in software, which typically pushes the monitor into standby once Windows stops sending a signal. It also supports saving display layouts as profiles, then restoring them without touching cables.

The tool also includes a safety rollback system. After a topology change, Monarch uses a confirmation timer and can automatically revert if the user does not confirm in time. It also blocks users from disabling the last active display, which reduces the risk of ending up with a blank desktop.

Supports hotkeys

I wasn’t convinced until I read that the developer literally added shortcuts yesterday. This update landed in Monarch v1.1.0. That update adds global shortcut hotkeys for faster profile switching or detaching specific displays, which is the missing piece for many multi-monitor gaming setups where you want one or two screens active, not all of them. In my testing, it behaved as expected, and it cut the process down to a couple of key presses.

This tool should definitely be part of Windows Power Toys, which already has a list of shortcuts so long that I never have time to remember them. Redditor was also asked to add HDR controls. The developer said HDR toggling is possible but may have side effects due to how Windows applies HDR profiles.

Source: Monarch (Github)

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