Dell P2421DC User manual

Model : P2421DC
Regulatory model : P2421DCc
Dell 24 USB-C Monitor - P2421DC
Dell Display Manager
User’s Guide

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make
better use of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of
data if instructions are not followed.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage,
personal injury, or death.
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 – 02
Rev. A00

Contents | 3
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 ..........10
Managing Multiple Video Inputs...................... 13
Restoring Application Positions...................... 14
Attach DDM To Active Window (Only Window 10)
.................................................................... 17
Applying Energy Conservation Features .......... 18
Troubleshooting............................................ 19

4| Overview
Overview
Dell Display Manager is a Windows application used to manage a monitor or a group
of monitors. It enables manual adjustment of the displayed image, assignment of
automatic settings, energy management, image rotation and other features on
selected Dell models. After installation, Dell Display Manager will run each time
the system starts and will place its icon in the notification tray. Information about
monitors connected to the system is always available when hovering over the
notification tray icon.
Dell P2421DC - Standard
2019/05/03
3:56 PM
NOTE: Dell Display Manager uses DDC/CI channel to communicate with
your monitor. Ensure that DDC/CI is enabled in the menu as below.
Menu
DDC/CI
Display
Others
Personalize
Dell 24 Monitor
Brightness / Contrast
Color
On
Input Source
Display Info
Reset Others
Factory Reset
LCD Conditioning
Service Tag
Firmware

Using The Quick Settings Dialog | 5
Using The Quick Settings Dialog
Clicking Dell Display Manager’s notification tray icon opens the Quick Settings
dialog box. When more than one supported Dell model is connected to the system,
a specific target monitor can be selected using the menu provided. The Quick
Settings dialog box enables convenient adjustment of the monitor’s brightness
and contrast levels. You can select Manual Mode or Auto Mode, and the screen
resolution can be changed.
Dell P2421DC
The Quick Settings dialog box also provides access to Dell Display Manager’s
advanced user interface which is used to adjust Basic functions, configure Auto
Mode and access other features.

6| Using The Quick Settings Dialog
NOTE:
Feature Function Description
Quick DDM Access Quick key to call up
DDM UI.
Ctrl+Shift+D
Use page up/down key or click on “>”
to flip through all Easy Arrange layouts.
Control individual
monitor in multi-
monitor setup
From dropdown box to select monitor,
selected monitor has Dell logo shown.
Move DDM UI to the monitor to be
controlled.
Press Ctrl+Shift+D to bring up the mini
UI under the mouse pointer.

Setting Basic Display Functions | 7
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 monitor’s Brightness and Contrast can also be directly adjusted from the
Basic tab.
Dell P2421DC
NOTE: When multiple Dell monitors are connected, select “Enable
display matrix control” to apply brightness, contrast and color presets
controls to all monitors.

8| Setting Basic Display Functions
Dell P2421DC

Assigning Preset Modes To Applications | 9
Assigning Preset Modes To Applications
The Auto Mode tab enables you to associate a specific Preset Mode with a specific
application, and apply it automatically. When Auto Mode is enabled, Dell Display
Manager will automatically switch 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 monitor, or it can vary from one
monitor to the next.
Dell Display Manager is pre-configured for many popular applications. To add a new
application to the assignment list, simply drag the application from the desktop,
Windows Start Menu or elsewhere, and drop it onto the current list.
NOTE: Preset Mode assignments for batch les, scripts, loaders,
and non-executable les such as zip archives or packed les, are not
supported.
You can also configure the Game preset mode to be used whenever a Direct3D
application runs in full-screen mode. To prevent an application from using mode,
assign a different preset mode to it.
Dell P2421DC

10 | Organizing Windows With Easy Arrange
Organizing Windows With Easy Arrange
On supported Dell monitors, the Easy Arrange tab enables you to easily arrange the
open windows in one of the predefined layouts by dragging them in the 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.
To get started with Easy Arrange, choose a target monitor and select one of
the predefined layouts. The regions for that layout are displayed momentarily on
the monitor. Next, drag an open window across the monitor. While the window is
being dragged, the current window layout is displayed and an active region gets
highlighted as the window passes over it. At any time, drop the window into the
active region to place the window in that region.
Dell P2421DC
To create a custom window layout, size and position the windows (maximum 10) on
the desktop and then click the Save link in Easy Arrange. The size and position of
the windows is saved as a custom layout and the custom layout icon is created.
NOTE: This option does not save or remember the applications that are
open. Only the size and position of the windows is saved.

Organizing Windows With Easy Arrange | 11
To use the custom layout, select the custom layout icon. To delete the currently
saved custom layout, close all windows on the desktop and then click the Save link
in Easy Arrange.
Dell P2421DC

12 | Organizing Windows With Easy Arrange
There are other advanced ways for the usage of Easy Arrange. Please 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 (most-
recently-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.
Newly formed Easy Arrange pattern
is saved into the Easy Arrange icon
position.
Hold down Ctrl while clicking on a
modified layout icon to restore it to
default layout.
Easy Arrange layouts
for portrait mode
Portrait mode Easy Arrange icons are
presented when monitor is rotated.

Managing Multiple Video Inputs | 13
Managing Multiple Video Inputs
The Input Manager tab provides convenient ways for you to manage multiple
video inputs connected to your Dell monitor. It makes it very easy to switch between
inputs while you work with multiple computers.
All video input ports available to your monitor are listed. You can give each input a
name as you like. Please save your changes after editing.
You can define a shortcut key to quickly switch to your favorite input and another
shortcut key to quickly switch between two inputs if you often work between them.
USB-C
DP (Active)
DP
Dell P2421DC
NOTE: DDM communicates with your monitor even when the monitor
is displaying video from another computer. You can install DDM on the
PC you frequently use and control input switching from it. You may also
install DDM on other PCs connected to the monitor.

14 | Restoring Application Positions
Restoring Application Positions
DDM can help you restore application windows into their positions when you
reconnect your computer to the monitor(s). You can quickly access 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 PC to your
monitor(s).

Restoring Application Positions | 15
If you want to go back to a favorite layout after you have moved the application
windows around, you can first “Save current window layout” and later “Restore
saved window layout”.

16 | Restoring Application Positions
You may use monitors with different models or resolutions in your daily routine,
and you may apply different window layouts on them. DDM is able to know the
monitor you have reconnected and restore application positions accordingly. In case
you need to replace a monitor in a monitor matrix configuration, you can save the
window layout before replacement and restore the layout after a new monitor is
installed.
NOTE: You should keep your applications running in order to benefit
from this feature. DDM does not launch applications.

Attach Ddm To Active Window (Only Window 10) | 17
Attach DDM To Active Window (Only
Window 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
Active Window
(only Window 10)
Change preset or
snap to different
partitions
DDM icon attached to active window
and user can easily switch window
position, change color preset mode, and
associate auto preset mode.
Shortcut key trigger On a running app window, press
Ctrl+Shift+Ins also triggers the
attached DDM menu.
Move app window
among Easy Arrange
cells
Send the app window to previous/next
Easy Arrange cell.
Move app window
among monitors
Send the app window to previous/next
monitor.

18 | Applying Energy Conservation Features
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 monitor’s brightness to the
minimum level, or to put the monitor to sleep when the screensaver is activated.
Dell P2421DC

Troubleshooting | 19
Troubleshooting
If DDM cannot work with your monitor, 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 monitors. If you are using
monitors from other manufacturers, DDM doesn’t support them.
If DDM is unable to detect and/or communicate with a supported Dell monitor,
please take below actions to troubleshoot:
1. Make sure the video cable is properly connected to your monitor andyour PC,
especially the connectors should be firmly inserted into position.
2. Check the monitor OSD to ensure DDC/CI is enabled.
3. Make sure you have the correct and latest display driver from the graphics
vendor (Intel, AMD, NVidia, etc.). Display driver is often the cause of DDM
failure.

20 | Troubleshooting
4. Remove any docking stations or cable extenders or converters between the
monitor and the graphics port. Some low-cost extenders, hubs or converters
may not support DDC/CI properly and can fail DDM. Update the driver of such
device if the latest version is available.
5. Restart your system.
DDM may not work with below monitors:
∞Dell monitor models earlier than year 2013 and D-series of Dell monitors. You
can refer to Dell Product Support websites formore information
∞Gaming monitors using Nvidia-based G-sync technology
∞Virtual and wireless displays do not support DDC/CI
∞Some early models of DP 1.2 monitors, it may be necessary to disable MST/DP
1.2 using the monitor OSD
If your PC is connected to the Internet, you will be prompted with a message when
a newer version of DDM application is available. It is recommended to download and
install the latest DDM application.
You may also check for new version by right clicking on DDM icon while pressing
and holding ‘shift’ key.