How to freeze the projector screen while you keep working
The options
| Method | Freezes the picture | Works outside a slideshow | Needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Projector remote, Freeze button | ✓ | ✓ | The remote, and a projector that has the button |
| Keynote or PowerPoint, press B | Black screen | ✗ | A slideshow in progress |
| Stagemark, ⌃⌥⌘F | ✓ | ✓ | Stagemark running |
macOS and Windows have no freeze for an external screen on their own.
Freeze with Stagemark
- Start output with ⌃⌥⌘P (Windows: Ctrl+Alt+Win+P).
- Press ⌃⌥⌘F (Windows: Ctrl+Alt+Win+F). The audience screen holds the current picture, and the Stagemark menu shows (frozen) next to Live.
- Do what you need on the laptop: type a password, switch tabs, fix a typo.
- Press ⌃⌥⌘F again to go live.
Freeze is per output, not per window: switching to another picked window while frozen keeps the frozen picture until you unfreeze.
Black screen instead
Press ⌃⌥⌘B (Windows: Ctrl+Alt+Win+B) to show black on the projector, for example during a discussion. Press it again to come back. Your laptop screen doesn't change.
FAQ
Does freezing stop the app I'm showing?
No. The app keeps running on your laptop; only the projector picture stays still.
Can I preview what the audience sees?
Yes. Open Open preview window in the Stagemark menu to see the audience picture on your laptop.