How to Unlock an “OSD Lockout” Problem

This has most likely annoyed many of you at some point. You turn on your monitor one day and see a jeering message telling you something about an “OSD Lockout”. It doesn’t allow you to change any of your monitors settings, including the setting intended to turn off this message. While I’ve only seen this error on HP monitors I know that others have encountered it on other brands as well. The fixes I provide should work on those monitors too. (Note: OSD stands for On Screen Display.)

Fix One:

Plug in the monitor and power it up. Hold down the Power button until you get a message saying “OSD Unlocked”. If the problem persists after OSD is unlocked then unplug the monitor from the wall, wait 20 seconds and try again.

Fix Two:

Turn on the monitor and hold down the Menu button for 10-20 seconds. This should unlock the OSD.

Fix Three:

Turn off the monitor, press down the Menu button and then turn on the monitor. Wait 10-20 seconds. This should unlock the OSD.

Fix Four:

The Menu button may be stuck in a pressed in position. To get it “unstuck” you’ll usually need to open up the monitor. This could be tricky unless you know what you’re doing. Unfortunately there are too many models of monitor for me to provide detailed instructions. If you have warranty this is where you want to contact the manufacturer.

If you know of any other fixes feel free to contact me. Good luck!

176 thoughts on “How to Unlock an “OSD Lockout” Problem”

mrsunshine on July 21, 2011 at 10:18 pm said:

I finally cut the HP panel out with my dremal leaving the printed circut holding the buttons, grabed onto it with a vise grip and yanked it out like a bad tooth! Guess what, “NO MORE OSD” YA -WHO! Wow so nice to not have that problem any more!
Goes to proove HP MONITORS HAVE A DEFECT WITH THIS PRINTED CIRCUT, AND THEY KNOW IT! AND THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT THIR CUSTOMERS! I WILL NEVER BUY ANYTHING WITH ‘HP’ ON IT AGAIN!!!!!!!
Scott on July 23, 2011 at 10:24 pm said:

Fix three worked for me, thanks very much! FYI, I have the HP f2105 widescreen monitor.
Glenn on July 26, 2011 at 5:33 pm said:

I Punched the bottom of the monitor where the menu button is and it seemed to fix the problem. Nothing like the Fonzie touch right?
vidit on August 2, 2011 at 1:51 am said:

Thanks a lot :) :)
mark on August 20, 2011 at 2:54 pm said:

No. 3 worked for me! Advent P22WH Thanks!
J.T. on August 24, 2011 at 3:22 pm said:

Thank you much. # 4 worked AFTER AN HOUR OF TRYING MYSELF!!!!!!!!
apisai on August 24, 2011 at 9:52 pm said:

Thanks a lot. I never thought that the fix would be that simple. Regards…
Ketan on September 2, 2011 at 12:31 am said:

Cool man, thanks a load!
Richard van der Luit on September 3, 2011 at 3:35 pm said:

Thanks very much! After a lot of frustration I finally can use my LG E2350V monitor again.
JennyTailya on September 6, 2011 at 1:27 pm said:

Wow! It worked and saved me from throwing out this POS monitor!! Franks!!
ronnie on September 17, 2011 at 12:51 am said:

thanks. I’ve fixed my hp L1706 problem. God bless
debbie on September 28, 2011 at 6:44 am said:

thanks! the menu button was the cure!
AMIR on September 29, 2011 at 8:47 pm said:

THANK YOU
nibhan on October 12, 2011 at 9:40 am said:

CRD viewsonic 17″ E70f problem is still
help me out……………….
Geert on October 18, 2011 at 3:19 am said:

The option from Terje was the only working solution for me : just cut the 4 wires : Green, Yellow, Orange and Red.
Thanks !
NeilLad on October 23, 2011 at 9:28 pm said:

Fix 3 worked like a charm. Using a Toshiba HD monitor.
shawn michele on November 1, 2011 at 6:03 am said:

thxxxxxxxxxxxxx
marc daniel on November 10, 2011 at 6:05 am said:

sir i have a Aoc monitor tft1560 and none of these examples work can u help?
javed iqbal on November 11, 2011 at 5:07 am said:

thanks alot for providing kind information great…………………
theFakeGeek on December 2, 2011 at 5:50 pm said:

Try reading what other users have written in the comments section here. One of their fixes may work for you.
theFakeGeek on December 2, 2011 at 5:55 pm said:

Hello nibhan,

Try one of the alternative fixes that the others have posted in the comments section.
Jan on December 9, 2011 at 5:28 am said:

Tnx for the info! this is a really big help!!!
Norbert on December 14, 2011 at 6:41 pm said:

None of the “fixes” work for me. My HP 2711x monitor ($400) has buttons that simply do not work, no matter which button I press or how long. The buttons do nothing, ever. I am going to have to take this monitor back and never buy anything from HP again. This is bizarre.
Jazzbo on December 19, 2011 at 2:57 pm said:

Thanks, Option 1 workrd
blue on December 30, 2011 at 10:33 am said:

Tried a number of Solutions. Number 3 eventually helped here when I kept holding the Menu button for about 10 seconds after switching the monitor on. hp x23led.
BRIAN on January 17, 2012 at 10:20 am said:

IT SEEMS LIKE HP ARE THE MONITOR WITH THE MOST PROBLEM WHAT A CRAP PRODUCT BRAND !!!!!
BRIAN on January 17, 2012 at 10:26 am said:

I HAVE A CRAP HP 23 IN AND IT IS A PEACE OF CRAP MY WARRANTY IS OVER THEY ONLY GAVE ME A 1 YR WARRANTY FOR MY HP WHEN IT NEEDS 5 YR FOR THAT COMPANY HP WHAT A CRAPPY COMPANY WITH A LINE OF JUNK PRODUCT I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND HP ANYTHING WHAT A JOKE OF A COMPANY !!!
RomanLegionnaires on January 19, 2012 at 10:19 pm said:

Thank you very much Sir!
Luzmila Sanchez on February 27, 2012 at 2:32 pm said:

Muchas gracias! M funciono el metodo dos, pero deje presionado la tecla de menu por 2 minutos hasta q aparecio el cuadro de menu en la pantalla, para el Modelo HP L1710. Gracias!
MQ on February 28, 2012 at 5:37 am said:

None of the listed fixes worked for me (well, I didn’t try the one where you take the monitor apart) but after several attempts, hitting the “menu” button hard seems to have fixed it. Thanks for helping me to realise that a dodgy menu button might be the problem!
usman on March 14, 2012 at 11:41 am said:

thankssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss its work i open my lcd lock
anthony escobar on March 18, 2012 at 2:11 am said:

fix two it work for me thanks
manontheway on April 24, 2012 at 11:37 pm said:

Another FIX, follow the following steps
1. Switch OFF the monitor
2. Press and hold the MENU button
3. Switch ON the monitor (while holding th menu button)
4. Release the MENU button

The OSD must be unlocked by then,.
Good luck!
HPL22wg on May 5, 2012 at 10:01 am said:

Cool!! Awesome!! Thank you, thank you!!! Holding down the menu button for 10 seconds or less unlocked the OSD. And I also discovered that I can lock/unlock the power button by holding it down for the same amount of time. It’s currently locked so no more accidentally powering off the monitor when moving it. Thanks again! :D
The Guest on May 10, 2012 at 1:11 pm said:

Thank you. Holding down the locked buttons for 10-20 seconds worked!
Harry Fodder on May 12, 2012 at 12:36 pm said:

I just unplugged the piece of crap board. It works now. Seemed to just light up and work, of course no control. Needs a new board as it wasnt the menu switch, i removed that and it still shot the message. Just unplug the board……(makers of junk suck)
NayNay on July 17, 2012 at 12:25 am said:

my computer is about 6 years old and I have windows XP, I have a Dell Dimension 4600C…One day my 2 year old was bagging on the keyboard and thats when the annoying blue box with the white padlock came on and it constantly blinks locked and unlocked and sometimes keeping me from reading things…Ive tried powering down and unplugging the monitor and then plugging back in and power up again and it did not work :( I dont have a menu button on my montior to turn hold in to try and get it off…..now what =/ thanks in advance!!!
rochelle spicher on July 25, 2012 at 4:01 pm said:

thankk you so much option two worked just brilliant!!!!!
Lee Kitchener on August 8, 2012 at 4:45 am said:

AOC e2350Sda; Held at bottom of screen (where buttons are) when moving whilst switched on.
Fix 3 removed OSD lock.
Thanks.
Gurjinder Singh Kaler on August 29, 2012 at 10:50 am said:

Thank you so much it works on my LG flatron E2290
Aisk Kinkar on October 2, 2012 at 8:49 am said:

I really works on AOC e946Fwsk Moniter & also in all tpyes.
I …. luv u yaar I’m so Happy :D
Garlic on October 25, 2012 at 1:32 am said:

fix 3 (when it doesn’t come back again like after fix 2)
HP 1740

thanks
Ronak on October 29, 2012 at 8:46 am said:

My HCL Monitor is not getting osd unlocked by any of the fixes displayed above, what should i do, help please!
Brian Moody Bos,MA on November 5, 2012 at 7:06 am said:

Thank you very much I just got this HP2711x 10 days ago mad to say the least but you saved the day holding power button worked I am going to save you to favs and tell everyone I know about you Thank you
Ten on November 9, 2012 at 10:43 am said:

Unplug from electrical and snap the menu button and through their prey to open up the back bracket and cut off the yellow wire, that seems to be menu wire and OCD problem seems to be solved.
Cassius on December 20, 2012 at 11:50 pm said:

I tried all the variations and combiniations short of disabling the MENU switch. My wife got the message to disappear by holding the TWO CENTER switches down and shimming the “+” speaker volume switch in the depressed position. She used a small paper clip.

Thanks guys for all the input – Cassius
Harry on December 27, 2012 at 7:26 am said:

Thank you so much it works in hp monitor
Roy on February 11, 2013 at 10:02 am said:

Thanks it work on Hp 2159m
Roy on February 11, 2013 at 10:06 am said:

Thanks. It worked on my Hp 2159… To everybody… Follow first steps and it will work… Try it more thank once… And, then turn it on and off… And if your VGA is still not working for display, go to the source button and go down to VGA connection instead of your DVI. Last go to your menu and find your manufactur settings and hit it and everything will be back like normal… Good Luck Everyone… I never knew screens can lock… Its crazy!!!
Denis on April 11, 2013 at 12:14 am said:

Many thanks,

HP LA2405, method 2 is tricky thing, also was obsrved if hold power button it’s lock in\out also take place

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