

If you're using HDMI, check to make sure not just that the projector is using HDMI as a source, but also that it is using the HDMI port to which your laptop is connected. Most projectors have multiple inputs, and if the one you're using isn't selected, your image won't show up. Cables can also shake loose, especially if you're using a large and heavy 15-pin VGA, or Video Graphics Adapter, cable that doesn't have thumbscrews to hold it in place.

Others have relatively quick auto-shut-off functions that turn them off between the time you turn them on and the time that you get your laptop computer in place, connected and ready to check. Many projectors require you to hold the "Power" button down for a little while to turn them on. When your laptop's display isn't being projected, the first things to check are the most basic ones.
