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”

  1. Thank you! Thank you! You saved my monitor – I was about to toss it through the window :)

  3. 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. – works Hurray!!!!

  5. Number two worked for me (thanks!)…but…only after number one failed, now I have a ‘power button lockout’ problem!

    Any solutions anyone?

  6. IT Engineer here…

    90% of the time, the problem is caused by incorrect refresh rate and by default, it is set to 75Hz.

    Change the refresh rate to 60Hz and the annoying menu will disappear.

  9. You guys are the best, I have actually manage to keep my (IT Admin) job thanks to guys like you helping out egg-heads like me to look like IT experts (read “geek”). Your efforts are appreciated the world over

  12. I have HP Monitor Model: L1740. it showing OSD LOCKOUT I tried all procedures but nothing works. Please give some suggestions.
    Regards

  13. I snapped off the menu button on my HPL1706 monitor and flicked the small momentary switch behind the plastic button a few times with a small screwdriver. After holding it down for 10 or 15 seconds the menu came on the screen and I was able to use the scroll (+ -) keys to scroll through the menu and select exit and now seems to be ok. Time will tell….. seems to be a defective switch.

  14. when I got the OSD lockout message I just held the on/off button for a long time at least until it turned off – it will eventually turn off, then you should be able to turn it back on and off without any further problems.
    give it a whirl.

  15. I have an hp L1940T and held down the MENU button for 30 seconds. The OSD LOCKOUT and MENU screens kept cycling as I was holding the button down, but after letting go and then pressing the MENU button to remove the menu, I have not had the problem since! Great help. Thank you.

  16. I have Gericom c500 please help me. No one of these solutions offered to me does not work. :/ I don’t have menu button, I have Fn+/-, power button and +/-

  18. HP W2072a, Fix 2 worked for me, didnt really time it…Just held it down till the OSD menu popped out

  21. how do i unlock the osd on mecer js555? it somehow got locked and these suggestions don’t seem to work…help please?

  23. Yup..it working alright..the fisrt step.Thanks bro.But i have to say this – Stupid hp monitor for making my life dificult!

  24. Iiyama ProLite B1906S – switch monitor off, press and hold the ‘menu’ button, press the power button to turn the monitor on and continue to hold the ‘menu’ button for about 10 seconds before letting go. There is no visual notification that the OSD has been unlocked but it will be. Press the ‘menu’ button and the OSD menu will be accessible again.

  29. None of the above methods work for an HP S2331NS. If no other comments are posted, I will go into the monitor and see about snipping the yellow wire or just replace the switch as I have some after servicing CRT TV’S .
    Thanks

  30. DELL : does the same damn thing except it didn’t work using this technique! Solution? Threw it out the bedroom window and instantly the problem was solved. It gave me a great piece of mind!

  31. Common problem . The definitive cure is to replace all the switches on the front panel PCB. If you measure resistance with a multimeter (remove connector from mainboard first) some of the switches will show conductivity even when not pressed.
    Otherwise :
    1 Switch monitor on
    2 Pull monitor power plug out
    3 Open up monitor and disconnect control PCB from main PCB
    This will give you a working monitor which cannot be adjusted , and can be turned off only by pulling the plug.

  32. I have a HP w2207 monitor and whenever I try to use any of the buttons at the bottom it shows OCD Lockout please help :(

  35. 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.
    ————-
    Thank you very much

  38. OSD Lockout. One or more buttons apparently stuck. I have a 2007 HP model 1907. None of the fixes solved the problem for more than a couple minutes and/or created new issues. Ended up having to cut the silver colored plastic band surrounding the monitor on both sides of the switches with a hacksaw blade. This provided easy access to remove the connector. The switches come out as well but who cares. It works fine now and no need to remove screws or pry anything. Alternatively, if you’re determined to open up the back like I was, remove the three screws holding the base, slide the base out, and pry the back off. Then, if like me, you can see a bit of the wire harness but still can’t see or get to the connector, just cut snip the wires and put it back together.

  42. Thanks Mr said
    The following instruction has follow-up and issue has been resolved
    Turn off the monitor, press down the Menu button and then turn on the monitor. Wait 10-20 seconds. This should unlock the OSD.

  43. MY LCD HPL1706 show auto adjusment broblem and some time it show menu rolling down how to fix it

  47. The second fix has worked for my LG L1918S, thank you! Also one of the buttons was also stuck. Not sure why, but simply reseating the button board made it go away.

  49. Fix Five:
    To toggle the Adjustment Lock (lock or unlock) switch off the monitor’s power by the power button on the front panel, then hold down the Auto adjustment button while turning the power back on.
    (Works for EIZO L365, L375 (and similar) Adjustment Lock / OSD Lock)

  50. I have monitor HP v185e and facing a problem OSD Lockout. Helop me tri these method bt. no benefit.

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