HP 24F monitor won't interface with my MacBook Pro 2020 (iOS Monterey 12.1)

[Rae44]

I have connected my monitor to the Macbook with the HDMI cable provided.  I can see the desktop background and the very top bar, but it will not interface. 

[itsmyname]

@Rae44 -- what you may be seeing is the "extension" of the desktop.

+-------------------+

|             1            |---------------+

|                           |            2      |     

+-----------------+------------|

So, all the "icons" on the "desktop" are painted onto #1, and the only items on #2 are more of your "wallpaper", and a copy of the "ribbon" that MacOS paints onto the top row of each monitor.

Move your mouse-pointer to the right (on monitor #1) until it appears on the left of monitor #2, to see how your desktop has "extended" onto the 2nd monitor.

[Rae44]

Ok, I-m getting there.  Can I not close the Macbook?  For now if I do, it all goes black.  I'd like to use this monitor and an external keyboard sometimes.  Do I have to keep the MacBook open while I use the peripherals_

[itsmyname]

@Rae44 -- Can I not close the Macbook?  For now if I do, it all goes black. 

Within MacOS, can you disable that "sleep" feature when you take that action of physically closing the Macbook?