Windows 10, laptops, and “don’t turn this display on”

Windows 10 has an option in the advanced display settings to toggle a display (when using multiple displays, like a laptop with an external display) to “Remove display from desktop”. I have my work laptop plugged into two external displays, and for reasons I can’t remember, I have Windows configured to not use the laptop screen via this option.

What I did not expect is that Windows would apply that option even when there are no other displays attached. So if it’s set, and you go somewhere where there’s no external monitor to plug in, you don’t get an active screen. You’ll see Windows boot, then the screen goes black, and that’s it.

There is no way to turn that setting off without having an external display hooked up. Yay.