How To Change What Monitor A Program Opens On

Yous may fail to open programs on the chief (or the required) monitor if the multi-monitor configuration is not proper. Moreover, outdated Windows or system drivers may besides result in the error under discussion.

The issue arises when the user fails to launch applications (or a item awarding/game) on the master (or his required) monitor and the applications are launched on the second monitor.

Applications Opening on the Wrong Monitor

Before moving on with the solutions to open programs on the main monitor, check if extending the display solves the issue. Moreover, if y'all are using a launcher (e.grand., Steam client) to launch the game, then, normally, the game volition exist launched on the aforementioned monitor where the launcher is running (unless defined otherwise in the game/launcher settings).

Also, monitors continued through the HDMI/Display Port cables may exist preferred over DVI/VGA by your Bone and to rule out the example, effort to prepare the monitors connected through the HDMI/Brandish port as the principal brandish or if possible, connect the DVI/VGA port monitors with HDMI/Display port (you lot may take to use an adapter). Terminal merely non least, make sure any of the displays practice not go to sleep earlier the closing of the system.

Solution 1: Update the System Drivers and Windows to the Latest Build

Windows and arrangement drivers are continuously updated to add new features and patch the known bugs. You may encounter the fault nether discussion if your arrangement drivers and Windows version are outdated. In this instance, updating system drivers and Windows to the latest build may solve the problem.

Update the Windows version of your arrangement to the latest build. Make sure optional updates are also installed.
Then update system drivers to the latest builds. If yous are using a drivers' update utility like Intel Commuter and Support Assistant or Dell Support Assistant, then utilize information technology to update the drivers.
After updating Windows and organization drivers, check if the multi-monitor issue is resolved.

Solution 2: Close the Window in the Windowed Fashion on the Required Brandish

Windows unremarkably open the applications on the monitor where they were closed. Endeavor the steps mentioned below simply these steps may not work for the full-screen games (try to put the game in the windowed or borderless fashion) or applications like word editors (when you open up another document, information technology may launch on the wrong monitor).

Launch the problematic application and let it completely load.
Now put the application in the windowed mode (not maximized nor minimized) by clicking on the Restore button (the square push button, next to the windows close button) and drag-drop the application on the required monitor.

Restore the Awarding and Drag-Drib information technology on Another Monitor
So, without maximizing or minimizing the application, shut the application, and bank check the arrangement's tray for whatsoever background operation of the application. Also, brand certain no process related to the problematic awarding is operating in the Chore Manager of your system.
Now check if the monitor issue is resolved. If so, then on the side by side launch of the application, y'all can use it in maximized windows mode.
If not, repeat steps i to 3 merely when closing the application, hold the Ctrl key and so bank check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 3: Re-enable the Wrong Monitor

The issue at hand could be the result of a multi-monitor configuration glitch and the glitch tin can be cleared by disabling/enabling the wrong monitor.

Close the application and make certain no procedure related to it is operating in the Task Managing director/ tray of your system.
Then right-click on your organization's desktop and choose Display Settings.

Open Display Settings
Now, select Display in the left one-half of the window, and and then, in the correct half, curl down till y'all discover the option of Multiple Displays and select the incorrect display.
Now choose Disconnect This Display and reboot your PC.

Disconnect the Wrong Display
Upon reboot, relaunch the application on the desired monitor so get out the application (repeat step 1). Now re-enable the wrong monitor and cheque if the issue is resolved.
If not, remove the monitor once more (steps one to 4) and launch the Quick Settings menu by simultaneously pressing Windows + X keys.
Now open up Device Manager and then expand the View menu of the Device Manager.

Open Device Manager
And then click on Evidence Subconscious Devices and expand Monitors.

Show Hidden Devices in Device Manager
Now remove all the monitors except your current monitor and and so reboot your organisation.

Remove All the Monitors Except the Current Monitor
Upon reboot, echo steps v & 6 to check if the issue is resolved.

Solution 4: Change the Principal Display to Another Monitor

Many applications prefer to launch on the main brandish of your organisation. In this example, setting the required monitor to be the main display may solve the problem.

Completely exit the application and forcefully shut processes related to it through the Task Manager of your system.
Then striking the Window key and choose Settings. Now open System and and then, in the Display tab, scroll down to the pick of Multiple Displays.

Open System in Windows Settings
Then select the required brandish and choose to Brand this My Main Display (and if information technology is already principal, select some other display as main and then, revert the setting to the required monitor).

Marker the Monitor as the Main Display
Now cheque if the application is opening on the required monitor.

Solution 5: Switch Betwixt the Screens

If the issue is nonetheless there, and so you can solve it by switching between the screens to movement the application to the required screen.

Launch the problematic application and await for it to load completely.
Now press Windows + P keys to open the Project settings of your organization and select Second Screen (now the application volition pop dorsum on the master monitor).

Select the Second Screen Only in the Project Settings
Once again, press Windows + P keys and cull PC Screen Only.

Select the PC Screen Only
Then completely go out the application and relaunch information technology to check if it is launching on the main monitor.

Solution 6: Apply the Preview Screen

The multi-monitor configuration glitch tin can exist cleared past moving the application to the desired monitor past using the preview screen on the Taskbar.

Open the problematic application and hover your mouse over the awarding on the Taskbar of your system. Now, a miniature preview screen of the application will be shown
Then right-click on the preview screen and choose Restore.
Again, hover over the awarding and right-click on the preview screen.
Now select Move and and then utilise the keyboard shortcut of Shift + Windows + Arrow (right or left) to movement the application to the required monitor.

Click on Restore and And then Move the Awarding
Then put the awarding in the windowed mode by pressing on the Restore button and so close it.
Now relaunch the application and bank check if it is launching on the required monitor.

Solution seven: Customize the Taskbar of Your System

If none of the solutions worked for you, then you can customize the Taskbar of your system to open the problematic application on the required monitor.

Right-click on the desktop of your organisation and choose Personalize.

Open Personalize
Then, in the left pane of the window, choose Taskbar, and in the right half of the window, expand the dropdown of Show Taskbar Buttons on.
At present select Taskbar Where Window is Open then check if you can use the offset bill of fare shortcuts to open up the awarding on the required monitor.

Select Taskbar Where Window is Open in the Dropdown of Bear witness Taskbar Buttons on

Solution 8: Use GitHub PowerToys

In that location is a GitHub projection called PowerToys that enables a power user to streamline and fine-tune his Windows experience to enhance productivity. This utility does have some advanced multi-display settings that tin can solve the issue at hand.

Launch a web browser and navigate to the GitHub PowerToys releases page.
Now download the EXE file from the page so install it with administrative privileges.

Download PowerToys
Then launch PowerToys and open its Settings. Now open up FancyZones and select Edit Zones.

Edit Zones in the Fancy Zones Settings
Configure the layout every bit a row or column as per your requirement and disable the pick of Show Space Around Zones (repeat on each monitor by dragging the PowerToys setting window to information technology).

Uncheck Show Space Around Zones
Again, open up the PowerToys Settings and open up FancyZones.
At present enable the "Move Newly Created Windows to Their Concluding Known Zone" choice.

Move Newly Created Windows to Their Last Known Zone
Then drag the application to the required screen and when on that screen, press& hold the Shift key and and so release the drag (this volition assign the awarding to that screen).
Now relaunch the application to cheque if information technology is launching on the correct monitor.

Solution ix: Create the Applications Shortcut on the Required Monitor

Y'all can create the shortcut for the problematic application on the monitor where you want to display it and then launching the awarding through that shortcut may solve the problem.

Completely exit the awarding and make sure no process related to it is operating in the Task Manager of your organization.
Find the location of the EXE file of the problematic application e.m., if you are encountering the upshot with the Fortnite game, then its EXE file (FortniteClient-Win64-Shipping.exe) is commonly located at the post-obit location:
```
%PROGRAMFILES%\Epic Games\Fortnite\FortniteGame\Binaries\Win64
```
So move to the required monitor by using the keyboard shortcut (Shift + Windows + Left/Right Arrow)
Now right-click on the desktop of your system and choose New > Shortcut.

Create a New Shortcut
And so click on the Browse push button and point it to the EXE file of your application.
Now select Adjacent and then click on the Cease button.

Click on Browse then Cease to Create the Shortcut
And then launch the awarding through that shortcut to check if it starts on the required monitor.
If so, then correct-click on the shortcut icon and choose Properties.
So open the dropdown of Run and select Maximized window to launch the application in the maximized style on the target monitor.

Modify the Run to Maximized in the Shortcut Backdrop

Solution x: Change the Awarding Settings and Use Command Line Arguments

Many applications especially games offer the in-game settings by which a user tin ascertain the monitor on which the game would be displayed and using this setting to launch the awarding to the required monitor may solve the problem.

Launch the problematic application/game and bank check if its settings let it to launch on a particular monitor. If so, so enable that setting and so bank check if the consequence is resolved.
If non, then launch the Steam's client (install it, if already not installed) and enable its Big Film fashion. You can also launch non-Steam games through the Steam client.

Enable Big Moving-picture show Style in the Steam Client
Now under the Display Settings, set the monitor where you want to play the game and check if information technology solves the issue.
If not, then check if editing the configuration file of the game (e.g., you can ready the MonitorIndex belongings to i or two to choose the preferred monitor in the Neverwinter's GamPrefs.pref file located at X:\Neverwinter\Neverwinter\Live\Localdata where X is the installation drive of the game) solves the issue for you lot.
If not, and then check if using the command line arguments to choose the required monitor (e.g., many Unity games back up the arguments of -show-screen-selector or -adapter Due north, where North is the monitor where yous want to display the application) solves the issue for you.
If not, then bank check if using the GitHub projection of Borderless gaming solves the issue for yous.

If the consequence is still there, then check if using a system cleaner application to articulate the size or personalization solves the issue. You can also try a tertiary political party utility like Window Resizer Pro (Chrome extension), PersistentWindows, PrgLnch, Ultramon, MurGeeMon, Actual Windows Managing director, DisplayFusion, Nvidia Control Console, MaxTo, etc., to solve the issue.