How do I force prompts to display on my primary monitor in Windows?

Question

Every time there's a prompt of some kind, or a dialog box, it's displayed on my secondary monitor. Here's an example.

1. Win+R (Run prompt displays on secondary)
2. notepad and Enter (Notepad.exe displays on primary)
3. Ctrl+S (Save as dialog displays on secondary)

Why is it behaving like this, and is there a way to force all new prompts, dialog boxes, program windows, etc. to display on my primary monitor?

Honestly, I thought that's what the option "make this my main display" was for?!?...

Would it not be more intelligent if the program windows were displayed on the secondary monitor? In the example above, have the Run prompt and Save as dialog displayed on primary, and then pop that Notepad.exe window on the secondary monitor?

What controls this anyway? I know that Windows can remember the last location on the monitor where you had a certain program window, and then when you open that same window again, it would be displayed in same location. So I tried to open the Run prompt, move it over to my primary monitor, open a notepad from it, close everything down, and open the Run prompt again. It displayed on the secondary monitor again........

Solution 1

Try restoring the window, to it's normal size, then move it to the primary monitor. Then x out (shut down). Now Windows should remember where it last was. Then if you re-open it, then you can choose to maximize it and shut down again. Then it will re-open on the primary in a maximized window.

This worked for me when I noticed Adobe kept opening on my secondary monitor and I started looking for solutions online.

Solution 2

Yup, the "make this my main display" in Windows can't move prompts and dialog boxes over to the monitor you select. It is only able to move the taskbar and program windows over to that monitor. To see all program windows on that monitor, you might need to close the program windows first, then reopen them.

So here's what I did:

• Lifted my "primary" (i.e. "2", i.e. VGA) monitor and put it on the left.
• Lifted my "secondary" (i.e. "1", i.e. DVI) monitor and put it on the right.
• In Screen Resolution (Control Panel), selected "1" and ticked "make this my main display".

So now, both program windows and prompts and dialogs display on the monitor in front of me.

1. Win+R (Run prompt displays on primary (DVI))
2. notepad and Enter (Notepad.exe displays on primary (DVI))
3. Ctrl+S (Save as dialog displays on primary (DVI))

Voilà! Set and done!

Comments

[Art Gertner]

Just to avoid any confusion. Your primary display is the one with taskbar. Is this correct? And popups/dialogues are appearing on the other display (the one without taskbar). Is this what you are saying?

[Samir]

@smc Yes, the one with the taskbar is in front of me. I have two monitors. The secondary monitor is on my left. I am using the extended desktop mode. FWIW, the monitor in front of me is identified as number 2 in Screen Resolution (control panel). But I have selected it and checked "make this my main display"?!...

[Art Gertner]

Have you used standard windows interface to set up your multiple displays? Or have you used software specific to your Graphic Adapter?

[Samir]

I tried disconnecting them now, and then reconnecting each as a single monitor. The "primary" is connected with VGA, and the secondary with DVI. If I only connect one of them, it's identified as number 1. And if I connect VGA first, and then DVI, or DVI first, and then VGA, it doesn't matter. The VGA (primary) is always identified as number 2 and DVI as number 1. So whichever is connected with DVI takes precedence over VGA? I know it's better to use DVI, but what the hell... need to lift and move monitors around to get the results you want?? Ridiculous!

[Samir]

@smc It's all Windows settings (control panel, screen resolution). Would it help to use Catalyst Control Center instead? I have it installed as this is an AMD A10 APU system, so it's inevitable not to have the AMD software installed (chipset and gpu).

[Samir]

I mean the Windows settings do make the "2" (VGA) monitor my primary, by making my taskbar appear there, instead of on "1" (DVI). But I just don't understand why I have to move my eyes left and right when prompt and dialogs start coming up. Program windows display on the primary monitor (as selected in Windows settings), but the dialogs and prompts don't... I don't get it... can't move those from "1" or what?

[Art Gertner]

This is not a normal behavior. I have the setup similar to yours and in my case all new popups and dialog boxes always appear on primary display. Program windows remember their position and will reappear exactly where they were before closing. I assume this is the behavior you are trying to achieve. I recommend you to try AMD CCC, and see if this makes any difference. In my case I am using Intel Graphic and Media Control Center, because I am not satisfied with windows built-in tools. Let me know if using CCC software helps

[Art Gertner]

Also, I don't think that numbering of monitors has any impact on this. It really should not. Its the primary monitor setting that should matter. In my case primary monitor is number 2. And I don't get any problems

[Samir]

@smc Not all systems are made equal. You are on Intel platform, right? I am on AMD. And you are using Intel software to make these changes, right? And I am using Windows own settings for this (haven't tried CCC, don't see any valid reason why I should use that instead for something basic as this, Windows own settings should suffice). And yes, I have seen this behavior on Intel systems as well. This is all Windows related I believe... and the numbers do seem to have a deeper meaning than just for identification purposes. Like type of interface/connection.

[Samir]

@smc Your primary monitor is a "2". But what is your interface? Is it VGA, DVI, HDMI, DP?...

[Art Gertner]

Its VGA. Anyway, I am glad you resolved your problem

[Samir]

@smc Hmh... that's a surprise. Then it might be that the Intel software is doing a better job at this than the Windows native settings do.

[Art Gertner]

I will not start praising Intel software here. But as I have already mentioned I have had problems with Primary/Secondary settings before and I resolved it all by switching to OEMs control center. This is why I recommended it here

[Samir]

@smc Just had the monitors moved back to original location, undone all changes, started all over, used AMD CCC software to make the "2" (VGA) the primary. Sure, it made the taskbar appear on it, but just like when using Windows own settings the prompts and dialogs were still stuck at "1" for whatever the reason. So it made no difference using the CCC software. Perhaps Intel software is in fact better, after all. LOL! :)

[Samir]

Nah... that ain't it... this is something else... something from another world, another planet. Let's just call it a bug. So numbers do matter. I believe even the AMD CCC software is reading the settings from Windows, it's not like it has its own mind or something. It's just another way to interact with these settings, another UI. I'll just have to move my monitors around once more, and be happy with it. It's a good physical exercise here at office. Just another day in the Windows world.

[Art Gertner]

This is ambiguous. What exactly did you do to resolve your issue? The description you have provided seems like an ordinary setup. I assumed that you had it initially.

[Samir]

Ambiguous? Which part? You want me to add a before/after for comparison?

[Art Gertner]

I believe it would be useful for anyone with similar problem.

[G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica']

This doesn’t seem to work for (Win)+(R) — although it’s not clear whether this was ever really a problem.  It does seem to work for application windows.

[Samir]

I am unable to test this at the moment. But thanks for sharing your findings.