How To Change What Monitor A Game Is On

How to Change What Monitor a Game is On

Ever started playing your favorite game, only to realize it’s showing up on the wrong screen? It’s like trying to watch a movie on your phone when you have a big TV right there! Don’t worry; it happens to the best of us. Figuring out how to move your game to the monitor you actually want to use is easier than you think. This article will show you all the different ways to get your game on the right display, so you can focus on winning instead of wrestling with your setup.

Understanding Your Display Setup

Before we jump into specific methods, let’s make sure we understand how computers handle multiple monitors. Your computer sees each monitor as a separate display. It gives each one a number, usually starting with “1,” to know which one is which. When a program like a game starts, it needs to be told which display to use. Sometimes, the game guesses right, but sometimes, it needs our help. This can get a little confusing, especially when we have two or even three screens, but understanding the basics will help you change the monitor for a game more easily.

Identifying Your Monitors

The first step is to make sure you know which monitor is which. This helps in making proper changes. Windows and macOS have settings that show the order of your monitors, so that you can easily change monitor a game is on. Here’s how to find those settings:

Windows:

• Right-click on your desktop.
• Select “Display settings.”
• You’ll see numbered boxes representing your monitors. Clicking on them highlights the corresponding physical screen.
• You can rearrange them to match your physical layout. This can be helpful to ensure mouse movement is smooth between monitors.
• You can choose which one is your “main display” which is usually the monitor where new apps open by default.

macOS:

• Click on the Apple menu (the logo at the top left of your screen).
• Select “System Settings” or “System Preferences.”
• Click on “Displays.”
• You will see numbered boxes representing your monitor.
• Click the “Arrangement” tab to see your monitors.
• You can drag the boxes to match your setup, which affects the way the mouse pointer moves between screens.
• You can choose which display is main display by dragging the white bar to the display of your choice.

Changing the Display Directly Within the Game

Many games have a setting that allows you to choose which monitor to use. This is often the easiest way to switch the display. Here’s how to look for this setting:

Checking the Graphics Settings

Most games have graphics settings where you can change things like resolution, graphics quality, and which monitor to display on. These settings are usually found within the game itself.

• Start the game.
• Look for a “Settings,” “Options,” or “Graphics” menu. The name of the menu can vary from game to game.
• Inside that menu, search for a setting that mentions “Display,” “Monitor,” or “Screen.”
• You may see a list of available monitors with their corresponding numbers.
• Select the monitor you want the game to use.
• Save the changes and restart the game if needed.

The exact wording may vary, but the goal is to find a setting that lets you pick which screen the game appears on. This option is generally the best way to ensure the game is always on the right screen.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Sometimes, you don’t want to dig through in-game menus. Thankfully, you can often move windows, including games, between displays using keyboard shortcuts.

Windows Shortcuts

Windows has a few useful keyboard shortcuts for moving windows:

• Windows Key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow Key: This is the most useful shortcut. Press and hold the Windows key and the Shift key, then tap the left arrow key or the right arrow key to move the game window to the monitor on the left or right. It cycles through available displays.
• Windows Key + P: This opens a menu where you can select different display modes, like “PC screen only,” “Duplicate,” “Extend,” or “Second screen only.” While this doesn’t move a specific window, it helps configure your displays so that only one is active, for example, if you want to use just the external monitor.

macOS Shortcuts

macOS also has some helpful shortcuts:

• Control + Option + Left/Right Arrow Key: Similar to Windows, this combination moves the currently active window to the display on the left or right. It’s a quick way to switch which monitor a game is on.
• Mission Control: This macOS feature lets you see all of your open windows on all of your displays. You can drag and drop windows between monitors, although this might not be the quickest if you have multiple screens. You can access Mission Control with the F3 key or by swiping up with three or four fingers on a trackpad.

These shortcuts are often a much faster method to shift games between displays than going into settings every time.

Utilizing Display Settings

You can also sometimes control where a game starts by configuring your primary display and changing display modes. While it does not directly move a game already running on a monitor, it will affect where it appears at launch, and you can also adjust the display settings to change the monitor that the game is playing on.

Setting the Primary Display

When you set a primary display, most new applications, including games, will start on that monitor by default. To do this:

Windows:

• Open “Display settings” (right-click on the desktop and select “Display settings”).
• Select the monitor you want to be your main display.
• Scroll down to the “Multiple displays” section.
• Check the box that says “Make this my main display.”
• Click “Apply” to save your changes.

macOS:

• Go to “System Settings” or “System Preferences” and select “Displays.”
• Click on the “Arrangement” tab.
• Drag the white bar from the current main monitor to the display you want as main display.

Setting your preferred monitor as the primary display can make new games start where you want them. However, changing the primary display may affect other programs and how they appear.

Display Mode Settings

Choosing between “Extend,” “Duplicate,” and “Second screen only” modes can also affect which monitor your games appear on.

• Extend: This mode makes your monitors work together as one big desktop. You can move things back and forth between screens. This is the most common mode for multi-monitor gaming setups.
• Duplicate: This mode shows the same thing on all your monitors. This isn’t helpful for gaming on different screens, but it’s good for giving presentations or watching movies.
• Second screen only: This mode shows your desktop on only your external monitor, while the main display is black. It is a fast way to switch from having both screens on to only having one on.

Use the Windows Key + P shortcut (on Windows) to easily select between these display modes.

Borderless Windowed Mode

Some games offer a “Borderless Windowed” display mode. This is somewhere between a regular window and fullscreen. The game runs inside a window but without any borders. This mode can make it easier to move games between displays, especially combined with keyboard shortcuts.

How to Use Borderless Windowed Mode

Follow the steps below to set this mode.

• Start the game.
• Go to the game’s graphics settings (same as mentioned before).
• Look for a “Display mode” setting.
• If there is one, select “Borderless Windowed.”
• If needed, select the monitor you want.
• Save the settings and restart the game if necessary.

After setting this, you can usually move the game window using keyboard shortcuts, similar to a regular application window. This way, you do not have to enter the graphic options to select the display the game will be displayed on.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, even after trying these steps, you might still have trouble getting your game to show up on the correct monitor. Here are a few common problems and how to fix them:

Game Starts on the Wrong Monitor

• Solution: First, make sure you have the correct primary display selected, and then see if the game supports selection of a display in its settings, and configure this to the display of your choice. If both methods do not work, then try using the keyboard shortcuts to move the window to the screen you want. Also, make sure the game is not running in the duplicate mode, as this might cause confusion with multi-monitor setups.

Game Doesn’t Show Up Anywhere

• Solution: Sometimes the game is launched, but it appears off-screen. This can happen if your monitor configuration has changed. Usually, using the keyboard shortcut of windows key + shift + left/right arrow key can quickly resolve the problem by bringing the game back to the display. Also, try restarting the game and even your computer if it continues to give problems.

Game Doesn’t Offer Display Options

• Solution: Not every game has options to select the display, especially older games. In this case, try setting the primary display and then relaunching the game. Also try borderless windowed mode if available to easily move the window between displays. Check for game updates, which sometimes add new display options.

Incorrect Resolution or Aspect Ratio

• Solution: Go to the game’s settings and ensure the resolution and aspect ratio match your monitor, and set this up accordingly to avoid visual issues.

Driver Issues

• Solution: Make sure your graphics card drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause display problems with games. Go to your graphics card manufacturer’s website (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) to download and install the latest drivers.

If all else fails, try restarting your computer and making sure that your cables are properly connected.

A Summary

Changing which monitor a game uses doesn’t have to be a frustrating experience. Here is a quick summary of all the methods discussed so far:

• Check In-Game Settings: Most games will let you choose which monitor to use from their graphics options. This is usually the best and first place to check.
• Use Keyboard Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts (Windows Key + Shift + Arrow for Windows, or Control + Option + Arrow for macOS) are a very fast method to move windows (including games) between screens.
• Set Primary Display: If you have a monitor that you play the most on, then setting that as your primary display makes it so that new games open there.
• Use Borderless Windowed Mode: Games in borderless windowed mode can be moved between displays quickly.
• Update Display Drivers: Make sure that your display drivers are always updated to avoid any compatibility issues.

By using these tools and techniques, you should be able to easily control what monitor your game appears on and enjoy playing your games.

Changing what monitor a game is on is a skill many gamers benefit from. Whether you have a multi-monitor setup for better productivity or want to stream games, you now have the knowledge to keep your games displayed on the desired screen.