How To Change What Monitor A Game Opens On

How to Change What Monitor a Game Opens On

Ever started a super cool game, only to have it pop up on the wrong screen? It’s like trying to watch a movie on your phone when you have a giant TV right there! This can be annoying, especially if you’re trying to game on your main monitor or a special gaming screen. The good news is, you can totally control where your games appear. This guide will walk you through how to make sure your games always open on the monitor you want. We will cover different ways to change this, whether you are using Windows, dealing with game settings, or using your graphics card controls.

Why Games Open on the Wrong Monitor

Before we jump into solutions, let’s understand why this happens. Sometimes, games choose a monitor based on which one was set as your main display when you installed it. Other times, they might use a default setting or simply pick the first monitor they find. This might not always be the monitor you were expecting to use for gaming.

• Primary Display Settings: Your computer has a main monitor setting. Sometimes games default to this display.
• Game Defaults: Some games have their own settings and might open on a specific monitor automatically
• Driver Issues: Sometimes, display driver issues could lead games to choose the wrong monitor.
• Monitor Connection Order: Some systems might prioritize displays based on connection. For example, an HDMI monitor might be preferred over a DisplayPort monitor.

Setting Your Main Monitor in Windows

The easiest way to manage monitor selection is to control the main display from Windows settings. This method tells Windows which monitor it should prioritize. Most games will then default to this main monitor, but it’s not always a perfect solution.

Steps to Set the Main Display

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop.
2. Click on “Display settings.” This will open the settings page where you can manage your monitor setups.
3. You’ll see boxes representing your monitors. Click on the monitor you want to use as your main display.
4. Scroll down and look for the option “Make this my main display.” It’s usually a checkbox.
5. Check the box.
6. Click “Apply” at the bottom.

Using Multiple Displays

You also can adjust how your monitors work together here, which can impact where games open:

• Extend these displays: This option turns each monitor into a separate workspace.
• Duplicate these displays: Both monitors show the same thing.
• Show only on 1/2: Only one monitor will display your screen. This is useful when you are connecting to a projector.

Make sure to select “Extend these displays” if you want to use multiple monitors each as individual screens. This ensures games can choose the correct monitor for play. For example, if you have monitor 1 on the left, and monitor 2 on the right, you can extend the display so you can drag a program from one monitor to the other.

After making these changes, it is a good idea to restart your computer. This will make sure your display changes fully applied.

Adjusting Game Settings for Monitor Selection

Many modern games have built-in display settings that allow you to choose which monitor to use. This is often the most reliable method for making sure a game opens on your preferred display.

Finding In-Game Display Options

Here’s where you can find these settings in most games:

• Pause Menu or Main Menu: Look for a button like “Options,” “Settings,” or “Configuration” in the game. Usually you can find the settings from the game main menu, before you start the gameplay, or from the pause menu when you are already in a game.
• Graphics or Video Settings: Within the options menu, find categories labeled “Graphics,” “Video,” “Display,” or something similar.
• Display Selection: Within the Display settings, you should see a dropdown menu listing your monitors. Select the one you want to use.

Specific Game Examples

While every game is a bit different, here is the setting you may find for display settings:

• Fullscreen Mode: Most games default to a fullscreen mode and they should allow you to choose a specific monitor for the fullscreen to be played on.
• Windowed Mode: If you see settings for windowed mode or borderless windowed mode, this is also a way to move your game from monitor to another. You can change your game to be windowed, drag it to a different monitor and then change the setting back. This may help to save your new display settings, because sometimes fullscreen mode don’t save the new display settings.
• Monitor selection: Look out for setting named something like “Primary Display,” “Display Adapter,” or a dropdown for choosing a display monitor.

Once you find the correct setting, save your changes in the game menu.

Using Graphics Card Control Panels

Your graphics card, whether from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel, also has its own settings panel where you can manage display settings. These panels can sometimes offer more control over which monitor applications should use. Sometimes the game may not save display setting changes correctly, so using graphics control panel may solve these issues.

NVIDIA Control Panel

1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop.
2. Click on “NVIDIA Control Panel”.
3. In the left-hand menu, look for “Display”.
4. Then click on “Set up multiple displays.”
5. Here, you can see which monitors are connected to your graphics card.
6. You can set your primary display, same as you do in Windows settings.
7. You can also set up Surround configurations if you are using multiple monitors for a single game display.

AMD Radeon Settings

1. Right-click on the desktop.
2. Click on “AMD Radeon Settings” or “AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition”.
3. Go to “Display”.
4. You can see all your displays listed here.
5. Set your main display from here, same as you would from Windows settings.
6. You can also create Eyefinity or Display Groups here, if you have multiple monitor setup for a single display.

Intel Graphics Command Center

1. Right-click on the desktop.
2. Click on “Intel Graphics Command Center”.
3. Select the “Display” menu.
4. You can see your connected monitors here.
5. Set your desired display as the main display here.

These control panels provide more power over your display configuration. If you are having trouble getting your games to open on the correct monitor, graphics settings can help you.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Sometimes, the simplest solution is using a keyboard shortcut to move the window.

Moving Windows Using Shortcuts

• Windows Key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: This shortcut will instantly move your active application window from one monitor to another.
• Alt + Tab: You can use Alt + Tab to switch between open applications, and then press Windows Key + Shift + Arrow keys to move the window.

These methods might not always save your settings, but they are super quick for getting a game onto the correct screen in a pinch. These are useful when a game starts on the wrong monitor, and you quickly want to move it to the correct display.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, even after making these changes, your game might still open on the wrong monitor. Here are some common issues and fixes:

Game Saves Incorrectly

Some games do not save the display settings correctly. In this case, we can try a couple of different approaches:

• Borderless Window Mode: Try using a borderless windowed mode instead of a fullscreen mode. Some games seem to save this mode better.
• Running as Administrator: Sometimes, giving the game administrator privileges might help it save its settings. To do this, right-click on the game executable (.exe file) and select “Run as administrator”.
• Changing Settings in Game Configuration File: Some games store the setting in a configuration file. You may be able to change the monitor setting in that file. However, be careful when changing config files, because they can make your game unplayable if changed incorrectly.

Driver Issues

Outdated or faulty graphics drivers can cause display problems.

• Update Your Drivers: Visit the website of NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel and the latest drivers for your graphics card.
• Clean Install: When installing a new driver, you can also choose a “clean install”. This removes all previous driver files which can help to resolve driver conflicts.

Windows Updates

Make sure that your Windows is updated to the latest version, because Windows updates can include fixes for display errors.

• Check for Updates: Go to settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select “check for updates”.

Multiple Graphics Cards

If you have multiple graphics cards, some games may try to use the wrong GPU. Make sure your game is using the correct one.

• NVIDIA Control Panel: In the NVIDIA Control Panel, go to “Manage 3D settings”. Select your game in the program settings and make sure it is using the high performance GPU, instead of integrated graphics card.
• AMD Radeon Settings: Similarly, in the AMD Radeon settings, you can check the graphic settings for your game to make sure the right GPU is selected.

By trying these steps, you should be able to get your games to open on the correct display. Don’t hesitate to try different methods to see which works best for your setup.

Changing what monitor a game opens on is often a matter of understanding your computer’s display settings and the game’s own options. By setting a main display in Windows, adjusting settings in your games, and utilizing your graphics card’s control panel, you can make sure your games always open on your favorite screen. If issues still happen, try some troubleshooting steps mentioned in this article. By taking the time to change your settings, you can enjoy your games the way you want to play them without any display headaches.