Switch fullscreen applications to secondary display?

Barry1987

Barry1987

Barry1987

Associate
Joined
11 Apr 2012
Posts
412
Location
London
Windowed programs and games (like Football Manager 2012) open on the monitor I had it set to before I closed it. However, fullscreen will always go to the primary display.

Is there a way to do this? Do I need some kind of third party software or is there a trick in Windows to do this?

I do not want to have to keep changing my main display every time I want to play a game. I just want a way where I can set fullscreen (even set each application individually would be fine) applications to the second monitor.

Thanks in advance.
 
I've had this issue in the past and the only solution I've found is through DisplayFusion, which caters very nicely to the needs of multimonitor users.
It is a little resource hungry though, and a touch expensive, but otherwise worth the while.
 
Thanks for the tip.

I just downloaded from CNET, however, the .msi progress bar seems to get stuck halfway before entering the actual install. Not sure what the problem is there but I'll try some updates etc. If the licence is free to try for a little while then I will give it a go.

£15 isn't too bad I suppose but I will still continue looking for some kind of feasible solution before I go out and purchase.
 
You can download the EXE installer directly from the displayfusion website:
http://www.displayfusion.com/Download/

I got the pricing confused with something else, £15 for a single machine license is not bad at all considering it is constantly being worked on, the latest beta adds some interesting features.
 
Thanks dude :)

I downloaded that instead.

I tried it for 5 minutes before I had to leave for work. However, even though I was opening up programs on the second monitor with the new taskbar, they were still opening up on the other. Are there options I need to fiddle about with for this?
 
No problems, to configure it right click the taskbar icon, choose settings and then click the window location tab and set it up there. :)
 
I had a similar problem. I just dragged the task bar over to the second screen and use it as if it were the primary monitor. That way things opening up in fullscreen on the real primary monitor don't interfere with anything I'm already doing.

Of course if you want fullscreen apps on both monitors I guess you will probably need the extra software.

Does that make sense?
 
BloodyL said:
No problems, to configure it right click the taskbar icon, choose settings and then click the window location tab and set it up there. :)
Click to expand...

Great! Will try this after work.

Marc... said:
I had a similar problem. I just dragged the task bar over to the second screen and use it as if it were the primary monitor. That way things opening up in fullscreen on the real primary monitor don't interfere with anything I'm already doing.

Of course if you want fullscreen apps on both monitors I guess you will probably need the extra software.

Does that make sense?
Click to expand...

This sounds like a very good idea!

I only want fullscreen on one as usually the only applications that go to fullscreen that I use are games anyway. Other applications that I use are windowed (office programs, chrome, skype etc.)

I actually didn't know you could move the taskbar to another monitor. It must have been locked before. I just tried it on my machine at work and looks promising. You may have just enlightened me on what I have been looking for. Will let you know when I get home.

Thanks again for the replies guys.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Another thing that's bothering me is not being able to move the mouse over to the screen with Chrome etc. I want to be able to pause the game, move the cursor over to the other screen (maybe pressing tab first; but doesn't seem to work) and then being able to navigate. I have noticed on the games I have tried this with, the game will minimise which isn't ideal. Anything that can be done?
 
Last edited:
Barry1987 said:
Another thing that's bothering me is not being able to move the mouse over to the screen with Chrome etc. I want to be able to pause the game, move the cursor over to the other screen (maybe pressing tab first; but doesn't seem to work) and then being able to navigate. I have noticed on the games I have tried this with, the game will minimise which isn't ideal. Anything that can be done?
Click to expand...

Run the game in windowed mode. That's basically the only way. A few games have an option for 'boarderless window' or something like that, all the newer Source engine games do, which does exactly what you want. However, the majority of games you'll have to settle with running in windows if you want to alt+tab like that. Its what I've been doing for a couple of years now.
 
iviv said:
Run the game in windowed mode. That's basically the only way. A few games have an option for 'boarderless window' or something like that, all the newer Source engine games do, which does exactly what you want. However, the majority of games you'll have to settle with running in windows if you want to alt+tab like that. Its what I've been doing for a couple of years now.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks.

Would this minimise the game on the other screen, though?
 
If its played in a borderless window then no, alt tabbing leaves the game running still on that screen. For example:
http://i.imgur.com/LMQ6D.jpg

There's a quick screenshot I took with Portal 2 running. I alt tabbed to Waterfox, and then brought up the Steam friends list over the game window. The game continues running on the primary monitor even when not selected, and doesn't minimise. When you click back onto the game window then it comes to the front, the task bar at the bottom is hidden again, and the mouse locks to the window so you can't accidentally click out of it. Then you can just alt+tab out again if you like. But most games don't have this option, so you would have to play in a window, I always pick a window size the next one lower than native, otherwise you'll miss things since you can't fit a 1920x1200 window plus boarder and so on onto a 1920x1200 screen.

I also use DisplayFusion as linked above, which gives me the second taskbar on my second monitor.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom