To move your game screen to another monitor, the most effective methods involve using dedicated keyboard shortcuts for quick transfers, adjusting settings directly within the game, or configuring your operating system's display settings.
Quick Methods for Moving Your Game (Keyboard Shortcuts & Dragging)
These methods are often the fastest for moving an active game window between displays, especially if the game is running in full-screen or borderless windowed mode.
For Windows Users
If your game is running in full-screen exclusive mode, or even some borderless windowed modes, Windows offers a convenient keyboard shortcut. For games running in standard windowed mode, a simple drag-and-drop works best.
- Keyboard Shortcut for Full-Screen Games: While your game is the active window, press Shift + Windows key + Left Arrow Key or Shift + Windows key + Right Arrow Key. This shortcut attempts to cycle the active window through your available monitors.
- Dragging for Windowed Games: If your game is running in a windowed mode (either standard or borderless), simply click and hold the title bar of the game window and drag it to your desired monitor. Release the mouse button to drop it onto the new screen.
For Mac Users
Mac users can leverage Mission Control to manage applications across different spaces and monitors.
- Using Mission Control:
- Ensure your game is running.
- Open Mission Control by pressing
F3(orControl + Up Arrow) on your keyboard, or by swiping up with three or four fingers on your trackpad. - Your game's window will appear along with other open applications.
- Click and drag the game's window thumbnail from its current monitor's Space (represented at the top of Mission Control) to the Space of the monitor you wish to move it to.
- Once you release the window, click on it or press
F3again to exit Mission Control, and the game will be active on the new monitor.
Keyboard Shortcuts at a Glance
| Operating System | Method | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Shift + Windows key + Arrow Key | Moves active full-screen/borderless game window |
| Windows | Drag & Drop | Moves active windowed game |
| Mac | Mission Control (F3) & Drag | Moves active game window between display Spaces |
Using In-Game Display Settings
Many modern games include built-in options to select which monitor they display on. This is often the most stable method, as it's designed specifically for the game.
- Access Game Settings: Launch your game and navigate to its Options, Settings, or Preferences menu.
- Find Display/Graphics Options: Look for a section related to Display, Video, Graphics, or Monitor.
- Select Target Monitor:
- You might find a dropdown menu labeled "Monitor," "Display Output," or similar, allowing you to choose "Monitor 1," "Monitor 2," or specific monitor names.
- Alternatively, you might need to change the display mode from "Fullscreen" to "Borderless Windowed" or "Windowed" first, then drag the game to the desired monitor, and finally switch back to "Borderless Windowed" if preferred.
- Apply Changes: After selecting your desired monitor, save or apply the changes. The game should then switch to that screen.
Adjusting Operating System Display Settings
If direct game settings or shortcuts aren't working, you can set a specific monitor as your "primary display." Games often default to launching on the primary display.
On Windows
Changing your primary display on Windows will cause most applications and games to open on that screen by default.
- Open Display Settings: Right-click on an empty area of your desktop and select Display settings. You can also go to Start > Settings > System > Display.
- Identify Displays: In the "Display" section, you'll see numbered boxes representing your monitors. Click Identify to see which number corresponds to which physical screen.
- Set Primary Display:
- Click on the monitor you want to make your primary display (e.g., "2").
- Scroll down and check the box that says "Make this my main display."
- Apply Changes: The changes will take effect immediately. Now, when you launch your game, it should appear on this newly designated primary monitor.
- For more detailed guidance, refer to Microsoft's official support page on setting up dual monitors.
On Mac
While Mac's "primary display" concept is slightly different, you can adjust display arrangements and mirroring options.
- Open System Settings: Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Navigate to Displays: Click on Displays in the sidebar.
- Arrange Displays:
- Click the Arrange button (if multiple displays are detected).
- In the arrangement window, you'll see a white bar at the top of one of the display icons. This white bar indicates the monitor where the menu bar and primary desktop elements appear. Drag this white bar to the display you wish to designate as your main screen.
- Ensure your displays are set to "Extend" rather than "Mirror Displays" for separate game screen movement.
- Apply Changes: Close the settings window. New applications and games will typically launch on the display with the menu bar.
- For further information, consult Apple's support guide for connecting multiple displays.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you're still having trouble, consider these common fixes:
- Update Graphics Drivers: Outdated display drivers can cause issues with multi-monitor setups. Ensure your graphics card drivers (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) are up to date.
- Restart Game/PC: Sometimes a simple restart of the game or your entire computer can resolve display glitches.
- Check Display Cables: Ensure all monitor cables are securely connected.
- Windowed Mode First: If a game consistently launches on the wrong screen, try launching it in windowed mode, moving it to the correct monitor, and then switching back to full-screen or borderless windowed mode from within the game's settings.
