How to Swap Display Identity (Identities)

Wrong.  The matter matters immensely when the second display is switched on and is connected by HMDI.  For auto switching, and window control, display 1 being primary display, and turning on the second display, your working windows open on the secondary display, because the computer switches it to #1 when turned on.

That may be true for you, but it isn't true for every video card/PC combination.

Hint: If you think it isn't Microsoft's problem, you don't understand the problem.

I believe that monitor identities are assigned based on the order the monitors are discovered by Windows. Since I installed with one monitor connected, then connected the second monitor later (as I was migrating to a new PC), my Windows has the Identity of my monitors backwards, including reversed from the hardware port numbering on my nVidia card.

There are keys in the HKLM/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control that control the identity Windows assigns to monitors that are created as monitors connect.

On my new Win10 PC, the BIOS displays on nVidia card DP port 1 (left monitor) (as listed in nVidia control panel), the Windows Logon displays on the left monitor, and once logged in, Windows Identity lists the left monitor as monitor #2 and it is connected to DISPLAY PORT (2 of 2). That is because I built the system with only one monitor connected, the (current) right monitor and added the left monitor later.

I could delete the keys and re-connect the monitors in the order I want, but since I use file based EDID to prevent my DP switch from causing monitor re-arrangement, it is mostly an aesthetic issue for me.

Split from this thread.

It's gotten worse for me with Windows 10: now when I connect/disconnect my HDMI projector, the identity numbers CHANGE. The projector is Monitor 2 when disconnected, and Monitor 3 when connected.

I use DisplayFusion to swap monitor configs, and since DisplayFusion uses the identity numbers to, you know, identify the monitors, that entire feature is now completely useless. Instead of a single keystroke, now I have to change all of the settings manually each time I want to display something on the projector.

I've always been baffled that you can't simply assign the numbers you want to the connections you want. Seems like such a simple fix.

The icon issue you can solve here:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows\_7-desktop/desktop-icons-move-multiple-monitors/17d0c47f-92b0-4a5b-a75d-3c436ac794dd

"In regedit go to [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies

Then create Key "Explorer"

Add new DWORD value "NoSaveSettings" and set to 0

To be safe, I exported HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ and called it noSaveSettingsRestore.reg

Now Reboot and the problem was solved for us. "

Reboot if you have the other monitors turned off/icons where you want them. After, enable the other monitors.

Hey, thanks a lot for that.  I did that and it seems to be working.  Let's hope it stays fixed.  Anyway, I don't understand why this couldn't simply be a checkbox or whatever on a control panel instead having to edit the registry... typical Microsoft annoyances I guess.   Well, you have helped me eliminate a major source of frustration and I very much appreciate that.  Thanks again.