How to Swap Display Identity (Identities)

Anonymous
2009-12-03T02:46:30+00:00

Windows 7 - Display 'A' Philips primary display - Display 'B' IBM secondary display.  A shows as Identity 2 and B shows as Identity 1.  I want to reverse these.  Reason is that the cursor currently travels from display B to A and I need it to go the other way - due to physical location of displays

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2009-12-03T03:38:29+00:00

In the Screen Resolution window, under Change the appearance of your displays , click and drag one of the monitors to its correct location vs. the other one.   The Identity numbers don't matter.

Was this answer helpful?

100+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

129 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. Anonymous
    2017-01-13T08:20:20+00:00

    Well then, this is the crux of the thread.  Someone on the win development team is supposed to me monitoring these threads.  HEY MICROSOFT!!   GIVE US CONTROL OF OUR DISPLAY IDENTITIES

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-23T23:41:07+00:00

    *Bump*

    My primary DVI display in Windows 7 gets forced from identity #1 to #2 after connecting/enabling a HDMI screen which steals identity #1 further forcing my second DVI output to identity #3. Now I can't get my primary display to identify as #1.

    This is a huge problem as many multi-monitor applications use this identification scheme for priority purposes and resourcing, not the so-called software-forced "primary display". Why does my primary display identify as #2 when it is, indeed, clearly the primary display, being the only screen of the three that displays the BIOS POST at boot and the only display active in Windows 7 "Safe Mode", and, in "Safe Mode", as identity #1? It just makes no sense.

    As such, there is a significant performance hit using an identity #2 screen as a "primary display", especially in specific 3D hardware accelerated applications, including Microsoft Silverlight.

    This must be addressed. Simply arranging monitors through software orientation schemes and forcing a software "primary display" is not a solution at all. The display identity/identities must be re-configured as they truly are in hardware.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2012-07-12T17:13:58+00:00

    ATI FIX:

    I was able to fix this problem in Catalyst Control Center v12.4

    Running: ATI Radeon HD 6850

    Desktop Management-->Creating and Arranging Desktops.

    right click on any monitor and hit swap.

    right click on any monitor and hit identify.

    the numbers should have changed, if not hit swap again then identify.

    once the numbers are correct, right click on the monitor you want as main,

    select make primary.

    move monitors around to your liking. Done.

    Note: if i try adjusting any of these setting in the windows interface it reverts back to the settings i do not want.

    Hope that helps.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2012-07-09T20:55:31+00:00

    I have the same issue. Running an ATI 5870x2 with two lcds on the dvi ports and one on the display port. Frustrating that MS doesnt resolve this. Someone give us a way to manually set monitor identity in WIN 7 x64. Windows sets whatever monitor is on the Display port to the #1 monitor. I can't run my main monitor off the display port since the monitor's resolution is too high(2560x1600). Sure I can manually set the 2560x1600 monitor to the main display but after a reboot or after pressing win+P the settings revert back to the display port monitor being the main monitor. I have to much money into this setup for such a **** poor performance.

    Was this answer helpful?

    1 person found this answer helpful.
    0 comments No comments