HOW DO I MAKE A PROGRAM OPEN ON A SPECIFIC MONITOR THAT I DESIGNATE EVERY TIME I WANT TO OPEN IT?

Anonymous
2024-02-15T00:34:12+00:00

This isn't a new question but I've seen it asked here for 15 years and 3 OS variants with no actual answer (you'd think this would be something to work on instead of obfuscating how to get to your control panel, file, and drive locations while trying to turn my +$3K pc into a sub $400, non-portable tablet with no touch screen).

HOW DO I MAKE A PROGRAM OPEN ON A SPECIFIC MONITOR EVERY TIME?

Note, the question is NOT how to move a program after you open it; it is NOT how to change primary display; it is NOT how to anything other the actual question asked as specifically as the question is. If there is no answer and Windows just isn't able to (and our programmers don't care to work on it) just say so.

I have an OLED gaming monitor that I paid more for than I would ever have wanted to pay for a monitor and would like it to last as long as possible. I would therefore like it not to be the primary display. I only use it for media and gaming. The problem is that windows doesn't let me choose secondary displays to open games and reverts half of the applications I open and move over back to the primary display. I can do this with some games but most default to only opening on the primary monitor. I have a good LCD monitor I use for productivity and streaming while playing games that I would like to remain my main display where most apps, and all non-media apps, are default opening. So far the only way I know to do it is to turn the OLED off unless I am using it. This solution is clunky and kind of like using a kitchen knife to sharpen pencils when a pencil sharpener is can be made.

So please don't answer this if you are going to give the same non-answers I've been reading while searching for an answer to this (going back 15 years btw, because someone really cares about the user experience). If you have a real answer please give it, again, even if it is "we don't have a way and don't care to make one."

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Display and graphics

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  1. Anonymous
    2025-06-19T15:20:16+00:00

    Hi! I would use Microsoft PowerToys - Workspaces! This lets you easily customize the workspace you want to automatically pull up, then also configure an shortcut for the desktop.

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-02-26T01:19:12+00:00
    1. Open the program that you want to use, and put it on the monitor you want it to always be on.

    Do not go into full screen, just make it as big as possible without full screen mode.

    1. Close the program.
    2. Open the program. It opens up on the correct monitor (not full screen)
    3. Go to full screen mode on that program.
    4. Close the program.
    5. Open the program (it now opens in full screen mode on the monitor that you wish. Was monitor 5 for me) I also had the "-screen:5" suffix in the target box, but I don't think that matters.

    Worked for me.

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  3. Anonymous
    2025-02-17T17:03:12+00:00

    I don't understand. It took my a while to figure it out, but I eventually realized why this isn't working. How could a "Microsoft Specialist" make such an erroneous and ignorant suggestion? Are you trying to waste people's time with nonsense?

    Shortcut parameters are passed to the actual program!! It won't have any effect unless the target program knows what to do with that parameter!!

    So while some program may recognize the "-screen:x" parameter, most programs including many of Microsoft's own products, would just ignore it.

    Forget about this fairy tale. It may work with a handful of multiscreen-aware apps but it's NOT a universal solution to our problem.

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-02-13T15:33:34+00:00

    Hi there. I stumbled on this and it worked.

    1. Open the program that you want to use, and put it on the monitor you want it to always be on. Do not go into full screen, just make it as big as possible without full screen mode.
    2. Close the program.
    3. Open the program. It opens up on the correct monitor (not full screen)
    4. Go to full screen mode on that program.
    5. Close the program.
    6. Open the program (it now opens in full screen mode on the monitor that you wish. Was monitor 5 for me) I also had the "-screen:5" suffix in the target box, but I don't think that matters.

    Worked for me.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-08-05T15:31:43+00:00

    mi3techno,

    Thank you for that information. I will try the AHK and see if it works for me. That's the kind of suggestion/information I think many of us are looking for.

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