Everything Opens On The Wrong Monitor

Hello all.


Here is the problem: I will click on a jpg, MP4, app, etc on a particular monitor and I have the expectation that the file or app will open on that monitor. My expectation is too high maybe, but what happens many times is the file or app will open on the other monitor. (two monitors Left and Right)


How do I set it up so that whatever screen I clicked the file on, the file opens on that screen, not the other? Same for apps. I painstakingly maneuver my pointer to a particular monitor, drop my pointer down to reveal the app menu, open the app and, you guessed it, it opens on the other monitor.


There is no way I could be the only one who finds this to be time waisting and frustraiting.


Please, Mac Pro users, give me (us really) the skinny on how to get this situation straightened out. Thanks for your help!

Mac mini, macOS 13.1

Posted on Jan 10, 2023 11:53 AM

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Jan 13, 2023 10:52 AM in response to isaaclaughter

Hey isaaclaughter,


It sounds like you'll benefit from using spaces to control your desktop. Using this you can assign apps to certain spaces to help control where they open too. Here's more information on using spaces and how to set it up to suit your needs:


Work in multiple spaces on Mac - Apple Support

See open windows and spaces in Mission Control on Mac - Apple Support


In the guide titled "Work in multiple spaces on Mac" be sure to check the section "Assign apps to spaces" to see if that will help with those apps:


Assign apps to spaces

If you use two or more spaces, you can assign an app (or System Settings) to a specific space so it always opens in that space.

1. On your Mac, Control-click an app’s icon in the Dock
You may need to first open the app to show its icon in the Dock.

2. In the shortcut menu that appears, choose Options, then choose one of the following:
• All Desktops: The app opens in every space.
• This Desktop: The app opens only in the current space. If you use the app full screen, it appears in its own space.
• Desktop on Display [number]The app opens in the current space on a specific display (if more than one display is available).
• None: The app opens in whichever space you’re using at the time.

By default, when switching to an app, the desktop automatically switches to a space that has open windows for the app. For example, if you create a new TextEdit document in Desktop 3, but TextEdit windows are already open in Desktop 2, your new document opens in Desktop 2. To change this setting, choose Apple menu  > System Settings, click Desktop & Dock  in the sidebar, go to Mission Control on the right, then turn “When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application” on or off.


Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.


Take care!

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Everything Opens On The Wrong Monitor

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