Programs open on the unintended screen

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Level 1

4 points

Programs open on the unintended screen

I am having the same issue as this post (Everything Opens On The Wrong Monitor - Apple Community) and the answer did not help me. I do not have "When switching to an application, switch to a Space with open windows for the application" toggled on, and it doesn't address the question. When I open the dock on a monitor by putting my cursor on the bottom of one of my screens, I would prefer it to open in that screen. 75% of the time it opens on the wrong screen, pushing all my windows out of the way on that screen. It is super, super annoying.

I would prefer that the program launches/window opens on the screen where I've activated the dock. Why doesn't it work like this? Is there a way to work like this?

Mac Studio, macOS 14.1

Posted on Dec 6, 2023 1:31 PM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,382 points

Dec 6, 2023 2:25 PM in response to sskroh

Apple menu -> System Settings -> Displays. The monitor arrangement is shown visually on your Settings. if you drag the white menubar representation from one monitor representation to the other, you change the primary display. This will also change which display some programs choose to open windows on. Some chooes based on the display heir primary window is opened on, some based on where you last maximized a window. Use the Option key clicking the green control to resize the window to its last known size. Then drag the titlebar so the window opens on the display you desire other windows to open on. Mission Control in the settings can also help you with Spaces.

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Answer 2

sskroh Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 21, 2023 2:45 PM in response to a brody

Thank you for your reply. What I am understanding is that no, there is not a way to set it so that the window will open on whichever monitor/display I've activated the dock. It sounds to me like there is no setting to do what I'm describing. Is that accurate?

Going through the steps you have described each time I want to open a new window does not sound more convenient than simply gambling and hoping that it will open where I want it to.

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Programs open on the unintended screen

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