Dual monitors and fullscreen fiasco, is there a work around?

This thread has 55 pages now, with the result that the question has branched. Nevertheless, for this original question, I found the answer I needed here: Can I have 2nd monitor apps keep windows there? (see contribution by Barney-15E, first page currently).

Briefly: the answer is in the correct use of spaces via Mission Control. Be sure and select "Displays have separate Space" (OS 10.12.6 and probably much earlier).

After logging out and logging in, when you select an application icon in the dock and right-mouse click, you get to choose which Desktop (1, 2, etc.).

It required some guesswork and a second log-out and log-in, but now I open Chrome on my built-in MacBook Pro monitor (Desktop 2) and my other applications on Desktop 1. I can run YouTube tutorials full screen on my built-in monitor, and do the rest of my work on on the external monitor.

macOS 10.12.6 (16G23a) on a Late 2012 Mac mini w/16 Gb RAM

I found that giving the monitors a specific resolution instead of the "Default for display" (in my case setting both ASUS VE278 monitors to 1080p resolved the issue, as "Displays have separate spaces was default (in this build of High Sierra at least).

i have the same problem im not getting anything from having two screens anymore its just a blank screen when i go full screen with an app

So frustrating. Apple have clearly decided that laptops and tablets are where it's at now, hence all the new features which are aimed at small screen computing.

Have they forgotten their desktop users? I'm running a Mac Pro with three monitors and yet now I can't even full screen a quicktime movie on one of my additional displays while I'm working on the main monitor without it trying to take over my whole system.. Just what the heck do they think they're playing at?

Completely agree. This is a crazy issue, and one that needs to be fixed soon.

Anybody here to have a tipp changing the ugly background texture using fullscreen in dual mode?

Thanks for the discussion. I don't have a real workaround, but if you want to watch video on the second monitor, VLC still lets you full screen while blacking out the primary monitor. Still no good for those of you who want to watch TV while you work on the primary.

Apple: Please fix ASAP!

This is correct I have dual screens and can no longer use them and get the same issue as the screen shot above!
Somone fix this now guess I will need to go back to Snow Leopard?????

Dual-monitor control is one area where Lion is less functional than Snow Leopard. Full-screen defaulting to a single monitor isn't just a problem with videos, as other people have said, but it destroys the usefulness of the feature for programs like Mail or Preview as well. It's fairly common (at least, I do it) to have a technical document or emails open full-screen on a second monitor, and the new full-screen behaviour makes that impossible.

A solution would be for apps/windows to go full-screen on the monitor on which they were displayed. Full-screen apps could still be switched between using Mission Control - they would just move from one screen to the other before disappearing into virtual-desktop land.

I think you are right on how it should work, at a minimun, look how chrome did it. It works somewhat rationally there. Put chrome on the external, it goes fs, and leaves the primary monitor open to use, like I am doing right now. very nice!

So I wonder this: does each app developer write the fullscreen code for themselves, and insert into their app using some fullscreen api from apple? If so, thumbs up for the folks at google!!!

Oh, and by the way, I'd like to rename this thread "Dual Monitors and the fullscreen festival" if I may.

I just tried it for the first time with the corner button on Safari: 4 monitors, 3 become blank "canvas". lol. My kids were not happy as they were watching VLC on the LCD that we use for video output. There needs to be more configuration for fullscreen mode. VLC has an option to black out or leave the other displays alone, and you can choose a default fullscreen monitor.

I'm finding the fullscreen a bit confusing too, as i am mostly on dual screens.

For me it makes no sense in going to another desktop neither, when activating full screen mode.

Back to divvy i suppose.

This handy util works for every program, and if you make a keybinding for it, i fairly simple to trigger full screen mode.

Some configuration for the fullscreen mode is very important

I cannot beleave that this is so broken

Yeah just tried now watching a movie on our external hdmi setup office TV, and used to be able to output fullscreen to it, now cant. Wow, cant believe this is happening, any ideas?

tyronecapetown wrote:

Yeah just tried now watching a movie on our external hdmi setup office TV, and used to be able to output fullscreen to it, now cant. Wow, cant believe this is happening, any ideas?

Yes, don't just post here, report it to Apple. Can't stress that enough. These are user forums, and whilst Apple may moderate them at times the only way to be sure you're being heard by the right people is to use the official feedback form.