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

Question

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."

Answer 1

Does not work for me either. This should not be so difficult. I have wasted hours trying to fix this problem

Answer 2

Does not work on windows 10 - adobe acrobat

Answer 3

Win11 here and same issue, primarily with Excel, but with added fun.

I do use Fancy Zones which is useful to some extent, but I have a 3 monitor setup connected to a KVM. Every time I switch between systems Windows decides to move items from one screen to another.

I've even tried using PersistentWindows off GitHub, but that still requires me to take snap shots and restore after switching between systems.

Sure Win+Shift+> works, and even minimizing an open window, closing it, then reopening the exact doc works, but not Excel.exe proper. (add on to path doesn't work at all)

Almost as annoying as opening a pdf and constantly having to close the "bookmarks" tab, regardless of every setting to not even use it.

I simply want every spreadsheet and every instance of Excel to open on the same window. Period.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

Did you try this?

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.