If your game keeps launching on the wrong monitor, you're most likely dealing with configuration glitches, for example, loose wires. Tighten them and see whether this helps.
However, if it's a more stubborn glitch, you might not be able to fix it. You'll have to work around it instead. One of the best ways to do this is to enable Windowed mode (more on this below).
A couple of weeks ago, I did face this problem. I have a dual monitor setup, and Minecraft kept launching on the wrong monitor for some reason. It didn't take me very long to realize that there was a bug behind it.
I not only discussed how I fixed the issue but all the other ways to take care of it, below.
Let's get to it.
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There are a couple of fixes you can try, but first, rule out whether your graphics card (GPU) is the culprit. Although most graphics cards support at least two monitors, you might have a large set-up that your graphics card just can't support.
To figure out whether your GPU is the culprit, you'll have to check the number of ports on its back. You can check the video that I linked to at the bottom for more information.
Also, if you don't need all the monitors, you can disconnect the one that your game keeps launching on. You'll only be left with the PC screen that you want to game on, which should fix the problem. Here's how you do this to fix the wrong monitor issue:
With that out of the way, here are some fixes to try:
Some of my friends have been able to use the preview-screen feature to drag their game from the wrong monitor to the correct one. It doesn't fix whatever underlying issue caused the problem, but it still gets the job done.
Here's what you do:
If you want your game to launch on your second or third display, but it keeps popping up on the primary one, fixing this problem will be easy. You can change the desired monitor to be your primary display. Just like the above fix, this will fix any multi-monitor configuration glitch that you're dealing with, but won't address the root cause.
To make the display your primary monitor:
Check whether you're having any cable issues. One of your desktop wires could be loose, causing a glitch that launches your game on the wrong monitor. Inspect all your cables and port connections, and tighten them.
Make sure to check whether any cables or ports are broken. You'll have to speak to your PC manufacturer if this is the case and get them repaired.
If you're having trouble with a Steam game, enabling Windowed mode can help.
There are 2 different ways to switch Windowed mode on. You can either adjust your in game settings or switch the feature on from the Steam launcher.
You can get other games to launch on the right screen as well. Although switching Windowed mode on might not work on them, there are other settings that you can adjust to get rid of the wrong monitor issue.
Follow these steps:
You can get your game to play on the correct screen by adding a shortcut for the game on it. Here's how:
Your OS might be bugging out and causing your game to launch on the wrong screen. This could be because you haven't updated Windows in a while. If this is the case, your dual monitor setup could be acting up too.
To update Windows:
To ensure that you don't face any problems with your dual monitors, you can switch on automatic updates. The newest Windows version will automatically install, so you won't have to worry about bugs. Here's how you enable it:
There's a chance that your device's drivers are in urgent need of new firmware too.
There are two different ways to update your drivers. You can either do the job manually or through a third-party tool, like the Avast updater.
To open the game on your desired display:
To get your game on the correct monitor:
Last but not least, you can use third-party tools to fix the issue that's causing any multi-monitor configuration glitch. There are a couple of tools that you can use, like the NVIDIA control panel, or Display Fusion.
Apart from your game launching on the wrong PC screen, there are a couple of other issues that you might face.
I've touched on them, along with some possible fixes below.
One of your monitors may not be working and could have a black screen. You should rule out whether the screen in question has been damaged. Give it a good inspection. Depending on your warranty, you might be able to get the damages fixed for free.
Also, check the wires leading to your monitors. The power supply may not be connected properly.
You might get an error saying the desired monitor you want to use is not detected. This usually happens due to inaccurate software settings. To fix this, get your OS to start scanning and detect your screen.
Here's how:
If your computer can't find your monitor even after you try to detect it, one of your device drivers might be outdated. Update it and try again. I've discussed the steps to follow above.
You might have accidentally set a low resolution on one of your screens. Here's how you fix this:
Maybe you accidentally changed the refresh rate. You'll be stuck with broken images and pixels, which would be frustrating when gaming.
To fix this:
When you have multiple displays, one of them could lag if they're not running at the same refresh rate. Use the instructions I discussed above to change this.
Regardless of whether you have a multi-monitor setup or just a single screen, color distortion issues can be annoying. Here's how you fix this:
Having a game launch on the wrong monitor is frustrating. However, fixing this is easy. Usually, the issue arises due to a glitch. You should be able to fix this by checking the wires of the monitors and tightening them.
If it's the second or third display that you want to game on, you can make it the primary monitor. In multi-monitor setups, this can work around what causes the problem.
Of course, you can try out more general fixes like going to your Windows settings and updating your OS, or your drivers.
Hopefully, you now know how to get rid of the issue, and are able to game on your multi-monitor setup without any problems.
