Guides
How to make games and launchers open on the right monitor
You click Play and the game opens on the side monitor, or the launcher appears on the TV that is switched off. With several screens, games and their launchers often pick the wrong one: a different monitor became the main display, the game stored an old display number, or the launcher remembered a position from another setup. This guide covers the in-game settings, the Windows settings that decide the default screen, and how WindowLayout moves launchers and borderless games automatically.
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Set the display inside the game
Most modern games have a Monitor, Display or Adapter option in their video or graphics settings. Pick the right screen there first; it is the most reliable fix. Exclusive full-screen games usually start on the main display unless told otherwise, while borderless windowed games open where the window was last placed. If the game opens on a screen you cannot see, press Alt+Enter, which many games use to switch between windowed and full screen, then move the window.
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Make the gaming screen the main display
Many games, and the Windows sign-in screen, use the main display. Open Settings, System, Display, select the gaming monitor and tick Make this my main display. If you switch between a desk monitor and a TV, save each arrangement as a display profile in WindowLayout, for example Desk and TV, including resolution, refresh rate and the main monitor, and apply it from the tray or the command palette before you play.
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Move launchers automatically
Launchers are normal windows, so they can be moved. In WindowLayout, open Triggers, click Add trigger, choose An app starts and enter the launcher's program name, for example steam.exe. As the action, choose Move app to monitor with the monitor number shown by Identify (Ctrl+Alt+I). Each time the launcher starts, it is moved to that screen. Remember app positions in Window Profiles reopens other launchers where you last closed them.
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Move borderless games with a hotkey
For a borderless windowed game on the wrong screen, press Ctrl+Alt+Right or Left to move it to the next or previous monitor; Win+Shift+Left and Right do the same in Windows. Ctrl+Alt+Enter maximizes the window to fill the new screen. Exclusive full-screen games usually cannot be moved this way; switch them to borderless or windowed first, or change the display in the game's settings.
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Keep the mouse on the game screen
In borderless mode the cursor can slip onto another monitor and click away from the game. On WindowLayout's Mouse page, set a Lock cursor hotkey, which keeps the cursor on one monitor until you press it again. To remove distractions from the other screens, add a trigger such as An app gets focus with the game's program name and the action Black out other monitors.
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Exclude games from automatic moves
Some games and anti-cheat systems do not like their windows being moved by other programs. Add game executables to Never reposition in Window Profiles, so automatic restores and remembered positions leave them alone, and use triggers only for launchers. If a game runs as administrator, Windows does not let WindowLayout move it, which is another reason to set the display inside the game.
Frequently asked questions
Can WindowLayout move an exclusive full-screen game?
Usually not. Exclusive full screen is controlled by the game and the graphics driver. Use the game's display setting or switch it to borderless windowed.
Is WindowLayout safe to use with anti-cheat?
WindowLayout does not inject into games or read their memory; it uses standard Windows window functions. If a game reacts badly to window moves, add it to Never reposition.
Why does the launcher open on a monitor that is off?
Some monitors stay connected in standby, so Windows still counts them. A Move app to monitor trigger or Remember app positions brings the launcher to a screen you are using.