How to move a game to your other monitor

The simplest way to move a game to another monitor is to drag the game window to that monitor before you start playing, or to use your graphics card's display settings to tell the game which monitor to use. If the game runs in fullscreen mode, you may need to change it to windowed or borderless windowed mode first — fullscreen games lock to whichever monitor they launched on and ignore your mouse dragging.

The exact steps depend on whether you are using Windows or Mac, whether your game runs in fullscreen or windowed mode, and whether the game has its own display settings. Most games let you choose your monitor in their graphics menu before you play. If yours does not, you can force it through Windows display settings or your graphics card control panel.

Key Takeaways

  • Fullscreen games lock to one monitor and cannot be dragged; you must change them to windowed or borderless windowed mode first, or set the monitor in the game's graphics settings.
  • Windowed and borderless windowed games can be dragged to another monitor with your mouse, or you can move them by right-clicking the taskbar icon and selecting "Move".
  • Most games have a display or graphics menu where you can choose which monitor to use before you start playing.
  • If a game will not let you choose a monitor, you can force it through your graphics card control panel (NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Radeon Settings, or Intel Graphics Command Center).

Moving a windowed or borderless game to another monitor

If your game is already running in windowed mode or borderless windowed mode, the fastest way to move it is to drag the window by its title bar to your other monitor. Click and hold the top of the game window, then drag it across to the second monitor and release.

If dragging does not work or the window is stuck, right-click the game's icon in your taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Select "Move" from the menu that appears. Your cursor will change to a four-way arrow. Move your mouse to the monitor where you want the game, then click. The window will jump to that monitor.

After you move the window, the game may need a moment to redraw itself on the new monitor. If the image looks stretched or the resolution is wrong, check the game's graphics settings — some games automatically adjust to match their new monitor, while others keep the old resolution and you need to change it manually.

Changing a fullscreen game to windowed mode

Fullscreen games do not respond to dragging or the "Move" command because they take over the entire monitor and block Windows from running underneath. To move a fullscreen game, you must first change it to windowed or borderless windowed mode.

Open the game and go to its graphics, display, or video settings menu. Look for an option called "Display Mode", "Screen Mode", "Fullscreen", or "Window Mode". Change it from "Fullscreen" to either "Windowed" or "Borderless Windowed" (borderless windowed looks like fullscreen but lets you move the window). Save the setting and restart the game.

Once the game is in windowed or borderless mode, you can drag it to your other monitor using the steps above. Note that some games run slower in windowed mode because Windows is also running in the background. If you notice a performance drop, you can switch back to fullscreen once you are done moving the game.

Choosing a monitor in the game's graphics settings

Many games let you pick which monitor to use directly in their settings, without needing to move the window yourself. Start the game and open its graphics, display, or video settings. Look for an option called "Monitor", "Display", "Screen", or "Primary Display".

If you see a list of monitors, select the one you want to use. The list usually shows the monitor number (Monitor 1, Monitor 2) or the monitor's resolution and refresh rate. If you are not sure which is which, you can check your Windows display settings: right-click your desktop, select "Display settings", and look at the diagram showing your monitors and their numbers.

After you select a monitor in the game settings, save the change and restart the game. It should launch on the monitor you chose. This method works for both fullscreen and windowed games.

Using your graphics card control panel to force a monitor

If your game does not have a monitor option in its settings, you can force it to use a specific monitor through your graphics card's control panel. The steps differ depending on whether you have an NVIDIA card, an AMD card, or Intel integrated graphics.

For NVIDIA cards: Right-click your desktop and select "NVIDIA Control Panel". Go to "Display" in the left menu, then "Set up multiple displays". You should see your monitors listed. Right-click the monitor you want to use for gaming and select "Make this my primary display", then save. The next time you launch the game in fullscreen, it will use that monitor. (Note: this changes your primary monitor for all programs, not just the game.)

For AMD cards: Right-click your desktop and select "AMD Radeon Settings". Go to "Display" in the left menu. Select the monitor you want to use, then look for an option to set it as your primary display. Save and restart the game.

For Intel integrated graphics: Right-click your desktop and select "Intel Graphics Command Center". Go to "Display" and select the monitor you want to use as primary. Save and restart the game.

Be aware that changing your primary monitor affects all your programs, not just the game. Your taskbar, desktop icons, and other windows will also move to that monitor. If you only want the game on the other monitor, it is better to use the game's own display settings or move the window manually.

Troubleshooting: Game stays on the wrong monitor

If you move the game window but it keeps launching on the original monitor the next time you play, the game is probably remembering its last position. Check the game's graphics settings for a "Remember window position" or "Save display settings" option and turn it off. Then move the window to your preferred monitor, close the game normally, and launch it again.

If the game still launches on the wrong monitor, try launching it in windowed mode, moving it to the correct monitor, then switching back to fullscreen from within the game. Some games remember the monitor you were on when you changed to fullscreen, even if you moved the window beforehand.

If you are using a laptop with an external monitor, the game may default to your laptop screen. In this case, go to your Windows display settings, right-click your external monitor in the diagram, and select "Make this my main display". Then launch the game.

Why some games lock to one monitor

Fullscreen games lock to a single monitor because they need exclusive control of that monitor's hardware to run at the highest performance and lowest latency. When a game runs in fullscreen, Windows steps out of the way and the game talks directly to your graphics card and monitor. This is why fullscreen games often feel more responsive than windowed games, especially in competitive games where every millisecond matters.

Windowed and borderless windowed games run through Windows, which is why they can be moved and resized. The trade-off is slightly higher latency and lower performance, though on modern hardware the difference is usually small. If you need the performance of fullscreen but want to use multiple monitors, borderless windowed mode is often the best compromise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play the same game on two monitors at once?

No, a single instance of a game can only display on one monitor. However, some games support ultrawide or multi-monitor setups where the game stretches across multiple monitors as one continuous display. Check your game's graphics settings for an option like "Surround" (NVIDIA) or "Eyefinity" (AMD). This requires your monitors to be the same resolution and refresh rate, and your graphics card must support it.

Why does my game look stretched or blurry after I move it to the other monitor?

The game is probably still running at the resolution of your first monitor. Open the game's graphics settings and change the resolution to match your second monitor. If you do not know your second monitor's resolution, right-click your desktop, select "Display settings", and look at the resolution listed for that monitor.

Does moving a game to another monitor affect performance?

Moving a fullscreen game to another monitor should not affect performance, as long as both monitors have the same refresh rate. If your monitors have different refresh rates, the game may run at the lower rate. Windowed and borderless windowed games may run slightly slower than fullscreen because Windows is running in the background, but the difference is usually not noticeable.

What if I only have one monitor but want to use a second one just for gaming?

Connect your second monitor to your graphics card using the same type of cable as your first monitor (HDMI, DisplayPort, or DVI). Turn it on and Windows will detect it automatically. Then follow the steps above to move your game to the new monitor. You may need to adjust your display settings to arrange the monitors correctly — right-click your desktop, select "Display settings", and drag the monitor icons in the diagram to match their physical layout.

Can I move a game to another monitor while it is running?

Yes, if the game is in windowed or borderless windowed mode. Drag the window to your other monitor, and the game will continue playing. If the game is in fullscreen, you will need to alt-tab out, change it to windowed mode in the settings, then move it. Some games pause when you alt-tab, so you may lose your place in single-player games.