With the game active, press Windows + Shift + Left Arrow or Windows + Shift + Right Arrow. If the game ignores the shortcut, switch it to Windowed or Borderless Windowed mode first. This moves a game between displays when Windows can treat it as a movable window; exclusive-fullscreen games may behave differently.
Move a running game with the Windows shortcut
- Start the game and make it the active window. If another app is selected, press Alt + Tab until the game is active.
- Press Windows + Shift + Left Arrow to move it to the monitor Windows places on the left, or Windows + Shift + Right Arrow to move it right. Press again to continue moving it across a multi-monitor setup.
- Check the game on the destination display. If it moved, adjust its display settings there if needed.
Windows defines left and right by the arrangement in Settings, not by monitor numbers or necessarily by how the screens sit on your desk. Microsoft documents this shortcut for moving the active window between monitors: Windows keyboard shortcuts.
If the game is fullscreen and will not move
Switch to Windowed or Borderless Windowed
- Open the game’s Settings, Options, or Video/Graphics menu.
- Set Display Mode to Windowed or Borderless Windowed.
- Move the game with the Windows shortcut, or drag its window to the other display.
- Choose the desired monitor in the game’s display settings, if offered, then restore fullscreen or borderless mode.
Exclusive fullscreen games and titles with custom display handling may ignore the shortcut or jump back to their original display. If the game’s menu is inaccessible, Alt + Enter is a fallback in some titles, but it is not a universal Windows game command. Microsoft’s Alt+Enter documentation describes console windows, not a guarantee for PC games: Alt+Enter in console windows.
Make sure Windows recognizes the external monitor
- Connect the monitor to the PC or a compatible dock.
- Open Settings > System > Display. Select Identify to see which screen is which.
- Drag the display rectangles so their left-right positions match the physical setup, then select Apply.
- Under the multiple-display options, select Extend these displays to create a desktop where windows can move between screens. If the external monitor is absent, select Multiple displays > Detect.
You can open the projection menu with Windows + P. Extend gives each display its own desktop area; Duplicate mirrors the same image and does not create a separate workspace for moving the game. PC screen only uses the main PC display, while Second screen only uses the external display alone. Microsoft’s guide covers these modes and monitor arrangement: Use multiple monitors in Windows.
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For a laptop or dock setup, confirm the cable, adapter, or dock supports the resolution and refresh rate you want. A monitor can be physically connected without Windows detecting it. If using a wireless display adapter, Windows uses Windows + K to connect; wireless connections may add latency.
Choose where the game launches by default
Use the game’s monitor selector first
Look in Video, Graphics, Display, or Output settings for a Monitor, Display, Output, or Screen selector. This is usually the most direct option for that title. Names and availability vary, and some games remember their last-used display.
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Set the external monitor as Windows’ main display
If the game has no monitor selector, open Settings > System > Display, select the external display, and enable Make this my main display, where available. Relaunch the game to see whether it follows the main display. This can affect where other apps open, and it is not guaranteed to override a game’s own saved monitor choice.
For docked laptops, Windows also offers Remember window locations based on monitor connection in Display settings. Enable it if windows tend to end up in the wrong place after docking or reconnecting. See Microsoft’s multiple-monitor guidance.
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Troubleshoot a game on the wrong or missing screen
The shortcut does nothing
- Use Alt + Tab to make the game active, then retry.
- Check that Windows is set to Extend rather than Duplicate or PC screen only with Windows + P.
- Correct the left-right monitor arrangement in Settings > System > Display.
- If the game is exclusive fullscreen, switch to Windowed or Borderless Windowed in its settings.
- Temporarily disable keyboard remappers, macros, or overlays that might intercept the shortcut. A Microsoft community troubleshooting thread describes shortcut conflicts, but these are possible causes rather than a universal diagnosis: Windows shortcut troubleshooting discussion.
- If the game does not behave like a normal desktop window, use its monitor setting or set the display before launching.
The game opens off-screen or on a disconnected monitor
- Use Alt + Tab to select the game, or select it from the taskbar, then press Windows + Shift + an arrow key.
- In Display settings, select Detect if the screen should be connected but is missing.
- If the game remains inaccessible, switch temporarily to Second screen only or disconnect the unused display, relaunch the game, and choose Windowed mode or the correct monitor in its settings. Reconnect the display and restore your preferred projection mode afterward.
Microsoft community guidance also recommends moving an off-screen app with the Windows shortcut; treat it as practical troubleshooting advice, not a guarantee for every game: App runs off screen in Windows 11.
The game moves but is tiny, stretched, or partly off-screen
Select the destination display in Windows and check its recommended resolution and scale, then check the game’s resolution and display mode. Windows’ resolution controls are under Settings > System > Display > Display resolution; refresh rate is under Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Set a refresh rate supported by the monitor and connection. Microsoft documents these controls in its guides to resolution and display layout and refresh rate. If HDR or variable refresh rate is involved, check those settings separately on the destination display.
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Clicking another display minimizes the game
This is usually how the game handles losing focus, especially in exclusive fullscreen, rather than a failure to move the window. Borderless Windowed is the first mode to try if you want to interact with another monitor, though behavior varies by title.
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| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Windows + Shift + arrow | A running game Windows can move | May not work reliably with exclusive fullscreen or custom display handling. |
| Game’s monitor selector | Setting a specific title’s preferred display | Not every game provides one. |
| Make external display the main display | Games with no monitor selector | Can change where other Windows apps open, and may not override the game’s saved choice. |
| Windows + P > Second screen only | Playing only on the external display | The PC’s other display is unavailable while this mode is selected. |
Windowed and Borderless Windowed modes are often easier to move and alt-tab from than exclusive fullscreen, but their latency, HDR, variable-refresh-rate, and performance behavior depends on the game and system. Windows 11 separately offers optimizations for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games in windowed or borderless modes; these are not required to move a game: Optimizations for windowed games in Windows 11.
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Windows 10 and Windows 11
The monitor-movement shortcut and core display concepts apply to both Windows 10 and Windows 11, although menu wording can vary. Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025; Microsoft’s display guide documents the platform status and display settings: Change screen resolution and layout in Windows.
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