Multiple monitors - change primary monitor
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Multiple Monitors - How to Change Primary Monitor

Rodrigo Ferreyra

Some say multiple monitors are a one-way trip, and while modern systems don't have much trouble managing this setup, how to change the primary monitor is a different process in each OS.

The primary monitor is the screen you will be looking at most of the time and where your desktop bar and icons are located by default.

Let's see how to change the primary monitor on Windows 10, 8, or 7 using the OS native settings.

How to change primary monitor

In Windows 7, this option is in the Screen Resolution configuration menu. You can find it by right-clicking on your desktop. There, you'll see that each monitor has a number, being number one the primary monitor. Click on Identify to see each one number on their screens. If your extra monitor isn't among them, use Detect for the system to recognize it. Lastly, select the monitor you want to make primary, check the Make this my primary monitor box and click on Apply.

Windows 8 and 8.1 use the same user interface for this option, so the process is no different.

Likewise, changing the primary monitor in Windows 10 is fairly similar. Again, right-click on the desktop, click on Display settings, and look for the Make this my primary monitor box down the options.

Now, let's see how to change the primary monitor on Mac. On both macOS and OS X, go to System Preferences, and then look after the Displays Arrangement tab. Here sky-blue boxes represent monitors, while the primary one has a white top bar. To change the primary monitor, grab the bar and move it to the monitor of your choice.

Use Stack to manage multiple monitors and primary monitor

Stack is designed for making the most of web browsing and our workflow of choice, including multi-monitor workstations:

  • Open Stack in your primary monitor.
  • Since your system treats Stack as a window, you can drag it to your secondary monitor.
  • Using Stack's fullscreen option, you can have a dedicated screen for keeping an eye on all your social media accounts.

Moreover, you can rely on keyboard shortcuts for moving Stack from one monitor to the other: in Windows, Windows key + Shift + Left or Right key (depending on which direction you want to move it) does the trick. This option isn't natively available on Mac, although you can use window management apps for adding it.

Use stack to manage multiple monitors

Open multiple accounts at the same time

Now that you know how to manage multiple monitors and how to change the primary monitor and how to fix Stack in one of them, let’s take advantage of what this app can do.

Like many other chatting and social apps, Discord is great for vertical monitors. If you’re using a vertical monitor as a secondary screen, having a dedicated space for all your Discord accounts allows you to quickly check all your messages. It is quite simple:

  • Open Discord web app on Stack and login to your Discord account.
  • Now open a new tab.
  • Go to the top right corner of the tab, click on the three dots menu and activate “Private Session”.
  • Login to your second Discord account.
  • And that’s it! You can do so again for as many accounts as you want without much trouble.
Step-by-step Guide how to manage multiple monitors and change primary monitor

An All-In-One Messenger, Stack offers support for multi-accounting in all kinds of apps, including Asana and Gmail.

Download Stack and easily manage multiple monitors

These are but a few of the options Stack has up its sleeve for taking advantage of multiple monitors.

Even if you prefer working with a single monitor, in terms of multitasking Stack has a lot to offer too, and can help you achieve greater results before you notice it.

Want to learn more about Stack? go ahead and request access to Stack Next straight away and we'll get in touch when it’s ready to roll out!

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