unchecking make this my main display

hello, I have 2 monitors ( 2nd one just set up), I noticed today that when I tried to open something on my main screen (1st one) it was opened on 2nd monitor, (note: it was not turned on). so I started trying to configure them so the screen that I wanted as main, would be main. I checked the make this my main box.... only to realize that it was on the 2nd monitor. I cannot change it, (won't uncheck) is there a way to do this? or am I stuck with this configuration?

How can I swap which physical display is designated the Main Display?
I understand Settings / Display / Rearrange your Display in how to swap #1 and #2, with regard to the two desktops, and how to re-arrange them left to right etc for border management.

My problem is that the system auto-designated my TV as #1, leaving my desktop monitor #2.
When a new dialog box is opened, when a new program starts, when the Settings menus open up, they all open up on the primary (#1) display, which it has set as my TV. I want that to be my monitor.

More details: I have my desktop monitor connected via DisplayPort, and it works fine. Then I added a TV via HDMI, and my graphics card automatically set the system up with two monitors, (so far, so good), but then I see it designated the TV as the Primary (#1) display. I need my DP connected "Monitor" to be the #1.

This is a very difficult problem to describe.
I am NOT trying to select which display device is "Primary" (IE: #1 of 2).
I am trying to select which display device is "Main".
In Windows 10 (or 7), these terms (as taken off the Windows settings dialogs), are NOT the same.

"Primary" (Aka #1) is where your desktop is located.
"Main" is where dialog boxes default to open (until they have been opened, manually moved over to the other display, then closed - thereby changing their "open-next-time-in-window #x" setting.

Another way of saying this is:
When I currently hit Display ID, my desktop computer monitor shows #2. I have that selected as my Primary Display, so it shows my desktop, tool bar etc.
HOWEVER, all new dialog boxes, programs starting up, etc. until their opening default is changed, will open up in the other display, the Main one.

In my Multiple Display settings, I see:
Acer S232HL _________ [2]
SAMSUNG ___________ [1]
and below, [2] is asterisked as my primary display.

what I want to see is:
Acer S232HL _________ [1]
SAMSUNG ___________ [2]
and below, [1] is asterisked as my primary display.

MechMan said:

what I want to see is:
Acer S232HL _________ [1]
SAMSUNG ___________ [2]
and below, [1] is asterisked as my primary display.

Swap the cables...

Just "swapping" my cables may be possible, but changing connection-technologies would probably cause interoperability issues, (say with image quality and audio capabilities).
Per my OP: "I have my desktop monitor connected via DisplayPort, and it works fine. Then I added a TV via HDMI, ... "

I'd have to find alternate cables, (IE: a very long DP cable to my TV when I already have several extra-extra long HDMI cables), and / or also add DP-to-HDMI and HDMI-to-DP adapters at various ends. Messy.

To clarify, my graphics card (ASUS TUF-GTX1660S-O6G) has the following three ports,
1] DP 1.4;
2] HDMI 2.0b
3] DVI-D.

So I really want to find a software / settings adjustment for this arrangement.

Hey bud

I think (crunch) the reason for the data which you need visible to you, is going to the other display, is because of its default resolution. It is clearly slower than the DP display and then of course, the PC will always make the slowest connection the default initial.

In device manager there is hopefully on your system, near the bottom, is 'Sounds, video and game controllers'

If you can, go into there and you will be able to view a set or bunch of pre installed audio and video codecs. Within each codec are certain video and audio capture settings and one of these is directly comparitive to this unmanageable display setting. One of its main default display resolutions is way below par and runs at a mere 640x480 and even less in other motherboards.
The best aim is to change this default resolution and make it faster than the display which you need to work on. Then your DP should (cough cough) work as main or priority. I could be wrong here but i dont think this resolution will go anything above 1024x768, maybe 1280x720

If this isnt anygood then either way hopefully it gives you a few more ideas to have a bash at

Good luck bud

Pluginz said:

Hey bud

I think (crunch) the reason for the data which you need visible to you, is going to the other display, is because of its default resolution. It is clearly slower than the DP display and then of course, the PC will always make the slowest connection the default initial.

In device manager there is hopefully on your system, near the bottom, is 'Sounds, video and game controllers'

If you can, go into there and you will be able to view a set or bunch of pre installed audio and video codecs. Within each codec are certain video and audio capture settings and one of these is directly comparitive to this unmanageable display setting. One of its main default display resolutions is way below par and runs at a mere 640x480 and even less in other motherboards.
The best aim is to change this default resolution and make it faster than the display which you need to work on. Then your DP should (cough cough) work as main or priority. I could be wrong here but i dont think this resolution will go anything above 1024x768, maybe 1280x720

If this isnt anygood then either way hopefully it gives you a few more ideas to have a bash at

Good luck bud

Thanks for the alternate suggestion, but I'm afraid this isn't a help to me. Resolution isn't a concern as the info that is bothersome to me are the default dialog boxes that Win10 produces, both for it's own use and to frame programs that are started up. Example: I want to watch a video, and double click on the xyz.mp4. Extension associations call for Win10 to open up my VLC Media player, and begin playing this file. But it ALWAYS opens up in the #1 Display, even if I have #2 set as my Primary (aka desktop) display. Every new process that shows up, shows up in #1 until I drag-n-drop it over to my #2.