Game in fullscreen on second monitor

[yinas.2409]

Hello community,

wondering if it is still an issue, to not be able to have the game in full screen mode on a second monitor?To be exact, I would love to use the "windowed fullscreen" option on the monitor I have set to be the second one.I was going to get back into the game, but this hiccup... is quite annoying. And seemingly no way around.

I tried

• Right away after starting the game again for the first time today, I pressed WIN+cursor to move the window; no effect
• Tried the "windowed fullscreen" option, with the same key combination; no effect
• Set the option to "window mode"; this let me move the game window around and onto my second monitor. also resize it. but once i pressed WIN+up, or double-clicked the title bar, it would snap back to the primary monitor.

I will probably look into other options like 'dual monitor tools' etc.And no, switching monitor 1/2 assignments is not really an option; Win10 has some weird behaviors when the task bar is not on your primary, etc.Also please dont blame Win10. With 99% of other games or applications I use or have used this was no issue whatsoever.Eg, the 'World of Warcraft' options make this really easy to set up any way you like it.Is really the "old" graphic engine of GW2 to blame? I mean, other games have updated theirs over the years...

My Setup:

• Gaming Laptop (13"), primary
• external monitor via USB-C DP (27"), secondary

Br,-M

[agaeon.7369]

On my pc Win 10 i use SHIFT+WIN key + left or right cursor ,depends on what side did you setup monitor in settings.

[Jax.1475]

I have the same question. Not only does the game not support selecting a monitor, it seems to actively fight against it. The Windows symbol shortcut doesn't work on my (and most other) systems, even when in alleged borderless window mode. The only way I can get the game to appear on the second monitor is to make it the primary monitor. When moving the windowed version of the game to a different monitor, maximizing the window moves it back to the primary monitor. In addition, the window can't be resized. Others have written that they're able to resize the windows, etc. - I call shenanigans on that. It's frustrating. This is the only game I've encountered these issues with - I've been able to at least cheese other titles into displaying there. I'm surprised there's been no real workaround or response from arena.net on such a basic situation that most likely applies to a large percentage of people with PCs. I'm now wondering if this is a limitation of the engine that can't be changed. Still, why not address it? That's better than no response.

[Healix.5819]

@Jax.1475 said:When moving the windowed version of the game to a different monitor, maximizing the window moves it back to the primary monitor.

That's because maximizing the window puts it back into full screen mode. You can only resize the window in windowed mode, so simply resize the window to fill your screen.

[Barbarossa.5823]

@Healix.5819 said:

You can only resize the window in windowed mode, so simply resize the window to fill your screen.This doesn't work for me since my main monitor is 1080p but my 2. is 1440p. It doesn't let me resize higher than 1080.

[Barbarossa.5823]

I'm actually amazed that this triple a game doesn't give me the option to choose my preferred monitor in 2020. It's such a simple but important thing to have in your game.I wanted to get back into it after not playing for quite some time, but I'm not gonna change my main monitor just for this game every time I want to play. Back to Final Fantasy I go.

[False Prophet.1452]

Really the only workaround I know of is to open display settings, select number 2 and under Extend This Display (the only way to even see the 2) check make this my main display right under that. This is actually ideal for me, as display 1 was my gaming laptop and it basically just duplicates the start menu to what is now display 1.

[Shikour.6270]

2021 and this game still doesn't give me the option to choose my preferred monitor... what a joke

I will try the game next year maybe

[PsiQss.6927]

I think I'm missing where the issue is here, but just wanted to confirm that for me, having windows task bar on secondary screen works just fine - I have the task bar only on 2nd monitor, while I'm gaming on the main one. I can freely throw the game window left and right between monitors in borderless mode. What exact use-case is the problem? Why exactly would you like the game on monitor 2?

[sleeper.8362]

After moaning and groaning, switching screens, changing all settings I could think of, I made a pretty simple solution of just making the screen I wanted the game to show up in as the primary. Not happy with this, but, it works.

[Quietas.4891]

On 6/21/2021 at 8:33 AM, PsiQss.6927 said:

I think I'm missing where the issue is here, but just wanted to confirm that for me, having windows task bar on secondary screen works just fine - I have the task bar only on 2nd monitor, while I'm gaming on the main one. I can freely throw the game window left and right between monitors in borderless mode. What exact use-case is the problem? Why exactly would you like the game on monitor 2?

 

In my case monitor 1 is 1920x1080 15" gaming laptop, monitor 2 is a 35" ultrawide 3440x1440. Size and resolution on the second monitor is much better. I keep the laptop screen as monitor 1 so that when I disconnect from my docking station it doesn't rearrange my desktop. Also when docked I have a KVM set up on the big screen so I can swap that between my work computer and personal computer.

I want to keep the laptop monitor one and secondary screen as monitor 2, but I want to play the game full screen on monitor 2. Dragging the screen bigger will only go to 1920x1080 leaving a lot of the screen unused.. 

 

[Aldrea.3624]

I have the same issue. I have dual monitor setup for my win 10 pc, but my primary display is a TV that I also use for gaming consoles. My real issue is that when I switch the TV back to the PC input, my whole desktop switches screens from the secondary monitor(where they are supposed to be) to the primary display. Apparently the only way to fix this with Win10 to switch which monitor is primary.  I have done this but now GW2 can only be fullscreen/windowed fullscreen on the smaller monitor. Hopefully  they add the ability to choose which monitor in the near future.(one can hope)

[kushgribi.1360]

Not only that, but when trying to force it to run on my TV via Steam big picture the game crashes so violently that i have to restart the whole pc.

[FallenMercy.1062]

There are two other ways to make gw2 display on the seconds screen but with limitation:

1. Make the second screen primary: How to change Primary and Secondary monitor on Windows 10 (thewindowsclub.com)

2. Display on Second screen only using hotkey Win+P 

[SimplyRedie.6207]

On 6/15/2021 at 1:40 PM, Shikour.6270 said:

2021 and this game still doesn't give me the option to choose my preferred monitor... what a joke

I will try the game next year maybe

All 0% of people are with you on this manufactured issue.

[yMpuu.8762]

On 7/9/2021 at 5:32 PM, sleeper.8362 said:

After moaning and groaning, switching screens, changing all settings I could think of, I made a pretty simple solution of just making the screen I wanted the game to show up in as the primary. Not happy with this, but, it works.

This is like in 99% of the games duude.

[Niyeru.6243]

On 10/5/2021 at 3:50 PM, yMpuu.8762 said:

This is like in 99% of the games duude.

 

And this makes it okay? 
I actually can play the main game I play on my second monitor, even if I have to move it manually each time. At least it sticks there. 
Set up my monitors as i want them, won't change my main monitor for a game I know would do absolutely nothing about the issue. 

Which sucks.
But we all already know ANet won't do KITTEN about it, right?
Or maybe.. if it has a price tag.. ?

[Healix.5819]

It's not really supported, but GW2 in DX11 can do fullscreen on any monitor - simply place the window where you want it and maximize it. It will revert to the primary screen on the next launch, so you'll have to launch using -windowed (to force windowed mode on start), then alt+enter/maximize once it loads.

[Arewn.2368]

On 10/4/2021 at 6:19 PM, SimplyRedie.6207 said:

All 0% of people are with you on this manufactured issue.

This is actually a pretty ridiculous problem. Started googling for solution when I encountered it myself just now and am really frustrated I can't change it.

There's plenty of reasons/setups where you might want your Primary display to be different from your gaming display. And I don't have this issue with other modern games. 

[Endsight.7583]

So the way I did it is the following:

1) Main display Laptop screen and second display external 24" Monitor. Both at a resolution of 1920 x 1080

2) Run GW2 on Laptop screen and set the game to window mode.

3) Press "Windows key +Tab" to bring up virtual desktops.

4) Right click on GW2 window and select "Snap to left" then pull GW2 to second monitor.

5) Set GW2 to Full screen.

6) You are set, easy peasy!

*Set 2 desktops on the 1st one all apps etc.. and on the second GW2 like this with "Win +Tab" you can switch between the 2.

Hope this helped.

Edited November 8, 2021 by Endsight.7583

[kushgribi.1360]

it doesnt work, it just puts it back on main display after you try to maximize 

[Healix.5819]

5 hours ago, kushgribi.1360 said:

it doesnt work, it just puts it back on main display after you try to maximize 

Enable DX11 (and restart GW2), then maximizing should cause it to fill the screen it's currently on rather than the primary screen.