Sometimes minimized windows move to other monitor Windows 10

I'm running Windows 10 with two monitors. Sometimes, I need to get to a file on the desktop, so I use win+d to minimize all the windows. I've noticed that when I maximize the windows again (either by pressing win+d again or manually selecting the window), some of the windows that I had on my secondary monitor have moved back to my primary monitor.

This also happens if I use different shortcuts (such as win+m) as well as if I manually minimize the window using the button in the top right.

However, this does not occur for all windows. For example, I have two Chrome windows open; one moves and one doesn't. And it seems the windows only move from the secondary monitor to the primary monitor, not the other way around.

Why is this happening? Is there any way to fix it so that the windows stay where they were before being minimized?

sorayadragon

Posted 2017-07-20T16:30:28.737

Reputation: 233

6I am experiencing the same issue. Try this as a workaround and let me know if it works for you: if you have a window for which this is occurring, move the window to the desired monitor, then click the "Restore Down" button in the upper-right corner of the window to make it go from full-screen to windowed, then click the button again to reset it back to full screen. From that point on, when you minimize the window, does it stay on the right monitor? My theory: the bug in Windows is that the window always returns to the monitor where the window started in windowed mode vs full-screen. So, for ex – GuyPaddock – 2017-08-16T14:50:15.320

@GuyPaddock that did the trick for me, thanks – jFrenetic – 2017-11-02T20:25:42.970

1@GuyPaddock You should add your comment as an answer as it works perfectly and saved me a lot of time searching around. Thank you! – Glen Robson – 2018-01-22T10:08:10.677

Answers

Try this as a workaround and let me know if it works for you: if you have a window for which this is occurring, move the window to the desired monitor, then click the "Restore Down" button in the upper-right corner of the window to make it go from full-screen to windowed, then click the button again to reset it back to full screen. From that point on, when you minimize the window, does it stay on the right monitor? My theory: the bug in Windows is that the window always returns to the monitor where the window started in windowed mode vs full-screen.

GuyPaddock

Posted 2017-07-20T16:30:28.737

Reputation: 355

I just ran into this issue with someone here at my company. Go into taskbar settings under "Multiple Displays" you will find an option to change "show taskbar buttons on" and change the option to "taskbar where window is open" and that fixed our issue. Maybe it will help for you.

Dan

Posted 2017-07-20T16:30:28.737

Reputation: 11

I had a similar, but worse, problem and worked out a solution thanks to Guy's answer. When I clicked Restore Down the window disappeared and I could only maximize it to main window. (Selecting anything else like Move from the Shift+Right-Click context menu did nothing.)

Eventually, I just closed the Window then in another Chrome Window I restored the windows using the the top-right (Chrome) button then History => Restore 27 tabs. This brought up all the same pages in a new Chrome window that did not misbehave.

Of course, this solution only works for Chrome but I think the problem only affects Chrome under Windows 10 as that is where everyone reports having a problem.

Andrew

Posted 2017-07-20T16:30:28.737

Reputation: 1