How to Move an Application to the Other Monitor

By Aaron Parson

Use two monitors to de-clutter your digital workspace.
i Mihai Simonia/iStock/Getty Images

With two monitors connected to your computer or with an external monitor plugged in to your laptop, Windows can operate in two modes. Either the second monitor can duplicate the first, or it can work separately, displaying different applications. When in the latter mode, move any program between the two monitors by dragging or by pressing a keyboard shortcut.

Enable Extend Mode

On either Windows 7 or Windows 8, press "Windows-P" to display the multi-monitor options. The first and last choices disable one monitor entirely, while "Duplicate" mirrors the same image on both screens. Although useful for presentations, you can't move programs between screens on Duplicate. Instead, pick "Extend." On Extend, your first monitor looks the same as always, while the second shows your desktop wallpaper without any icons.

Move Applications

To move a program window to the second monitor, drag its title bar off the right side of your main screen. As your cursor leaves the first screen, you'll see it appear at the left side of the second screen. You can also tap "Windows-Shift-Right Arrow" to send a program onto the second monitor and "Windows-Shift-Left Arrow" to move it back. For programs that offer a full-screen mode, such as video players, drag the window onto the second screen before turning on full-screen mode to expand the program on the correct monitor. To move Windows Store apps on Windows 8, move the cursor to the top of the screen to show and manipulate the title bar.

×