How to Force Applications to Open on Primary Monitor in Windows 11

When using multiple monitors with Windows 11, sometimes applications open on the wrong monitor, which can be annoying and disrupt your workflow. You can easily fix this by forcing programs to open on your primary monitor, ensuring they always appear where you expect them. In this blog, you will learn simple and effective steps to set your primary monitor and make applications open there every time, helping you work more efficiently on Windows 11.

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🛠 Ways to Force Applications to Open on the Primary Monitor

Method 1: Move & Close When Open, Then Reopen

This is the simplest but often effective trick:

1. Open the application and move it to your primary monitor.
2. Resize or maximize the window there, then close the app using the X in the top-right corner.
3. Reopen the app — often, Windows will remember the last position and open it on the same monitor.

This isn’t guaranteed for every app but works reliably for many standard applications.

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Method 2: Use Display Settings & Taskbar Options

1. Right-click the desktop and select Display settings.
2. Identify which screen is your main display (marked “Make this my main display”).
3. Ensure your taskbar is set to show only on the main taskbar — right-click the taskbar, go to Taskbar settings → Multiple displays, and turn off “Show my taskbar on all displays” (if desired).
   • Keeping the taskbar on the primary monitor encourages Windows to favor that screen for new windows.

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Method 3: Create a Shortcut with Startup Position Dependency

You can use a script or command-line trick to launch apps at a given screen position using a task scheduler or a startup shortcut:

1. Right-click the program’s .exe or its shortcut → Properties → Shortcut tab.
2. In the Run dropdown, try selecting “Maximized” — this often forces Windows to start the app in the same place you maximized it last.
3. Alternatively, you could use a small PowerShell or AutoHotkey script to move and position the window where you want after startup. Example (AutoHotkey): Run, "C:\Path\To\App.exe" WinWait, AppWindowTitle WinMove, AppWindowTitle,, 0, 0 ; move to coordinates (0,0) on primary

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✅ Final Thoughts

Windows 11 doesn’t natively support “always open here” for apps across multiple monitors, but by using the right tricks — like positioning + closing, AutoHotkey scripts, or third-party tools like DisplayFusion — you can reliably force programs to open on your primary screen. This helps streamline your workflow, reduces agitation, and makes multi-monitor setups much more usable.