How to force application windows back to main screen?

[Michael Moser]

At work I am using a big external screen with my laptop. At home I then often have the case, that certain applications - which apparently save their last window position - reopen off-screen (i.e the app is running but the window is out of sight).

I can force these windows back onto the laptop's panel by selecting "Maximize" on that application in the task bar. But when I select the upper right symbol to run them non-maximized the window disappears again onto the non-attached screen, i.e. goes off-screen again.

How can one force those windows back onto the one and single main display in non-maximized mode? I tried with Move but that does not work. Is there an other option to reset a windows position back to the main display?

Hope I could make myself clear...
Michael

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

At work I am using a big external screen with my laptop. At home I then
often have the case, that certain applications - which apparently save their
last window position - reopen off-screen (i.e the app is running but the
window is out of sight).

I can force these windows back onto the laptop's panel by selecting
"Maximize" on that application in the task bar. But when I select the upper
right symbol to run them non-maximized the window disappears again onto the
non-attached screen, i.e. goes off-screen again.

How can one force those windows back onto the one and single main display in
non-maximized mode? I tried with Move but that does not work. Is there an
other option to reset a windows position back to the main display?

Hope I could make myself clear...
Michael

===============

You're not telling us how you used the "Move" option. Here how to do it:
- Use Alt+Tab to put the focus on the invisible frame.
- Press Alt+Space on the keyboard.
- Press M on the keyboard.
- Use the left/right/up/down arrow keys until you can see the invisible
frame.

This may take a little patience until you have a fair idea where the
invisible frame is hiding.

 

[Michael Moser]

You're not telling us how you used the "Move" option. Here how to do
it:
- Use Alt+Tab to put the focus on the invisible frame.
- Press Alt+Space on the keyboard.
- Press M on the keyboard.
- Use the left/right/up/down arrow keys until you can see the
invisible frame.

This may take a little patience until you have a fair idea where the
invisible frame is hiding.

Thanks a lot, that did the trick! It allowed me to move a "lost" window back in from the far left....

But, gee, how are "innocent" users supposed to come up with and memorize such a sequence? I'm impressed...

Michael

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

You're not telling us how you used the "Move" option. Here how to do
it:
- Use Alt+Tab to put the focus on the invisible frame.
- Press Alt+Space on the keyboard.
- Press M on the keyboard.
- Use the left/right/up/down arrow keys until you can see the
invisible frame.

This may take a little patience until you have a fair idea where the
invisible frame is hiding.

Thanks a lot, that did the trick! It allowed me to move a "lost" window back
in from the far left....

But, gee, how are "innocent" users supposed to come up with and memorize
such a sequence? I'm impressed...

Michael
=============
"Innocent" users do not usually manage to put frames outside the visible
screen. Experienced users are aware that you do not absolutely need a
mouse - you can do most things with a keyboard. All you need is an entry
point - Alt+Space bar in this case.

 

[DL]

And if you use muti screen provided by your display driver there is
generally an option to force windows to open in a specific display

You're not telling us how you used the "Move" option. Here how to do
it:
- Use Alt+Tab to put the focus on the invisible frame.
- Press Alt+Space on the keyboard.
- Press M on the keyboard.
- Use the left/right/up/down arrow keys until you can see the
invisible frame.

This may take a little patience until you have a fair idea where the
invisible frame is hiding.

Thanks a lot, that did the trick! It allowed me to move a "lost" window back
in from the far left....

But, gee, how are "innocent" users supposed to come up with and memorize
such a sequence? I'm impressed...

Michael

 

[M.I.5¾]

At work I am using a big external screen with my laptop. At home I then
often have the case, that certain applications - which apparently save their
last window position - reopen off-screen (i.e the app is running but the
window is out of sight).

I can force these windows back onto the laptop's panel by selecting
"Maximize" on that application in the task bar. But when I select the upper
right symbol to run them non-maximized the window disappears again onto the
non-attached screen, i.e. goes off-screen again.

How can one force those windows back onto the one and single main display in
non-maximized mode? I tried with Move but that does not work. Is there an
other option to reset a windows position back to the main display?

Hope I could make myself clear...

-------------

The only way is to disable the external screen via the Display
Properties/Settings window when the windows will all default to the main
desktop[1]. On a laptop, one of the function keys normally changes the
display configuration, but not when the desktop is extended to another
monitor.

[1] But not always the video overlay.

 

[M.I.5¾]

And if you use muti screen provided by your display driver there is
generally an option to force windows to open in a specific display

I know of a few graphic cards that provide such a facility, but they are far
from common. My old Radeon 9200 offered the utility, but my current HD2400
(?) does not. The nVidia graphics on my laptop doesn't either.

 

[Bob I]

r-click the taskbar and select "Cascade windows"