To set the primary monitor in Windows 11, select Start > Settings > System > Display, select the monitor you want at the top of the page, expand Multiple displays, and check Make this my main display. Windows uses the term “main display” for what most people call the primary monitor.
Applies to: Windows 11 with two or more displays connected. Checked against Microsoft Support on October 6, 2026.
What the main display controls
When you use more than one screen, Windows 11 treats one of them as the main display. In Windows 11 the taskbar is tied to that display, so the Start menu, the pinned apps and the system tray (the clock and small icons at the right end of the taskbar) sit there unless you choose to show the taskbar on every screen. It is also the screen where most apps and new windows open first.
Only one display can be the main display at a time. Choosing a new one automatically makes every other screen a secondary display, and you can switch back whenever you like.
The number Windows assigns to a monitor has nothing to do with this setting. It is normal for the main display to be labeled 2, so you do not need to change the numbering to change the primary monitor.
Before you start
- Both screens are connected and turned on. Microsoft recommends checking that the cables are firmly connected to the PC or dock before you change any display settings.
- Windows shows both screens in Settings. The Rearrange your displays area at the top of the Display page only appears when Windows detects more than one display.
- The desktop is extended. Press the Windows logo key + P and make sure Extend is selected. Extend spreads the desktop across the screens so each one can show something different. Duplicate shows the same picture on all of them, and PC screen only and Second screen only use a single screen, so there is nothing to choose between.
Set the primary monitor in Settings
- Select Start, then select Settings. If you do not see it, type settings after opening Start and select it from the results. The Settings window opens.
- Select System, then select Display. Numbered boxes at the top of the page represent your connected screens.
- Select Identify. A number appears on each physical screen for a moment so you can tell which box belongs to which monitor.
- Select the numbered box for the monitor you want as the primary one. The settings lower on the page now apply to that screen.
- Expand Multiple displays, lower on the same page, to show its options.
- Check Make this my main display. The taskbar moves to the monitor you picked, which is the quickest sign that the change worked.
Microsoft documents the surrounding display controls, including Identify, Detect and the arrangement boxes, in its guide on how to use multiple monitors in Windows.
Arrange the displays to match your desk
Choosing the main display does not tell Windows where the screens physically sit. If the pointer leaves the wrong edge of the screen when you move between monitors, fix the arrangement while you are still on the Display page.
- In the area at the top of the Display page, select a numbered box and drag it to the position that matches the real monitor: left, right, above or below the other one. If the pointer then crosses to the wrong side, see how to change mouse direction on dual monitors.
- Repeat for any other screen that is out of place.
- Select Apply when the layout looks right.
- Move the pointer across the screens to test it. It should cross at the edge where the monitors actually meet.
If the pointer still goes the wrong way, our guide on how to move the mouse between two monitors in Windows 11 covers the arrangement in more detail.
Show the taskbar on every monitor instead
If all you want is a taskbar on the second screen, you do not have to change the primary monitor. Windows 11 can show the taskbar on all connected displays.
- Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
- Expand Taskbar behaviors.
- Check Show my taskbar on all displays. According to Microsoft, the taskbar then appears on each connected screen with your pinned apps, the Start menu and the system tray.
Clear the same checkbox if you prefer the taskbar on the main display only. Microsoft describes this and the other taskbar options in Customize the taskbar in Windows.
Confirm the change or switch back
Look for the taskbar. With the taskbar set to appear on one screen only, it sits on the main display, so it should now be on the monitor you chose. You can also return to Settings > System > Display, select that monitor and expand Multiple displays. The Make this my main display box is checked for the current main display.
To undo the change, select the monitor that used to be primary on the same page and check Make this my main display for it. There is nothing to uncheck on the current main display. Windows always needs one, so you change it by promoting a different screen.
Windows that are already open generally stay where they are. Drag them to the screen you want. If a program keeps opening on the other monitor, move its window to the preferred screen and close it there, because many programs reopen where they were last closed.
Troubleshooting
The second monitor is missing from Display settings
Windows has to detect a screen before you can make it the main display. Work through these checks in order:
- Confirm the monitor is turned on and the cable is firmly connected at both ends, or at the dock.
- Press the Windows logo key + P and make sure Extend is selected.
- Go to Settings > System > Display > Multiple displays and select Detect.
- For a wireless display, select Connect in the same Multiple displays section, or press the Windows logo key + K to open Cast.
- Restart the PC: select Start, then Power > Restart.
- Install pending updates from Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Make this my main display is unavailable or greyed out
This usually means there is nothing for Windows to change. Check these three things:
- The selected screen is already the main display. Select the other numbered box at the top of the page first, then look at the checkbox again.
- The screens are not extended. Press the Windows logo key + P and select Extend, then return to the Display page.
- Only one display is detected. Follow the steps in the previous section to get the second monitor to appear.
The screen flickers, goes black, or the setting will not stick
A graphics driver problem can cause odd display behavior. Microsoft’s external monitor troubleshooting suggests pressing the Windows logo key + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. If that does not help, update the driver:
- In the search box on the taskbar, type device manager and select Device Manager.
- Expand the display adapters entry and right-click your display adapter.
- Select Update driver, then Search automatically for updated driver software.
If the trouble began right after a driver update, right-click the display adapter, select Properties, open the Driver tab and select Roll Back Driver. Microsoft lists these steps in Troubleshoot external monitor connections in Windows.
Windows are scattered after you undock a laptop
Under Settings > System > Display > Multiple displays, Windows 11 has two options for people who connect and disconnect a monitor often. Remember window locations based on monitor connection puts windows back on the screen they were on when you reconnect. Minimize windows when a monitor is disconnected minimizes the windows that were on the screen you removed.
The setting is blocked on a work or school PC
If the display options are missing or locked on a computer managed by an employer or school, the organization may control them, so contact its IT support rather than trying to work around the restriction.
Frequently asked questions
Is the main display the same as the primary monitor?
Yes. “Primary monitor” is the common name, and Make this my main display is the wording Windows 11 uses in Settings. Both mean the screen that Windows treats as the default.
Can I have two primary monitors?
No. Only one display can be the main display at a time. If the goal is a taskbar on both screens, turn on Show my taskbar on all displays under Taskbar behaviors instead.
Does the primary monitor have to be display 1?
No. The numbers only identify the screens. Either number can be the main display, and it is normal for the main display to be labeled 2.
Can I make an external monitor the primary display on a laptop?
Yes. Connect the monitor, make sure the desktop is extended, select the external monitor’s box on the Display page and check Make this my main display. The laptop’s built-in screen becomes the secondary display.
Do I need to restart after changing the primary monitor?
No restart is part of the process. Restarting is only a troubleshooting step for a monitor that Windows will not detect.
Will changing the primary monitor close my apps or files?
No. It only changes which screen Windows treats as the default. Open windows stay open, although you may need to drag some of them to the screen where you want them.
Once the right screen is the main display, the remaining setup is covered in our guide on how to set up multiple monitors in Windows 11.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.