Dual Monitor Finder Frustration

[nickyr]

I've been using a Samsung 4K monitor plugged into my iMac via thunderbolt for a while now, and I really enjoy having the extra screen "real estate" but I experience the following annoying trait or bug.

When I open Finder from the dock, it's sheer pot luck as to which monitor it will actually open on.

There is no pattern, with sometimes it opening on the same monitor I click in the dock on and sometimes not (e.g. I'll access the dock on my iMac, click on the Finder icon and it'll open on the Samsung - and vice versa).

This is most annoying when the Samsung monitor isn't even powered on. I'll click on Finder in my iMac's dock only for seemingly nothing to happen. I'll then power on the Samsung and the Finder window is open there!

Anyone else experiencing this or got a solution?

thanks as ever, Nick

 

[Raz0rEdge]

This is definitely not normal behavior in a multi monitor setup, one of them is always the primary where the apps should first appear.

The dock might float between the monitors, but that shouldn't matter.

I run two monitors through my Mini, and this is my arrangement here. Notice the small white bar on top of my primary monitor. This means that most windows will open on this monitor until I move it.


You can drag that white bar around, so ensure that it is sitting on your iMac.

 

[nickyr]

thanks Ashwin

my system prefs are set up the same as yours and this "bug" only affects Finder. Every other app opens on the monitor on which I access the icon. So if I click to open Safari on my Samsung, it opens on the Samsung, if I click, say, Lightroom on my iMac it opens there.

It's just the Finder that seems to have a mind of its own and open wherever it pleases.

 

[ferrarr]

I have the same thing happen to me. It is very frustrating when I open Finder, and no window opens on the display I'm using. I too have to turn on the other monitor to find the Finder window(s). I don't know of any way to fix the issue.

 

[MacInWin]

Right click on the Finder icon on the Dock. Select Options. Pick what Desktop should be the default. That should fix your issue.

 

[ferrarr]

Right click on the Finder icon on the Dock. Select Options. Pick what Desktop should be the default. That should fix your issue.

I don't have that option when I right click on it.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

This is very odd, since my Finder window always shows up on my primary monitor. I never have it bouncing around on me.

And per Jake's post, my option is to set to None, so I haven't assigned the Finder to any particular desktop.

 

[MacInWin]

I don't have that option when I right click on it.

That is strange. Your profile says you are on the latest version of macOS, as am I (11.2). Here is what I show when I do that:

 

[M_Six]

I find that a quick click in the desktop area before clicking Finder will make Finder open on that desktop. Same with a few other apps. Just a quick click on the desktop to "choose" that desktop and then click your app icon.

 

[MacInWin]

I find that a quick click in the desktop area before clicking Finder will make Finder open on that desktop. Same with a few other apps. Just a quick click on the desktop to "choose" that desktop and then click your app icon.

That should work because it brings the "focus" back to the main screen before you open Finder. That means that Finder is probably set to "None" in the options area, which let's it default to the last screen with the "focus" on.

 

[nickyr]

Right click on the Finder icon on the Dock. Select Options. Pick what Desktop should be the default. That should fix your issue.

Likewise Bob (and Jake) - I don't have that option when right clicking Finder.

I'll try the click on the monitor step first and see if that works for me

 

[ferrarr]

Here is what I get when I right click on the Finder icon in the Dock,

 

[MacInWin]

Are you mirroring to the second display? I'm not. (System Preferences/Displays/Arrangement, no check in the mirror displays box.) Could that be the difference? Do you have multiple Desktops? I do. I'm looking for what is different between our two systems that I have the option and you do not.

 

[ferrarr]

Hi Jake,

No, I don't mirror my displays either. Both displays do have multiple "Spaces". On my 2014 Mini I use the HDMI port and one of the Thunderbolt 2 ports for my left and right display respectively. On the Arrangement tab, the right display is selected as main.

I have noticed that when I restart with both displays on, the loading bar appears on the left display, then the login window appears on the right display.

 

[MacInWin]

CLIP...
I have noticed that when I restart with both displays on, the loading bar appears on the left display, then the login window appears on the right display.

Yeah, that I have seen, too. I have a Thunderbolt Display from Apple as the second monitor to my MBP. The Display is to the right, the main screen is the MBP. On boot, the  and progress bar appear on the right display, then shift to the MBP screen and it finishes from there.

I'm really puzzled about how Finder is different between our two systems. Even though you are on a Mini and I am on MPB, the OS should handle multiple displays the same. Maybe it's the HDMI?

 

[TheodoreH]

I've been using a Samsung 4K monitor plugged into my iMac via thunderbolt for a while now, and I really enjoy having the extra screen "real estate" but I experience the following annoying trait or bug.

When I open Finder from the dock, it's sheer pot luck as to which monitor it will actually open on.

There is no pattern, with sometimes it opening on the same monitor I click in the dock on and sometimes not (e.g. I'll access the dock on my iMac, click on the Finder icon and it'll open on the Samsung - and vice versa).

This is most annoying when the Samsung monitor isn't even powered on. I'll click on Finder in my iMac's dock only for seemingly nothing to happen. I'll then power on the Samsung and the Finder window is open there!

Anyone else experiencing this or got a solution?

thanks as ever, Nick

yep, same problem here. Finder randomly opens in extended display (right display) of Mac Mini 2018. Confirmed that Display preferences shows the extended display is marked #2 and shows on the right. And Dock is in the left display.