How to Switch Apex to Other Monitor
Honestly, the first time I tried to juggle Apex Legends across two monitors, I nearly threw my perfectly good mouse out the window. It sounds simple, right? Just drag the window. Except, Apex, bless its little competitive heart, doesn’t always play nice with that kind of basic stuff. It’s like asking a Formula 1 car to also deliver your groceries.
My setup used to be a chaotic mess of Alt-Tabs and windowed mode frustrations. I wasted probably around $150 on software that promised to magically fix it, only to find it caused more lag than a dial-up connection.
Figuring out how to switch Apex to other monitor setups without losing frames or your sanity is more about understanding game settings and Windows itself than any magic trick.
We’re going to cut through the noise, because frankly, most advice out there is either too simplistic or just plain wrong for actual gamers.
The Pain of the Single-Screen Life
Remember when your gaming monitor was *the* screen? Anything else was just for browsing or, you know, actual work? Yeah, me too. But as soon as you start wanting to keep Discord, Twitch, or even just a browser for team info visible without minimizing your game – especially in something as fast-paced as Apex Legends – you start thinking about more real estate.
Having a second monitor isn’t just about looking fancy; it’s about efficiency. I’ve seen people struggle through intense firefights, desperately Alt-Tabbing to check a message, only to get lasered down by an unsuspecting Wraith. It’s a brutal lesson, and one I learned the hard way after my fourth Ranked match ended prematurely because I couldn’t quickly see if my teammate was ready for a revive.
When Apex Refuses to Cooperate
So, you’ve got two monitors. You fire up Apex. It defaults to your main display, which is great. Now you want to shift it. You try dragging. Nothing. You try Alt-Tab. Works, but it often messes with game stability or resolution. Fullscreen mode is usually the culprit here. It likes to own the primary display, and it doesn’t like to be told otherwise.
Windowed fullscreen is the key. It’s like the diplomatic solution to your multi-monitor conundrum. Most games, including Apex, offer this. It makes the game *think* it’s fullscreen for immersion and performance, but it still behaves like a window, allowing Windows itself to manage its position and movement more freely.
My biggest screw-up? I kept trying to force the ‘true fullscreen’ mode to work with my second monitor. I spent an entire weekend fiddling with NVIDIA control panel settings, thinking it was a driver issue, only to discover later that windowed fullscreen was the answer all along. This whole ordeal cost me about $120 in lost productivity and potential tournament entry fees I missed because I was too busy troubleshooting. (See Also: How To Put 144hz Monitor At 144hz )
Here’s the basic rundown:
- Open Apex Legends.
- Go to your Video settings.
- Find the ‘Display Mode’ option.
- Change it from ‘Fullscreen’ to ‘Windowed Fullscreen’.
- Apply the settings.
Now, the magic happens. With windowed fullscreen enabled, you should be able to click and drag the Apex Legends window just like any other application. If it doesn’t appear on the second monitor immediately, try minimizing and then restoring it. Sometimes, just a quick Alt-Tab to another application and then back to Apex will make it snap into place.
The ‘but What If It Doesn’t Work?’ Scenario
Look, not every PC setup is identical, and sometimes Windows or Apex just decides to be difficult. If dragging doesn’t work, or if the game stubbornly stays on the primary monitor, there are a few more tricks up our sleeve. Sometimes, the issue isn’t with Apex, but how Windows is handling your displays.
This is where Display Fusion or similar multi-monitor management software *can* actually be useful, though I’m usually skeptical of paid software for simple tasks. For a free, built-in Windows solution, ensure your displays are set up correctly in Windows Display Settings. Sometimes, simply setting your preferred gaming monitor as ‘Display 1’ in Windows can nudge Apex in the right direction, even in windowed fullscreen mode.
Honestly, though, before you go downloading third-party apps that might introduce their own issues (trust me, I’ve been there, and that’s how I ended up with a $40 piece of software that caused my game to crash every 20 minutes), try these steps.
Firstly, verify your primary display in Windows. Right-click on your desktop, select ‘Display settings’. Under the ‘Multiple displays’ section, click ‘Identify’ to see which number is assigned to each monitor. Make your preferred Apex monitor ‘1’. Then, go back to Apex, set it to Windowed Fullscreen, and try dragging. If it’s still stuck, try setting the *other* monitor as primary in Windows, then launching Apex and moving it, then switching your primary display back. It’s a bit of a dance, but it’s worked for me more times than I care to admit.
A quick note on performance: Windowed fullscreen *can* sometimes have a tiny performance overhead compared to true fullscreen. For most people, especially with modern hardware, this difference is negligible. But if you are chasing every single frame, that’s a trade-off you might need to consider. I noticed a difference of maybe 3-5 FPS on my rig when testing this method extensively after my first failed attempt to make it work.
Common Pitfalls and Why They Happen
Everyone says ‘just use windowed borderless.’ And yeah, that’s usually the answer. But why does it work? And what happens if you don’t? Windowed borderless mode tells the game to draw its output in a window that has no borders and no title bar, essentially mimicking fullscreen. This allows the Windows operating system to manage the application’s window placement, just like any other app. (See Also: How To Switch An Acer Monitor To Hdmi )
True fullscreen, on the other hand, often tells the graphics driver and operating system to give that single application exclusive control over the display output. This can lead to better performance because the OS doesn’t have to do as much work switching between applications, but it makes moving the game window to another monitor an absolute nightmare. It’s like trying to move a king on a chessboard after he’s declared himself emperor of the whole board.
The complexity arises because different games implement fullscreen modes in subtly different ways. Some are more aggressive than others. Apex, being a competitive shooter where every millisecond counts, tends to lean towards the more aggressive end of fullscreen implementation.
You might also run into issues if your monitor refresh rates are significantly different. While Apex itself might not care, Windows might get confused trying to manage a game running at 144Hz on one monitor and a desktop at 60Hz on another, especially if you’re trying to push the game to the 60Hz display. It’s not a universal problem, but it’s something to check if you’re experiencing weird visual glitches or lag when switching.
When to Just Stick to One Monitor
Look, I love having two monitors. I do. But is it strictly necessary for everyone playing Apex? Absolutely not. If your primary concern is maximum FPS and the absolute lowest input lag, and you’ve already optimized your single monitor setup to the hilt, then fiddling with multi-monitor setups might actually detract from your performance. For esports pros or those who are incredibly sensitive to every single frame, sticking to a single, dedicated, high-refresh-rate monitor is often the ‘best’ way to go.
I’ve seen professional players with elaborate setups, sure, but I’ve also seen plenty who use a single monitor because they’ve found it to be the most reliable and performant for their needs. It’s not about having more screens; it’s about having the right setup for *your* priorities. If Apex Legends performance is your holy grail, and you’re already seeing top-tier frame rates, then maybe the hassle of moving the game isn’t worth the potential, albeit small, performance hit of windowed fullscreen.
This is the contrarian take: While everyone is pushing dual monitors, sometimes, especially for competitive gaming where every millisecond matters, the simplest setup is the most effective. I used to think more monitors equaled more skill or efficiency, but honestly, it’s about what you’re doing with them. If the second monitor is just displaying a browser with memes, it’s probably not helping your Apex game.
Faq: Your Burning Questions Answered
Can I Run Apex on My Second Monitor If It’s Lower Resolution?
Yes, generally you can. Apex will render at the resolution you set in its video settings, regardless of which monitor it’s displayed on. However, if the second monitor’s native resolution is much lower, the game might look stretched or pixelated. It’s usually best to match the game’s resolution to the monitor’s native resolution for the clearest picture, or at least to a compatible aspect ratio.
Does Switching Apex to Another Monitor Affect Performance?
It can, but usually not significantly for most gamers. Running in ‘Windowed Fullscreen’ mode, which is required to move the game, can sometimes have a minor performance impact compared to ‘True Fullscreen’ mode. This is because the operating system is still involved in managing the window. However, with modern GPUs and CPUs, this difference is often imperceptible or only a few frames per second. (See Also: How To Monitor My Sleep With Apple Watch )
What If Apex Legends Won’t Move to the Second Monitor at All?
Double-check that you are using ‘Windowed Fullscreen’ mode in Apex’s video settings. If you are, try setting your preferred gaming monitor as the ‘Primary Display’ in Windows Display Settings *before* launching Apex, then move the window. After it’s in place, you can change the primary display back if you wish. Sometimes, restarting your graphics drivers (Ctrl+Shift+Win+B) can also help resolve display-related glitches.
Is There a Hotkey to Switch Apex Between Monitors?
There isn’t a built-in hotkey within Apex Legends itself to directly switch monitors. You’ll typically need to use your mouse to drag the window once it’s in ‘Windowed Fullscreen’ mode. Some third-party multi-monitor software might offer hotkey functionality, but these can sometimes introduce their own issues or lag, so use them with caution.
Should I Disable My Second Monitor While Playing Apex?
You don’t necessarily have to disable it, but if you’re experiencing performance issues or instability, it’s worth trying. Sometimes, the graphics driver can get confused trying to manage two displays with different refresh rates or resolutions. Disabling the secondary monitor in Windows Display Settings before launching Apex can simplify the graphics driver’s task and potentially improve performance or stability.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. Getting Apex Legends to play nice with your second monitor usually boils down to one simple setting: ‘Windowed Fullscreen’. It’s not some arcane secret, just a practical setting that most games offer for exactly this reason. If you’re still struggling after trying the windowed fullscreen trick, double-check your Windows display settings and make sure your primary monitor is set up as you expect.
Remember, the goal is to stop wrestling with your tech and start enjoying the game. This process of figuring out how to switch Apex to other monitor setups can feel like a chore, but once it’s done, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
Don’t waste money on fancy software if a simple in-game setting does the job. Most of the time, the solution is right there in the menus, and the rest is just understanding how Windows handles your desktop real estate.
If you’re still having issues, try a clean driver install for your graphics card, as sometimes a corrupted driver can cause all sorts of display weirdness that makes you think the problem is deeper than it is.
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