RDP Session randomly switches displys after being minimized

Erik 26

I RDP from a Windows 10 Dell Laptop to my machine in my workplace. I have a second display (same resolution, 1920x1080) hooked up. This is my secondary display. It is a regular occurrence that when I minimize the RDP session then click on it in the task bar that it will jump back from the secondary display (where it should be) to the primary display (the laptop's native monitor).

I am RDP'ing to a single display host in my workplace. I have been doing this for years, and have never had this problem before with other hardware, it seems to be new to either this laptop or to a Window's update. Dell says it's a Windows problem, and it seems that others have had similar issues. However, I can't find an official Microsoft response or solution to this particular manifestation of this issue.

I have tried minimizing, maximizing, resizing, and all sorts of permutations. I have ensured that I've dragged all the connection windows to the second monitor before clicking the various "continue" and "connect" buttons. I've done everything except modify the registry, as I'm hoping that hard coding the location of the run is not necessary.

Note also that this only happens with RDP. Office apps, spotify, browsers, task manager, you name it, it doesn't forget which display it's supposed to be on. Only RDP.

Thanks much in advance!

Grace HE 1,241 Reputation points

2021-03-10T08:46:23.047+00:00
Hi,
Thank you for posting your query. According to your description, more information would be grateful.

can you enter winver in command prompt on both local win10 computer and remote computer then look the os version and os version number ?[for example windows 10 enterprise 1809 (os build 17763.316)]

have you never had this problem before with other hardware?
which hardware did you change ?did you change hardware on local laptop or remote pc ?

can you share the picture or video about your issue?
Please make sure that the pictures you post do not contain your company and your private information (including but not limited to domain name, public IP, email account, domain account, etc.). These private information must be altered.

is there another laptop can be involved,then remote access from this test laptop to remote pc ,will the same issue happen ?
Erik 26 Reputation points

2021-03-10T14:09:59.77+00:00
Remote (corporate) is Windows 10 Enterprise, Version 1809, OS Built 17763.1757. Local version is Windows 10 Home, Version 20H2, Build 19042.867 running on a Dell Inspiron 37933. No docking station, monitor plugged directly into second monitor.

I have not recently had this problem with other hardware (though, a number of years ago, I did, but not recently). Work hardware is did not change, monitor did not change, only laptop did. Previous laptop was an Asus VivoBook S510UA-DS71, currently updated to Version 1909, Build 18363.1440. Note that cabling is identical on the new machine as on the previous one.

No, I cannot share a picture. It would not add anything; it is a standard RDP session with a corporate background and obvious corporate specific software and desktop icons.

See 2.

Thanks much!
Erik 26 Reputation points

2021-03-16T12:44:06.937+00:00

Still hoping for input on this.

As much as I appreciate @Grace HE 's response, (1) it doesn't solve the problem at hand.

From what I can find on the web, this is a known issue; however, finding a working solution seems to be a bit more of an unknown.

Thanks much in advance

8 answers

Justin 21 Reputation points

2021-12-20T18:53:49.477+00:00

Having the same issue. Windows 10 version 21H1, Build 19043.1415. I use my second monitor to RDP to work. Every time I shrink then restore the tab it changes from monitor 2 to monitor 1. It should restore to the same window like every other application.

If you have an easy way for me to record both screens, I'll be happy to show you, but I have a feeling it's easy to reproduce.
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Justin 21 Reputation points

2021-12-20T19:20:05.857+00:00

Move RDP to second windows, click close, when you reconnect hopefully will be better!
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Richárd Meszes 1 Reputation point

2022-04-04T13:07:28.14+00:00

Worked for me

Jeremy Pridmore 0 Reputation points

2023-05-10T10:23:53.5266667+00:00

Doesn't work for me. Disconnected, reconnected and still when I minimise and then maximise the RDP window jumps to the "main" screen. Two screens both same resolution.
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Grace HE 1,241 Reputation points

2021-03-12T07:23:50.063+00:00

Hi,

Thank you for the detailed information. Here are some suggestions.

please try edit the group policy on the remote client.
local group policy editor->computer configuration->administrative templates->windows conmponents->remote desktop services->remote desktop session host->remote session environment

Thank you for your feedback. This solution may be basicly applied in the senario you mentioned above. Since the issue you encounter is complex, it is highly recommended that a case should be opened and you need more official help.

Global Customer Service phone numbers (microsoft.com)
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/global-customer-service-phone-numbers-c0389ade-5640-e588-8b0e-28de8afeb3f2

---If the suggestions above are helpful, please ACCEPT ANSWER. Really appreciate. This will also help others with similar issue to find this post quickly. ---
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Erik 26 Reputation points

2021-03-12T11:58:07.263+00:00

Thank you, but if I am reading what you wrote correctly, I cannot make that level of configuration changes on a corp machine.

I own the laptop that I come in from, but they own the host to which I RDP, and I do not have admin on that machine.

Is there nothing simpler for this issue? It seems truly strange to me that a single remote RDP desktop, in a window locally, cannot remember the last display upon which I was shown.
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Erik 26 Reputation points

2021-05-13T17:44:11.997+00:00

Bump. I cannot possibly be the only one with this problem. And this is pretty obviously a bug, given the random nature of the switching screens. Thanks much.
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Scott M 1 Reputation point

2021-06-21T18:16:49.96+00:00

I am experiencing something similar...I have a laptop connected to 2 monitors using a USB hub...of interest I had my laptop on the left hand side and I swtiched desks and put my laptop on the right hand side...after doing that, I couldn't keep the RDP sessions on the monitor I wanted...so after some experimenting, I swapped the monitors and the cabling and now I finally have it so it stays put.

Erik 26 Reputation points

2021-07-13T13:18:35.29+00:00

Unfortunately, when one is using a laptop, one cannot switch monitors like this!

Still, good to know for those who have true dual monitors.

Thanks!

Brian-0961 1 Reputation point

2021-07-13T13:33:42.137+00:00

Try using this https://www.hanselman.com/blog/how-to-remote-desktop-fullscreen-rdp-with-just-some-of-your-multiple-monitors

Create and save a shortcut on your desktop. Edit with notepad and set the selectedmonitors:s:(Number of your main monitor)

I just did this and it seems to be working after repeatedly minimizing/maximizing.

Jeff S 1 Reputation point

2022-10-16T14:13:38.257+00:00

Erik, I just ran across this thread (1.5 years later) and have a similar issue - did you ever find a solution?

My situation: I work from home and have four monitors at my desk. I RDC to my work PC but only want to use three monitors as I have the leftmost monitor showing my security cameras. The monitors are arranged at my desk as ABCD; I want A to always be local viewing my security cameras, and BCD showing my work PC. I can use selectedmonitors in my RDP file to make it work like I want when launched, but if I minimize the RDP window and then restore it, it moves from BCD to ABC. It appears restoring/maximizing an RDP window that uses some but not all local monitors always restores starting with the leftmost monitor regardless of the RDP file settings.

The only workaround I can find is to fool the virtual arrangement of my four monitors so my desktop thinks they are arranged BCDA. Then RDP always restores to BCD but since it thinks A is the rightmost when it's really the leftmost, I have to move the mouse to the right in order to get to the leftmost monitor and that's counterintuitive and annoying.

Anybody got a solution?

JU GO 1 Reputation point

2022-10-26T16:26:43.057+00:00

@Jeff S @Erik
I have pretty much the same problem - three monitors, from left to right ABC, RDP should be set up to use B and C, A for local stuff (Teams, Mail, ...).
I open the RDP session with an RDP file.

When I use
"mstsc /l" to list the monitor IDs, it turns out that actually

A is 2

B is 0

C is 1
(the "Display settings" dialog, which starts counting at 1, actually shows them as 4, 2, and 3 respectively - here "1" is the disabled laptop display).

So in my RDP file I have

use multimon:i:1
selectedmonitors:s:0,1

When I first open the RDP connection, everything behaves as expected. But when I minimize the RDP session (or sometimes even if I did not actively minimize it, but if it is just behind regular local windows) and then bring it to the front by Alt-Tabing to it or by clicking on the RDP session's task bar icon, the RDP session shows up on displays A and B and I have to manually move it to B and C. This is quite annoying.
Any solution? The workaround Jeff described is obviously not acceptable. :-)

Jeff S 1 Reputation point

2022-10-30T18:48:10.303+00:00

Crazy. Interesting to hear that you're experiencing basically the exact same thing.

And just for the record (as if anybody who can do anything about it will ever see this), it happened on Windows 10 Pro for years, even after a couple of complete reinstalls. Same machine now running Windows 11 Pro (22H2) with exactly the same behavior.
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Carl Schick 5 Reputation points

2023-02-08T22:03:17.9433333+00:00

This worked for me...

-- Before you connect to the remote computer, move the Remote Desktop Connection window to the monitor you'd like it to stay in.

-- Connect to the remote computer

-- Minimize / maximize and the window should stay on the correct monitor
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Saul Abarea 0 Reputation points

2023-04-08T21:57:25.2833333+00:00

Thank you! I can confirm this worked for me as well.

Jeremy Pridmore 0 Reputation points

2023-05-10T10:28:23.6266667+00:00

Sorry, but this didn't work. I opened RDP, moved the dialog to my second screen, then selected the PC and clicked connect, the dialog closed and the RDP window then opened on my main screen. Specifying Full Screen or a specific resolution made no difference. Always opened on the main screen.
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