Dual Monitors w/27" iMac not staying on task ?

[Benjamin Anderson]

Hello,

Ive been searching for some insight into how to most effectively corral 'screens' of apps from automatically jumping from screen to screen on my new iMac.

Ive drug the top bar here and there but cannot seem to keep Photoshop corralled on my 27" screen and use my 24" Dell monitor laden with the housekeeping and admin apps (desk top, mail, messaging, etc. Am I asking too much?

Thanks in advance for any assistance or direction to a solid reference elsewhere on the web.

Thanks,

Ben

[Brian]

Would you like to know the easy way? Or at least the one that I use? Spend $3 on this program from the App Store:

Magnet on the Mac App Store.

That program is awesome and totally worth the $2.99 (Plus Tax).

[Brian]

I have three screens corralled in this example:

 

 

Photoshop is in the top left, Lightroom is the bottom left, and Firefox is on the right as a full vertical. I don't have two displays, but if you set your screens to "Extend" and use this program, it will do what you are looking for and not give you any grief.

[Brian]

One more thing! To make a Macintosh Window work more like ones you would find in Microsoft Windows, I also use this program as well.

Right Zoom

This program is free and now works with Catalina.

[Benjamin Anderson]

Hi Brian, 

Thanks for the info.

I have an older 24" Dell monitor to the left of my 27" iMac. I want to have the Dell, on left, to be my admin/email/Finder screen and apps opening on the 27" screen when called. i.e. \Photoshop opens on the 27" screen when called by either icon or  Bridge. Will Magnet allow that?

[Brian]

Head to the Apple Menu and click System Preferences or choose it on your Dock Bar and head to Displays. Click the Arrangement Tab and I would set your displays to "Extend" by un-checking the "Mirrored Displays" checkbox, and arranging your Dell to be on the left.

With Magnet, you get to pick and choose what goes where. Simply select a Window that you want to arrange, then head up to the Magnet Program, which installs itself next to the clock:
 

I've logged into six different computers and had each Window arranged in a way that I wanted them. So my thinking is when you get your Displays arranged and things the way that you want, Magnet will do what you want without arguing and the Windows will stay there until you change things or reboot. Magnet isn't a permanent solution, and I don't believe any OS does this. You will have to setup your Windows each time you boot up. But after you get things situated, it will only take like 30 seconds each day to arrange things when you boot up for the 1st time.

 

[Brian]

Here is some info from Apple:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202351