The fastest fix is to switch your game to borderless windowed mode. Exclusive fullscreen gives up the screen the moment you click elsewhere, while borderless keeps the game running.
That quick answer works for most players on dual monitors, but each game hides the setting in a different menu. This guide shows how to stop games minimizing on dual monitors for good. It also shows how SmartPanels keeps both screens organized. Scroll to the table to find the exact setting for your game or jump to the checklist if borderless mode didn’t work.
Why Games Keep Minimizing on Dual Monitors
There is a method to Windows 11’s way of handling games that are in the habit of minimizing. The system will put its full attention on whichever window is active, and it is the game’s display mode that determines how it reacts when that attention is diverted.
Exclusive fullscreen
You will find several games that provide exclusive fullscreen, with some making it the default setting. By sidestepping the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) – the service responsible for rendering all your windows. The game can assume direct control of the display and reap the benefit of marginally less input lag.
But there is a downside to that kind of control. The application is either in your face and focused, or it is minimized. Go and click on an app over on the second monitor, and Windows will cede focus to it, leaving the game to be relegated to the taskbar.
Borderless windowed
Take borderless mode, for instance: the game is presented in a standard window that has been expanded to cover the screen. Since DWM is responsible for the rendering, Windows regards the title as just another application. One can have the game running on the first monitor and still use the mouse over on the second without issue.
Borderless Windowed Setting for Popular Games
Every game names its borderless windowed mode dual monitor setting a little differently. Find your game below, open the menu path, and pick the option shown.
| Game | Where to find it | Option to choose |
| Dota 2 | Settings > Video > Display Mode | Borderless Window |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Settings > Video > Windowed Mode | Windowed Borderless |
| Marvel Rivals | Settings > Display > Display Mode | Borderless Windowed |
| Minecraft (Java) | No built-in borderless option | See Games Without a Borderless Option |
| Roblox | No built-in borderless option | See Games Without a Borderless Option |
Don’t see your game? Look for Display Mode, Window Mode, or Screen Mode in the video settings.
Games Without a Borderless Option
Some games skip borderless mode entirely. These four workarounds get you close to the same result.
Switch to windowed mode and maximize
- Set the game’s display mode to Windowed.
- Double-click the title bar, or press Windows + Up Arrow, to maximize it.
- Click your second monitor to test it. The game stays open behind your other app.
Try Alt + Enter
- Launch the game in fullscreen.
- Press Alt + Enter to toggle into windowed mode.
- Maximize the window if the game supports it.
Check launch options
- In Steam, right-click the game and choose Properties.
- Find the Launch Options box on the General tab.
- Search the game’s official forums for its windowed or borderless command, since each game uses its own.
Use a free borderless tool
Free tools like the open-source Borderless Gaming app force most windowed games into borderless fullscreen. Download it only from its official source. Check that your game’s anti-cheat allows it before you play online.
Minecraft (Java) and Roblox
In Minecraft Java, press F11 to switch to windowed, then maximize the window. In Roblox, press F11 or turn off Fullscreen in the in-game Settings menu, then maximize the window.
9 Proven Fixes
Start with Fix #1 and work down. Most players solve the problem within the first three.
1. Switch to Borderless Windowed Mode
This is the most effective fix, for the reasons above. The game fills your main screen, and you can click anything on screen two.
- Open your game’s settings menu.
- Go to the Display or Video options.
- Change Display Mode from Fullscreen to the borderless option (see the table above for your game).
- Apply the change and restart the game if prompted.
2. Set Your Gaming Monitor as the Main Display
Windows shows notifications on your main display, and most games open there by default. Gaming on the other screen invites focus conflicts.
- Right-click the desktop and choose Display settings.
- Select your gaming monitor.
- Scroll down and tick Make this my main display.
3. Silence Notifications and Test Game Mode
A single toast alert can pull a fullscreen game back to the taskbar.
- Open Settings > System > Notifications.
- Expand Turn on do not disturb automatically.
- Tick When playing a game.
Game Mode can also clash with multi-screen setups on some PCs. Try turning it off under Settings > Gaming > Game Mode, then test again.
4. Update Your Graphics Drivers Properly
There is a chance that an old driver will cause the display to drop and come back, putting any fullscreen applications in their place. The best course of action is to get the newest driver directly from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel; one should not rely on Windows Update, as it tends to hand out older builds.
Should a routine update not take, the installer for NVIDIA or AMD has a clean install option. In the event of more intractable conflicts, use the free Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) to wipe out all remnants of the previous driver before proceeding.
5. Find Focus-Stealing Background Apps
Overlays, updaters, and RGB tools often grab focus mid-game.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
- Close apps you don’t need before you play.
- On the Startup apps tab, disable nonessential apps, then re-enable them one at a time to find the culprit.
If an app crashes now, your game minimizes, and Event Viewer logs it under Windows Logs > Application.
6. Show the Taskbar on Every Display
To stop game minimizing when clicking second monitor apps, give that screen its own taskbar. You then open apps there without touching the game window.
- Right-click the taskbar and open Taskbar settings.
- Expand Taskbar behaviors.
- Tick Show my taskbar on all displays.
7. Check Refresh Rates and Cables
On some systems, a 144 Hz monitor next to a 60 Hz one causes stutter or brief display resets. Confirm each screen’s rate under Settings > System > Display > Advanced display. Use DisplayPort for your gaming monitor where you can.
For detailed advice, see the mixed refresh rates tips in Fixes for Your Exact Setup.
8. Raise the Focus Timeout (Advanced)
Windows uses a timeout to decide how long apps wait before jumping to the front. Some apps and tweak tools set it to 0, which lets background apps grab focus instantly.
- Back up your registry first.
- Open Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.
- Set ForegroundLockTimeout to 30d40 (hexadecimal), the Windows default of 200,000 milliseconds.
- Restart your PC.
9. Toggle Fullscreen Optimizations (Only for Fullscreen Stutter)
Fullscreen optimizations only affect games set to fullscreen mode, not borderless. If you prefer fullscreen for performance and it stutters, turning them off can help. Expect minimizing to return, since the game then runs in true exclusive fullscreen.
- Right-click the game’s .exe file and choose Properties.
- Open the Compatibility tab.
- Tick Disable fullscreen optimizations, then click Apply.
Test the game both ways and keep whichever setting runs smoother.
Still Minimizing? Quick Diagnostic Checklist
Already using borderless mode, and your game still minimizes? Work through these checks in order.
| If this happens… | Likely cause | Do this |
| Game minimizes only when a notification pops up | Windows notifications | Turn on Do Not Disturb while gaming (Fix #3) |
| Game minimizes at random, with no click | A background app grabs focus | Check Task Manager (Fix #5) and raise the focus timeout (Fix #8) |
| Screen goes black, then the game minimizes | Display reconnecting | Clean-install drivers (Fix #4); check cables and refresh rates (Fix #7) |
| Game minimizes when you click the second monitor | Game still in exclusive fullscreen | Re-check your game’s display mode (popular games table) |
| Game opens on the wrong screen or minimizes at launch | Wrong main display | Set your gaming monitor as main display (Fix #2) |
| Only happens with Discord, OBS, or an overlay open | Overlay conflict | See the streaming tips in Fixes for Your Exact Setup |
Fixes for Your Exact Setup
Your hardware shapes which fix works best. Find your setup below.
NVIDIA graphics cards
Start by opening the NVIDIA Control Panel and make your way to Display > Change resolution. For every monitor, select the option for the highest refresh rate it will allow. You should also verify in the Set up multiple displays section that the gaming monitor is designated as the primary screen.
Do note that NVIDIA has been shifting some of these settings over to their app; if you cannot find a menu in the Control Panel, the display settings in the NVIDIA app are where to look. As for the in-game overlay, it is best to leave it off unless there is a need for it, given its tendency to take focus.
AMD graphics cards
To get to the right place, launch AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition and head over to Settings > Display. From there you can view the settings for any of the monitors by selecting them in the list above. Should you encounter a screen that blanks or flickers while in the middle of a game, try disabling AMD FreeSync on it to see if that is the cause.
In the event the game continues to minimize itself, the solution is to open the Preferences in Adrenalin and switch off the in-game overlay. After that, perform a clean install of the drivers, making sure to have the Factory Reset option checked.
Laptop with an external monitor
To begin, make the external monitor your primary display (Fix #2). Then navigate to Settings > System > Display > Graphics and put your game on the High-performance setting to ensure it is using the dedicated GPU.
As for testing, you may want to connect the monitor directly to the laptop rather than through a dock or USB-C hub; those can be prone to momentary signal loss that will minimize the game. If the screen vanishes entirely, see our guide on a second monitor not detected.
Streaming or using Discord/OBS on the second screen
Any number of overlays, be they from Discord, Steam, NVIDIA or the Xbox Game Bar, have a way of taking focus. It is best to disable any you are not making use of.
For your part, put the game in borderless mode. That will let one click over to OBS on the second screen and continue with the capture without having to minimize the game.
Monitors with different refresh rates
A 144 Hz plus 60 Hz pair is a common dual monitor gaming setup, and it works well with a few tweaks. Set each monitor to its own maximum rate rather than matching them.
Keep the game on the faster screen and set that screen as main display. Avoid playing video on the 60 Hz screen if you see stutter.
Build a Better Two-Screen Gaming Station with SmartPanels
With the game where it should be, the task at hand is to maintain an orderly workspace on both screens come what may. That is where SmartPanels comes in. While the fixes are what hold your game open, SmartPanels will put everything else in its place.
You can have a Gaming profile with the game on one screen and Discord or OBS or some such guide on the other. Or put together a Work profile for all the apps and tabs you need for the office. Switch between them with one click or one of your custom hotkeys.
On a dual monitor gaming rig, SmartPanels restores window placement, apps, and browser tabs in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. It supports up to six displays. Many dual monitor tools only snap windows into a grid, while SmartPanels saves your whole session.
Download SmartPanels free and start using it right away, card-free. Upgrade whenever you’re ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my game minimize when I click on my second monitor?
Your game runs in exclusive fullscreen, which only works while the game has focus. Clicking the second monitor moves focus away, so Windows minimizes the game. Switch to borderless windowed mode to keep it open.
Does borderless windowed mode lower FPS or add input lag?
Usually not on Windows 11. Turn on Optimizations for windowed games under Settings > System > Display > Graphics > Change default graphics settings. It brings borderless input lag close to fullscreen levels. For more, see whether dual monitors slow down your GPU.
How do I stop a game from minimizing when I alt-tab?
Use borderless windowed mode. Alt + Tab then moves focus to another app while your game keeps running on screen. In exclusive fullscreen, Alt + Tab minimizes the game.
Why does my game minimize by itself with no click at all?
A background app or notification is usually grabbing focus. Turn on Do Not Disturb while gaming and close overlays you don’t use. Then work through the diagnostic checklist above.
Can I play a game on one monitor and watch YouTube or Twitch on the other?
Yes. Run the game in borderless windowed mode and open your browser on the second screen. You can click play, pause, or chat without minimizing the game.
Final Thoughts
Exclusive fullscreen causes most minimizing problems, and borderless windowed mode solves them. If your game still minimizes, set the right main display, silence notifications, clean-install your drivers, and check your refresh rates. Now you know how to stop games minimizing on dual monitors, and you can also optimize Windows 11 for gaming.
With your game settled, SmartPanels restores every window, layout, and browser tab in your workspace with one click or hotkey. Move from a raid to a work call and back in seconds.
Get the free version of SmartPanels today, card-free, and upgrade whenever you need more.