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June 11, 2019
Answered

Photoshop changing multiple monitor order and resolution

  • June 11, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 632 views

I have 2 Samsung 27" monitors at 1920 x 1080 on either side of a BenQ 27" (acquired last) at 2560 x 1440. In Windows 10 Pro, initially the order in Display Settings was 1 3 2 because the Samsungs were connected via HDMI (which apparently has precedence over DVI in the order) and the BenQ was DVI, but after rearranging the connections to my NVidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card and using a DVI to HDMI adapter, I was able to get the Display Settings order as 1 2 3, which just makes more sense to me, as one would read numbers from left to right on a page.

Now when I start the latest Photoshop, all 3 monitors go blank for a few seconds before Photoshop starts on the left screen. I get a message from the Microsoft Color Management System (CMS) that says, "The Device pages has been refreshed due to a hardware change." The image of the rectangles for "Select and rearrange displays" in Display Settings now shows an order of 1 3 2. However, the Identify button under this image still identifies the order as 1 2 3. The image seems to be the "real" order according to Windows, which means if I start on the extreme left of the left screen and move the mouse cursor, it will go to the right screen and then to the middle just as the display order graphic says. Initially, this same order of 1 3 2 was also shown by the CMS Identify button. The resolution of the BenQ also changed to 1920 x 1080.

I got CMS to show the monitor identities as 1 2 3 by unplugging the right monitor and restarting CMS, where it identified the two remaining monitors as 1 2. I then reconnected the right monitor and CMS identified it as #3. Now both Display Settings and CMS identify these monitors from left to right as 1 2 3, with the BenQ in the middle as #2. The mouse now goes across all 3 screens as it should from left to middle to right. So far so good.

When I quit Photoshop, the monitor order image in Display Settings reverts to 1 2 3 and the BenQ resolution reverts to 2560 x 1440. CMS shows the same message about refreshing due to a hardware change.

To say the least, this behaviour is very annoying. I've ensured that the Interface preference for UI Scaling has been set to 100% rather than Auto. Photoshop should be able to recognize changing the order of monitor cables connected to a graphics card without "fooling" CMS that there has been a "hardware change", causing things to refresh, even after a total system restart! I suspect there is some lingering setting that Photoshop might be following in spite of the cabling rearrangements. It could also be a bug in Windows itself that Photoshop is blindly following.

A long explanation for a simple question: Does anyone have any insight on this and how it can be resolved? Thanks.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer JJMack

Every time you Plugin or unplug or change your desktop Display mapping on your computer  your  OS will report the changes to a running Photoshop and Photoshop will change its display configuration. Your  desktop displays are relative to each other and you will see the in Photoshop menu help system Info.

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=0, left=-1920, bottom=1080, right=0

make a system change check system info

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=569, left=1920, bottom=1649, right=3840

Its seen Photoshop Display 1 is location 0,0 even if to change you  desktop Displays configuration layout and display mapping

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=569, left=1920, bottom=1649, right=3840

Do not make make desktop configuration changes. Set you displays up for you system usage. Iif you have a display you will attach sometime configure attache it and configure it in  so when it is plugged the location will be mapped where you want it mapped. Start Photoshop and position Photoshop UI elements on the displays  you want them on. Open a file and drag it to the display you want it on. Close and reopen the file it should  and open on the display you want it the to open on Save your workspace so current UI elements position can be restored to the current locations,  Close and open Photoshop things should be where you want them to be.

Photoshop will change with the flow

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=0, left=-1920, bottom=1080, right=0

Display: 3

Display Bounds: top=0, left=1920, bottom=1440, right=4080

2 replies

JJMack
Community Expert
JJMackCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 11, 2019

Every time you Plugin or unplug or change your desktop Display mapping on your computer  your  OS will report the changes to a running Photoshop and Photoshop will change its display configuration. Your  desktop displays are relative to each other and you will see the in Photoshop menu help system Info.

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=0, left=-1920, bottom=1080, right=0

make a system change check system info

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=569, left=1920, bottom=1649, right=3840

Its seen Photoshop Display 1 is location 0,0 even if to change you  desktop Displays configuration layout and display mapping

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=569, left=1920, bottom=1649, right=3840

Do not make make desktop configuration changes. Set you displays up for you system usage. Iif you have a display you will attach sometime configure attache it and configure it in  so when it is plugged the location will be mapped where you want it mapped. Start Photoshop and position Photoshop UI elements on the displays  you want them on. Open a file and drag it to the display you want it on. Close and reopen the file it should  and open on the display you want it the to open on Save your workspace so current UI elements position can be restored to the current locations,  Close and open Photoshop things should be where you want them to be.

Photoshop will change with the flow

Display: 1

Display Bounds: top=0, left=0, bottom=1080, right=1920

Display: 2

Display Bounds: top=0, left=-1920, bottom=1080, right=0

Display: 3

Display Bounds: top=0, left=1920, bottom=1440, right=4080

JJMack
davescm
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 11, 2019

Hi

Have you tried resetting Photoshop's Preferences? Although there is no user preference for this, Photoshop's preferences also contain internal settings

Dave