Sonoma - change display order?

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Sonoma - change display order?

Studio M2 running Sonoma. I have three displays: an Apple Studio, which has the menu bar (“displays have separate spaces” is turned off), in the middle and a 24" display on either side of it. I have arranged them so the cursor moves between them as expected, reflecting their physical layout.

I have software which uses “screen number 2” for a secondary display. I want this always to be the left-hand 24" screen. Sometimes it is and sometimes (after a restart) it isn’t. How do I set the screen order (this is distinct from the screen arrangement)?

Mac Studio, macOS 14.7

Posted on Jun 22, 2025 09:01 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,245 points

Jun 22, 2025 09:11 AM in response to kikashi

Apple menu -> System Settings -> Displays lets you identify displays and have a visusal layout of all displays that will identify them one by one. If you move the rectangle one of display relative another, you can change the arrangement. If you drag the thin rectangle on one display to another, it adjusts which display is the "primary" display with the menubar.

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Answer 2

kikashi Author

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Jun 22, 2025 09:49 AM in response to a brody

Please read my question. I'm not asking how to arrange the displays relative to each other as part of one desktop; that's been trivial for nigh-on 40 years. Rather, I'm asking how, if at all, it's possible to order the displays so that, in my case, the left-hand display is always display number 2.

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

85,245 points

Jun 22, 2025 10:11 AM in response to kikashi

Each time you change which display is the Main Display, it renumbers the displays accordingly.

I recommend since that's how it functions, to play around with the arrangement after setting the main display to make it work best for you. You may have to physically arrange which display is placed in a certain spot after making the software change.

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Sonoma - change display order?

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