Can't boot to Apple XDR display. 3 monitors, 2 LG. Won't boot to XDR display.

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Level 1

4 points

Can't boot to Apple XDR display. 3 monitors, 2 LG. Won't boot to XDR display.

I have three monitors, an Apple 6k XDR display and two LG 4k 30” displays. With the only exception being disconnecting the other two monitors, I am unable to make my MacPro (2019) boot to the Apple XDR display over the other two monitors. Worse, if I have one of the LG monitors OFF the Mac will still boot to it.

In MacOS 7 - PreX, you used to be able to move a smiling Mac icon to the screen you wanted to boot the computer from. I am completely unable to make the Apple XDR the primary display to boot to. It should be the primary since it’s the highest resolution, and it’s an APPLE product.

This is important and continually a problem. HELP!

Mac Pro, macOS 26.0

Posted on Sep 15, 2025 11:32 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 15, 2025 1:34 PM in response to Reality

<< you used to be able to move a smiling Mac icon to the screen you wanted to boot the computer from. >>

today, in the arrange pane, you drag the tiny Icon of the menuBar to the Primary display.

Displays settings on Mac - Apple Supportw

hat model-year Mac Pro and what graphics?

what models LG 4K displays, and how are they connected?

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Answer 2

Reality Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 15, 2025 7:25 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

The menubar drag to the monitor of choice is the after boot option. This also happened on System 7. it was the smiling Mac icon you could move that would cause the change in the BOOT monitor. The function on iOS26 works exactly the same as System 7, the 'after login' primary screen has the menu bar, but choosing the booting screen... the one with the apple logo and login keeps going to the LG monitors and not my Apple XDR display.

I have the 2019 Mac Pro MacPro7,1 with a AMD Radeon PRO W6800X 32GB. The Three monitors I have are the Apple XDR 6k display, a LG 32EP950, and an LG 32UN880. The XDR is connected via Thunderbolt directly to the card, and the LG displays are using USB-C directly to the card.

The ONLY way that I can get the system to boot to the XDR is if I disconnect the other two. If I have the 32EP950 off, the system boots to the 32UN880. If all three are on, the machine boots to the 32EP950.

Thanks for your help. I don't know the new boot selection post OS 7.... there has to be a way.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 3

Sep 15, 2025 2:13 PM in response to Reality

are you an Admin user?

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