Most Windows programs are smart enough to remember their last location. In other words, if you move Microsoft Word to monitor #2, that’s where it’ll appear the next time you run it.
Recently, however, Firefox fell in love with my second monitor and decided to stay there, even though I wanted it on monitor #1 and moved it there repeatedly. (For the record, I’m running Firefox 4 in Windows 7. I’m not sure if the same bug exists with other versions of either.)
Thankfully, there’s an easy fix, albeit a strange one. Here’s what to do:
1. Run Firefox.
2. Click and drag the top edge of the browser down a bit so Firefox becomes “windowed” (as opposed to full-screen).
3. Move the Firefox window to the monitor where you want it to roost permanently (or at least until you elect to relocate it).
4. Close Firefox.
5. Run it again. It should appear, windowed, right where you left it.
6. Now maximize Firefox so it’s running full-screen.
That’s it! From here on out, the browser should run on your desired monitor. Yo, Mozilla: Add this to your bug list for Firefox 5, will ya?
Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums.