linuxmint / linuxmint/cinnamon
Cinnamon DE does NOT remember the position (left) of second monitor when I deactivate and reactivate it
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Description
* Cinnamon version: my system --> https://termbin.com/4kdf
* Linux mint 20
* AMD Radeon 5600XT with default AMDGPU open source driver
* 64 bit
Issue
I use a dual monitor setup (please see attached image)

My second monitor is positioned left and my main monitor right. Sometimes I don't use my second monitor and I deactivate it clicking the "activate" toggle switch. The problem is that when I activate it again, the display manager (cinnamon-settings display) does NOT remember the previous position and it defaults the position of my second monitor again to the right. So, each time I deactivate and reactivate my second monitor, I need to position it again to the left. This is counter productive and I think it should be fixed.
Steps to reproduce
- open cinnamon-settings display
- deactivate 2nd monitor
- click apply
- reactivate second monitor. Click apply. Now the second monitor is positioned to the right, even though it was previously set to the left.
Expected behaviour
cinnamon-settings display should remember the configured monitors positions.
Other information
I managed to overcome this issue using a hand-made script, which I run each time I need to activate/deactivate my second monitor.
xrandr --listactivemonitors | grep 'DisplayPort-0' && xrandr --output DisplayPort-0 --off || xrandr --output DisplayPort-0 --left-of HDMI-A-0 --auto
Contributor guide
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First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start by reproducing the issue in cinnamon-settings display with the second monitor positioned left, then deactivate and reactivate it and compare the saved layout with the xrandr command shown in the report. Trace the display configuration path responsible for restoring monitor positions. Done means reactivation preserves the previously configured left-side position.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- linux
- Domain
- desktop
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Quiet
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 50/100