microsoft / microsoft/PowerToys

Windows aren't being moved to external monitors in Workspaces when launched due to changing screen numbers

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#48,166 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
Issue-Bug Needs-Triage Product-Workspaces
Dominant language
C
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139k
Forks
8.6k
PR merge metrics
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Description

### Microsoft PowerToys version

0.99.1

### Installation method

Microsoft Store

### Area(s) with issue?

Workspaces

### Steps to reproduce

I have a laptop, dock and two external monitors. I dock and undock my laptop regularly as I come and go from meetings. Each time I dock, the "screen number" changes in Workspaces for my external monitors. The laptop screen is always 1. When I launch a workspace, only the windows that are to be moved to the laptop screen are moved, as the numbers in my workspace settings don't correlate to the screen numbers of the monitors.

I realised this by recapturing the workspace each time it didn't open correctly, and in the settings, the screen number had increased.

Image

### ✔️ Expected Behavior

The windows to move to the correct monitors when the workspace is launched.

### ❌ Actual Behavior

Only the windows that are located on the laptop screen are moved correctly. The windows that are supposed to be moved onto the external monitors are minimised.

### Upload Bug Report ZIP-file

[PowerToysReport_2026-05-28-16-09-36.zip](https://github.com/user-attachments/files/28334800/PowerToysReport_2026-05-28-16-09-36.zip)

### Additional Information

Windows 11
Not running as Admin

### Other Software

_No response_

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Research direction

Start by reproducing the Workspaces behavior with a laptop, dock, and two external monitors, docking and undocking before launching a saved workspace. Compare the configured monitor numbers with the current screen assignments and use the provided bug report for additional context. Done means workspace windows move to the correct external monitors instead of being minimized.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Domain
desktop
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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