Posts Tagged ‘dual monitor’

Configure GNOME 3 to support dual / multiple monitors / Fix broken workspaces

Sunday, September 22nd, 2013

gnome3 dual 2 monitors not showing right workspace display issue how to fix

If you're using some GNU / Linux distribution with GNOME 3 and you would like to show output of screen in two connected Monitors to the machine you will stumble upon really unusual behavior. For some unknown reason GNOME environment developers make second monitor to keep fixed on on First Workspace, so whether you try changing Desktops to second / third etc. Virtual Desktop you end up with your secondary monitor focused on Workspace 1. Logically the use of Dual monitor configuration is to show all GUI output identically on both monitors so this behavior is "wrong" ….

Fortunately there is setting that control this weird behavior in GNOME through gconf-editor and simply changing that switches monitors to show properly.

To fix it:

Start Run Command or Press Alt + F2 to invoke GNOME Run menu

Navigate to registry path Desktop -> Gnome -> Shell -> Windows and Uncheck selection on workspaces_only_on_primary 

gconf-editor-gnome3-fix-dual-monitor-improperly-showing-workspaces

To make new changes take effect its necessary to Log Off or Restart PC.

There is another easier way for command line oriented people to apply changes without using / having installed gconf-editor by issuing:

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.overrides workspaces-only-on-primary false