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What's the MacOS equivalent to Windows' keyboard shortcut to move AN individual window to another monitor? Let's assume a dual-monitor setup.

The specific Windows keyboard shortcuts I'm hoping to find equivalents to are the following:

  • Move Window to Left Monitor: Windows Icon Symbol+

  • Move Window to Right Monitor: Windows Icon Symbol+

  • Maximize Window: Windows Icon Symbol+

  • Minimize Window: Windows Icon Symbol+

6
  • 1
    macOS doesn't 'think' in monitors it thinks in desktops/spaces. One monitor can have many spaces & one space can be on either monitor. I'd say this would need a 3rd party tool.
    – Tetsujin
    Commented Aug 29, 2019 at 18:05
  • 2
    Catalina has that option, but no shortcut to it, It is under menu Window-> Move to Builtin Display or Window-> Move to External Display. But no shortcut either pressing option/command/shift with all combinations. But possible via acessing the menu with keyboard arrows or via mouse click. There is "minimize" using Command+M
    – Prado
    Commented Aug 29, 2019 at 18:10
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    As a Windows to MacOS user, I ended up using Spectacle to mimic those Snap features
    – ernie
    Commented Aug 29, 2019 at 18:11
  • @ernie, wow didn't realize there was vocabulary which captured the concept. Window snapping, I like it. How-To: Enable Aero Snap-like window snapping on your Mac It also jibes well with vector graphic drawing lingo as in Adobe Illustrator's Snap To Grid feature.
    – jxramos
    Commented Aug 29, 2019 at 20:07
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    this is partially answered in the mega-thread apple.stackexchange.com/a/66936/133605
    – c69
    Commented Nov 17, 2020 at 16:36

4 Answers 4

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I don't think there's a default key shortcut, but if you look in the Window menu, there is a menu item there "Move to name of display".

enter image description here

So you could create shortcuts yourself in System Preferences > Keyboard for the command that is visible in each display.

enter image description here

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    Note that this option is disabled if the Window is currently full screen.
    – ChadT
    Commented Feb 13 at 3:47
5

Spectacles has been discontinued.

I use the app Magnet, downloadable from the App Store, which has the "Next display" capability using:

Ctrl+Opt+Cmd+Left/Right

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    Rectangle is a successor to Spectacles. It has an OSS version and a paid version with more features.
    – tephyr
    Commented Sep 21, 2022 at 21:26
  • Rectangle explicitly states, though, that "Rectangle doesn't have the ability to move to other desktops/spaces"
    – Christoph
    Commented Dec 17, 2023 at 13:49
1

At least with macOS Big Sur and newer, there is a built-in option for moving to another monitor:

Control + Option + Command +

OR

Control + Option + Command +

Please note: the arrow direction doesn't always match the display orientation like it does on Windows. That is, you might have to use the right arrow key to move it to the left side monitor. But, it's easy enough to try the left arrow key first, if that doesn't work, try the right arrow.

The correct key to use is indicated in the Window menu:

Move to other monitor shortcut

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    On my macOS Ventura 13.4/13.5 systems it only requires Control + (or ) ... Option + Command are not necessary. If the arrow direction doesn't match the display arrangement go to System Settings, Displays and use the "Arrange..." button.
    – Stephen P
    Commented Sep 14, 2023 at 16:45
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    For me (macOS 14.1.2), Control + (or ) switches to the next or previous desktop but the currently active window stays where it was. Where do you set this?
    – Christoph
    Commented Dec 17, 2023 at 13:37
-2

Here's what works for me on Ventura. If the window is on desktop 2 and you want the window moved to desktop 1:

  1. Go to desktop 2
  2. 3-finger swipe up on your trackpad
  3. You should see buttons for each desktop at the top
  4. Drag the window up to desktop 1
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    it only takes 3 fingers to get into that desktop review mode, what is that UI view called anyways does anyone know?
    – jxramos
    Commented May 15 at 3:21
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    The questions concerns keyboard shortcuts, not how to do it with a mouse.
    – Atemu
    Commented May 15 at 13:59
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    @jxramos I believe it's called "mission control".
    – Atemu
    Commented May 15 at 13:59
  • Yep that name checks out: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/…
    – jxramos
    Commented May 15 at 17:11
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    @atemu, agreed the original question asks if there is a keyboard shortcut. But there doesn't appear to be a built-in keyboard shortcut, also noted by the top comment. Many people won’t want to create a custom keyboard shortcut or download a 3rd party app. Other people might find this page because they have a window stuck on the other desktop and they just want a quick solution. This gives a quick and simple answer using the trackpad for anyone on Ventura.
    – eleven11
    Commented May 15 at 23:49

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