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I have the following dual-screen set up on my Windows 7 PC: [2][1], that means my secondary monitor is on the left side of my primary monitor.

Now I have a dual-screen wallpaper that should stretch across the monitors. I have set it to "Tile" mode.

Problem: The wallpaper invariably starts at [1] (left edge of the image being on the left edge of [1]), and then continues on [2]. It basically splits the wrong way, producing a rather awkward look.

How can I make the wallpaper appear correctly (i.e. left edge of the image being on the left edge of [2])?

P.S.: I am aware that software like UltraMon could work around this by creating tailored wallpapers with flipped halves or whatnot. I consider this a sucky solution. I basically want Windows to get it right by itself. I've actually told it my screen alignment in the Control panel, so it can't be that difficult, can it?

gronostaj
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Tomalak
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6 Answers6

12

As a triple screen monitor user, with a [3][1][2] configuration, I've hit this same problem. Unfortunately, windows actually is that stupid. It defines the left edge of the wallpaper as the left edge of the primary monitor, regardless of how you tell Windows how the monitors are positioned. That screen is only useful for determining how the mouse travels between screens.

I personally use DisplayFusion to correct this unfortunate flaw in the OS.

Ryan Gooler
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5

I don't have two monitors but i know a friend that use Dual Monitor Tools. Is a suite of individual apps, you load only the ones you need. The suite currently includes four applications Swap Screen, Dual Wallpaper, DisMon, and Dual Swap. I'm not sure if it is what you need but is free.

Ither
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2

By stating you want Windows to get it right itself you dismiss both a) custom software and b) the option of taking the 20 seconds to swap the halves of the image in a basic image editor.

I guess your only option left is to hope and wait for Windows 8. There is a reason there's custom software for this problem.

Daniel Beck
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1

I had this very issue today but rather than downloading a 3rd-Party app I wanted to give this a go see if I could resolve it.

I right-clicked the desktop and selected Screen Resolution then on the dialog window that appears I clicked on the checkbox option labelled "Make this your main display".

I did the above for the primary display and this fixed the scaling problem if you already have set it to the primary display then make the second screen the primary and switch back again.

You should find your background is now properly scaled to the primary monitor and you can then set how the background should scale in the Personalize > Desktop Backgrounds option screen.

Trevor
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0

I think the problem begins with your setup and understanding of how Windows works with multiple monitors. I'm not saying it's right or wrong (or that you are), it's just the way it is.

First, Windows needs for your primary monitor to be on the left. Obviously you can switch this around (I've even seen them in the above/below configuration).

Second, based on the first, Windows will only flow left to right.

Now, on to fixing your particular problem.

What you will need to do is take your current dual-screen wallpaper and cut it exactly in half. Then you need to join those two halves BACKWARDS, ie... the left is what you would normally expect on the right, & vice versa.

Now, when you tile, they will show what you have, but since your monitors are set up "backwards" (according to Windows), the wallpaper will appear properly.

If you don't have a program to do your editing with, may I recommend irfanview.com. Or use any of the online offerings. Irfanview is free, easy to use, and a great program. It also has an option to create a Panorama, which makes this all a bit easier, since it will join your two halves back into a whole.

Good luck, God bless, and have fun "being backwards!"

SaxManEric

SaxManEric
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-4

You can use a few windows screen managers and wallpaper managers that add extra functionality to dual screen setups.

DisplayFusion is a good free option.

For a few ££ Ultramon is far better; I think there is a shareware version.

nhinkle
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Fulcanelli
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