System Enable or Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected in Windows 11

Brink · Jun 21, 2021

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable minimize windows when a monitor is disconnected for your account in Windows 11.

If you have more than one display connected, Windows 11 will automatically minimize windows opened on a monitor when this monitor is disconnected.

If you disable Minimize windows when a monitor is disconnected, all windows opened on a monitor that gets disconnected will be stacked on the main monitor.

Contents

Option One: Enable or Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected in Settings
Option Two: Enable or Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected using REG file

Option One

Enable or Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected in Settings

1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on System one the left side, and click/tap on Display on the right side. (see screenshot below)

Open Display Settings

3 Click/tap on Multiple displays on the right side to expand it open. (see screenshot below step 4)

4 Check (enable - default) or Uncheck (disable) Minimize windows when a monitor is disconnected for what you want on the right side under Multiple Displays.

5 You can now close Settings if you like.

Option Two

Enable or Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected using REG file

1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Enable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected

This is the default setting.

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Enable_rminimize_windows_when_monitor_is_disconnected_in_Windows_11.reg

Download

{Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"MonitorRemovalRecalcBehavior"=dword:00000000

3 To Disable Minimize windows when Monitor is Disconnected

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Disable_rminimize_windows_when_monitor_is_disconnected_in_Windows_11.reg

Download

{Contents of REG file for reference)

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"MonitorRemovalRecalcBehavior"=dword:00000001

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 Either sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

That's it,
Shawn Brink