Quickly place a window to another screen using only the keyboard

Question

I know that using Alt+F7, I can use the keyboard to move the window around. I can also use the "Grid" plugin of Compiz to position quickly the window around my current monitor. The grid plugin doesn't seem work across monitor however.

What I need is a quicker way to move the current window to the other screen. In my current dual-monitor setup, I find myself needing to move the focus window to the other monitor as I focus on working on something else (and move it back afterward).

If I use XMonad (or other tiling managers), this would be rather easy. However, many applications that I use (Gnome Do, MATLAB, image viewers, custom apps that I write, ...) do not work well with a tiling manager.

So my question is: is there a shortcut key combination that moves the currently focused window to the other monitor (and back)?

Thanks, I was looking for the Alt-F7 shortcut. First time I find the answer I was looking for, in a question. — qwertzguy, Nov 19 '13 at 20:20
Possible duplicate of move window to monitor on the left/right shortcut — tudor -Reinstate Monica-, Oct 10 '18 at 22:38
I'm using Alt-F7. However for a speedup moving with arrows and ctrl. Much faster thought. — Vadim, May 06 '19 at 05:39

score 207 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 11 '17 at 18:59

207

Install CompizConfig Settings Manager Install compizconfig-settings-manager

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Run CCSM → Go to bottom (Window Management) → Go to "Put."
Enable the plugin.
Configure shortcut for "Put to next Output."
Log out and back in again.

If the plugin put doesn't appear in CCSM, install the compiz-plugins Install compiz-plugins package. (sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install compiz-plugins)

EDIT: The required plugin package is now called compiz-plugins on 12.10 and higher. compiz-plugins-extra Install compiz-plugins-extra is still used for 12.04.

edited Mar 11 '17 at 18:59

Community

1

answered Jan 19 '11 at 11:51

grizwako

5,635

6

It's also worth noting that "next" output will cycle through all of the monitors (not stopping on the furthest right). – Adrian Schneider May 05 '12 at 03:12
2

I don't see the plug-in. Using Ubuntu QQ – Yatharth Agarwal Dec 20 '12 at 12:23
This didn't work for me, maybe because I'm using nvidia drivers? – Flimm Sep 09 '13 at 10:57
Tried to set up "Put to adjacent viewport" — no luck. – Michael Pankov Dec 27 '13 at 14:14
I enabled the Put extension but it's not working for me -- unlike the regular Compiz Grid commands. Ubuntu 14.04, Dell E7240, Apple Cinema Display. – Paul Bissex Aug 01 '14 at 13:49
Doesn't work for me Ubuntu 14.04, kernel 3.16, nVidia drivers. – jaywink Sep 14 '14 at 14:09
10

Ah it does work - just needs a logoff/logon! – jaywink Sep 14 '14 at 14:15
6

There isn't any option "Put" – richardaum Jun 29 '15 at 23:20
7

@Richard, you'll have to install compiz-plugins as mentioned in the post. (Sidenote: I'm on Ubuntu 15.04 and once that was installed I was the "Put" plugin.) – Anonsage Aug 17 '15 at 05:13
1

I like Super + Page_Down for "put to next output" and Super + Page_Up for "put to previous output". I prefer to leave the Super key for System-wide commands only. – Akronix Sep 01 '15 at 14:06
3

it seems this plugin conflicts with the grid one. When a window is placed in one of the grid positions it refuses to be moved to the other screen - it goes there and them comes back. any solution for this? – igorsantos07 Aug 09 '16 at 20:02
In Ubuntu 16.10 there is no "Put" option available, can you please provide workaround? – kasi Jan 30 '17 at 09:25
So what's the preferred shortcuts for Put to next/prev Output? – AlikElzin-kilaka Feb 05 '18 at 07:13
1

I couldn't see Put option on Ubuntu 16.04 until i did sudo apt install compiz-plugins-extra – KarolisR Aug 06 '20 at 09:06
Continues to work in Ubuntu 20.04LTS with Unity 7.5 also. :) – Pandian Le Apr 27 '21 at 21:03

score 32 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 26 '14 at 05:58

32

I like Put to next Output with Ctrl + Alt + n

enjoy it!

Put at CCSM.

Put to Next Output

answered Nov 26 '14 at 05:58

Chu-Siang Lai

489
4
10

1

Now, I use setting this hotkey to 'm'. :P – Chu-Siang Lai May 20 '16 at 03:57
3

I don't have Put in my CCSM – Jamie Hutber Feb 01 '18 at 09:56
2

@JamieHutber you need to install the compiz-plugins and then you see it there. – Pandian Le Nov 04 '20 at 22:40
2

Thank you Pandian. – Jamie Hutber Nov 05 '20 at 16:23
And you need to logoff and log on – Pandian Le Apr 27 '21 at 20:59

score 24 · Answer 3 · edited May 07 '19 at 14:40

24

On my machine (CentOS Linux 7) it worked out of the box:
Use window key+shift+arrows this will move window quickly between monitors Works on maximized as well as non maximized windows.

edited May 07 '19 at 14:40

Jeff

1,674

answered May 07 '19 at 12:55

Andrey

241
2
2

1

If possible can you please clarify how to achieve this in Ubuntu since this is what question in about. – Kulfy May 07 '19 at 14:08
1

Thanks! I have two monitors (not talking about workspaces) and it worked fine! [ubuntu budgie 19.04] – sdlins Jun 17 '19 at 22:12
2

This also works fine for me out of the box on Ubuntu 18.04 – Gerald Jul 26 '19 at 05:29
I can confirm this works in 20.04 LTS as well. Should be the accepted answer, since it does not require any additional installation - just know the keys that were asked for. – foo May 30 '20 at 16:40

score 13 · Answer 4 · edited Dec 05 '14 at 11:26

13

Alt+Ctrl + NumLeft/NumRight

for minimised window only (!) I found today in Gnome 3 @ Ubuntu 14.04.

i.e., if you wan to move maximized window, you may

'Win + DownArrow', 'Alt+Ctrl+ NumLeft/NumRight', 'Win + UpArrow'

or try to bind it..

edited Dec 05 '14 at 11:26

Praveen

1,015
4
14
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answered Oct 15 '14 at 18:23

viktorkho

131
1
2

10

Unfortunately, this Alt+Ctrl+<NumDirection> shortcuts keep the window on the same screen and doesn't move to another screen.. tested on Ubuntu 15.04 (w/Unity). – Anonsage Aug 09 '15 at 01:04
2

It's the same issue on Ubuntu 16.04. I came here to find a solution to this problem. – byxor Oct 03 '16 at 16:14
@Anonsage But it is for Gnome. Not Unity. – G. Demecki Mar 26 '18 at 06:47

score 5 · Answer 5 · edited Apr 23 '15 at 17:20

5

After installing compizconfig-settings-manager → Run it → Go to bottom (Window Management) → Go to "Put."

Then you should try "Put within viewport" and "Put Left/Put Right". If the window is not on the edge of the screen needs double "right/left" to switch over screens. By default is with super+Numpad-Arrows.

edited Apr 23 '15 at 17:20

Community

1

answered Jan 30 '14 at 00:24

ioaniatr

1,301
1
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Not the most direct solution, but a better one in my opinion. – Jonah Jan 12 '15 at 19:11
This is the only answer that worked for me. – haff Jul 23 '16 at 00:08
Put is missing. how do I get it? (ubuntu 20 fresh install with unity 7.5) – Pandian Le Apr 27 '21 at 20:54

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 14 '19 at 11:58

3

After install CCSM, to add "put" option, you must install too :

sudo apt-get install compiz-plugins-extra

answered Apr 14 '19 at 11:58

gujou

131

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 25 '19 at 05:27

0

Right click on the top of the window on the bar and a drop down appeared for me with the option of moving the window.

answered Jul 25 '19 at 05:27

JobHunter69

154

Guest · Answer 8 · 2020-03-03T09:47:08.547

0

Press Alt + Space on an active window then select "Move to Monitor Right"

edited Mar 03 '20 at 09:47

answered Mar 03 '20 at 08:07

Guest

33

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:25

0

Addendum: If the solution with Put plugin doesn't work.

Try to disable some features you don't use that may interfere. I left only Put To Next Output enabled and it started to work.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:25

Community

1

answered Jan 06 '17 at 10:21

Waldemar Wosiński

135
7

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Nov 22 '17 at 18:15

Disable the features in "Grid" plugin on ccsm, logoff/logon, and enable the "put" plugin with combination keys that you want. Works for me (ubuntu 16.04).

I enable some features in both plugin because I wanted move windows between monitors (using features on put), but I wanted keep the feature that resize the window by half of width of the current monitor (using features on grid).

Quickly place a window to another screen using only the keyboard

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