Hi everyone, My desktop items aren't appearing on the extended secondary screen. They're there on the main screen but not on the extended screen. I want my desktop items to appear on the extended screen as well. I'm working by grouping my documents using document groups. I couldn't find any settings for this. Can you help me?
MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.2
"Desktop items not appearing on extended secondary screen: Hi everyone, My desktop items aren't appearing on the extended secondary screen. They're there on the main screen but not on the extended screen. I want my desktop items to appear on the extended screen as well. I'm working by grouping my documents using document groups. I couldn't find any settings for this. Can you help me?"
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That you for the screenshot.
Seeing Same Icons on Extended Screen:
A. You Can't. The extended screen is a screen of its own --you'd have to create shortcuts to this folders on the new desktop, and match them accordingly by grouping them. So, use Stack to gather them, as shown in the below screenshot***.
B. To Group Icons...
C. Recommend this to Apple:
Do your Part: Inform Apple of this idea. You'd do so by providing Apple Feedback on this. Apple wont get back to you directly, but the more feedback thy receive from its users, the more likely they will know what their customers prefer, and what options to include in macOS versions to come. Apple will know nothing of your ideas, if you don't provide them to them.
***Screenshot:
Perhaps there may be a mis-match between your external display's
ability to share source content property? However as a fellow mac
user and volunteer here, you will need fully identify your MB/Pro 14".
[Some of these use latest 'Apple Silicon' version hardware.
Older 14"ones, may be last of those with Intel hardware.]
Several build model years are 14" display units; some have different
graphic capabilities, ports, & may require Adapter/cables for 3rd party
display support. Even few experts would know all these ~w/o clues.
Some have different ports or distinguishing external characteristics
that can help. Use this Support page to discover your build model:
• Identify your MacBook Pro model - Apple Support
//support.apple.com › en-us › 108052
Your Mac provides several tools to help you identify it. The simplest is
'About This Mac', available by choosing About This Mac from the Apple
menu in the upper-left corner of your screen. The other is the System
Information app. Learn how to use these tools to identify your Mac.
If you don’t have your Mac or it doesn’t start up, use one of these solutions instead:
regulatory markings. It’s also on the original packaging, next to a barcode
label. You can then enter that serial number on the Check Coverage page
to find your model.
MLH12xx/A (“xx” is a variable that differs by country or region). You can
match the Apple part number to one in the list below to find your model.
..This article, suggestions & useful facts, helps discover which one it is..
Hopefully these references may help others, who might not realize most
these questions are answered by reading the included system helps.
Apple User Guides vary, generally Essential covers basics.
Welcome to MacBook Pro Essentials - Apple Support
Welcome to MacBook Pro Getting Started - UserGuide - Apple Support
//support.apple.com/guide/macbook-pro/toc (table of contents)
Display settings for your Mac - Apple Support
Use an external display with your MacBook Pro - Apple Support
There are several different ways display can be associated with each other. some of these do not apply to you situation, but your post will be here for a long time and others will find it by searching, so I am trying to discuss the entire range of possibilities.
The first, that you are not using, is to "Mirror Displays" this computes a compromise resolution that is seems both displays should be ale th reach and sets BOTH displays to refresh in perfect synchrony, down to the same refresh rate.
the second is to use "Extended Desktop". In this mode the screens are concatenated along an edge of your choosing, and the second display is an extension of the displayable area of the first display..
Normally, extended desktop does NOT supply a menubar or a dock on each display.
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A feature of Mission Control allows the use of "spaces", which are collections of apps and windows that can be swapped into the active display with just a keyboard shortcut. Using your Mac in this way takes additional steps, and ways of thinking, to assure you have collected the desired item into each quasi-independent "space"
When you have multiple displays as well as multiple spaces, this feature generalizes so that any 'space' can occupy any display. This is only possible when you enable "Displays have separate spaces".
punchline: if you have a menubar on each display, you are using "displays have separate spaces", and may need to adjust your thinking to accommodate the way this works.
View open windows and spaces in Mission Control on Mac - Apple Support
Thank you for your interest. As you suggested, I wrote feedback. It would be great if this setting were available in the desktop settings. I hope they consider it. Thank you again.
Desktop items not appearing on extended secondary screen
