Fancy Zones just mixed up the monitors

[Wheathead]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.70.1

Installation method

GitHub

Running as admin

Yes

Area(s) with issue?

FancyZones

Steps to reproduce

After use for several days, Fancy Zone reversed the zone settings for the main laptop screen and the second monitor. The zones were reversed for no apparent reason. Monitor 1 is listed as Monitor 2 and Monitor 2 is listed as Monitor 1. Windows 10 Display settings did not change.

✔️ Expected Behavior

Expected Fancy zones to work as designed without mixing up the monitors.

❌ Actual Behavior

The zones were reversed.

Other Software

No response

[exSnake]

Same happens to me, my configuration is a Vertical one flipped 1440x2560 and one horizontal 2560x1440. Didn't find any way to reproduce it, seems just happening randomly (version 70.0). Also note that i have 2 custom canvas layouts.

[exSnake]

Ok i found that the fancy zones get buggy when you change monitor resolution or disconnect a monitor, seems to also happen if your monitor go to deep sleep, i will try to make a step-by-step to reproduce it as soon as I am free

[Wheathead]

Yes, I have a TV attached via Dell Dock (USB3) that is sometimes on and sometimes off and it does blink the other monitors when it activates or shuts off. (Monitor 3). Microsoft Windows monitor management has been iffy for years. Mine is even more complicated because the Dock has its own graphic card for Monitor 3 (TV - HDMI) while Monitor 1 (Internal Laptop Screen) +2 (HNC Monitor on HDMI) are handled by the laptop (Intel drivers). I’ve had to redesign the Fancy Zones twice now when it switches. Monitor 2 becomes the zones of Monitor 1 and Monitor 1 switches zones to Monitor 2. Note Windows Display settings are not changing, Monitor 1 remains Monitor 1 and Monitor 2 remains Monitor 2. Couldn’t get Fancy Zones to reverse so I deleted the designs and started over. My laptop has sleep settings that I used constantly. Thanks for looking into that. Jim (Wheathead)

[SeraphimaZykova]

/bugreport

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

Hi there!

We need a bit more information to really debug this issue. Can you add a "Report Bug" zip file here? You right click on our system tray icon and just go to report bug. Then drag the zipfile from your desktop onto the GitHub comment box in this issue. Thanks!

[Wheathead]

PowerToysReport_2023-06-20-07-44-10.zip

[improwise]

Can confirm this problem since a few weeks/months back. It is actually quite annoying. I've allso noticed that the order of the "zone layouts" seem to matter so that Fanzy Zones often by itself switches so that the first zone layout is assigned to the first monitor (monitor 1) even though you have selected something else in the configuration.

A workaround that seems to work sometimes it so make sure that monitor numbers and zone layouts match each other, ie Display 1 has the first zone layout, Display 2 the second etc.

[Wheathead]

It’s complicated.

I can’t reproduce it now. It has remained since, that Fancy Zones sees Monitor 1 as Monitor 2 and Monitor 2 as Monitor 1. And nothing has changed since. I do adjust the Fancy zones sometimes trying to experiment with a better design, but the monitor switch I cannot explain and it hasn’t switched back.

Here's the monitor configuration from Windows:

Now here’s the monitor configuration that Fancy Zones perceives. Note, Fancy Zones calls Monitor 2 (192.x1200) Monitor 1 (which is my HNC Monitor) and Fancy Zones calls Monitor 1 as Monitor 2 (which is my Laptop Monitor 1920x1080)

It hasn’t changed since I filed the bug report. And for useability I had to redesign the zones to accommodate my needs and therefore the configuration was changed.

I can’t really explain it. And there’s no settings to adjust which monitor Fancy Zones calls “1” even though Windows calls it “2”.

[exSnake]

Just happened after PC went to sleep, here is the logs:

PowerToysReport_2023-06-26-14-01-52.zip

[improwise]

This issue still remains in the latest version.

[SvendK]

I have about the same issue - my problem is when I go from home to work and vice versa.
See this comment for more info.
The layouts are still there, but my two external monitors have their layouts swapped, so I have to reselect them.

Updated PowerToysReport: PowerToysReport_2023-07-12-07-36-17.zip

@SeraphimaZykova found something in 0.70.1 and made improvements in 0.71.0, but I don't experience any improvements, unfortunately.

[exSnake]

Still happening on 0.71.0

[cinnamon-msft]

Are you still experiencing this issue? /needinfo

[SvendK]

I can't speak for the OP but I have had no issues whatsoever for quite some time now, I'm very pleased. Thanks for all your work.

[korifey13]

Have an issue with two and three monitors setup. FancyZones layouts shifting to other monitors after PC reboot. Display numbers in layout editor do not match display numbers in Windows Display Settings. PowerToys v0.86.0.
PowerToysReport_2024-12-01-23-26-20.zip
Here is a screenshot of the second monitor of my laptop showing how Windows identifies it as number 2, while FancyZones identifies it as number 1. Monitors are of equal resolution.

[jansenbe]

@korifey13 / @cinnamon-msft : I see this regularly as well, using 0.88.0 at the moment and just bumped into this issue again