Arrange your displays so the mouse moves the right way

Why it happens

Your Mac can't see where your monitors sit, so it guesses. The pointer only crosses from one screen to the next along the edges that touch in the Arrange picture. If the picture has the screens swapped, the mouse has to go the wrong way.

How to fix it

1. Open the Apple menu, choose System Settings and click Displays in the sidebar.

2. Click the Arrange… button. It only shows while more than one screen is connected.

   Displays›Arrange…

3. Drag each screen picture so the layout matches your desk: the left monitor on the left, the right one on the right, and one above if it sits higher.

4. Line up the edges where the screens meet. If one monitor sits lower or is smaller, slide its picture up or down so the pointer crosses at the height you expect.

5. The picture with the white menu bar strip is your main display. Drag that strip to another screen to move the menu bar and Dock there.

6. Click Done, then move the pointer across to check.

Still not fixed?

1. Both screens show the same picture? They're mirrored, so there's nothing to arrange. Click the monitor in Displays and set Use as to Extended display.

   Displays›Use as

2. To pick the main screen without dragging, select it in Displays and choose Main display from Use as.

   Displays›Use as›Main display

3. Mac forgets the layout? Set it again, then keep each monitor in the same port every time. Two identical monitors can swap places if they're plugged in a different order.

4. Using a dock or hub? Plug the monitors straight into your Mac to test, and install any update in General > Software Update.

   General›Software Update

5. If the layout still resets after every restart with the monitors plugged straight in, contact Apple Support.