How to open a program in full screen. How to Close a window, maximize it to full screen, minimize it to a window or move it

For different video games, changing the graphics display settings is done differently. Most modern 3D graphics applications run on the entire monitor by default. Older 2D games may open in a window. IN full size they can be expanded through the shortcut properties, changing Windows permissions or settings of the application itself.

Full screen mode in shortcut properties

This method is applicable for most old games that open in separate window. To do full screen, find the application shortcut. It is usually located on the desktop. If it is not there, use the search on the right top corner Windows Explorer. You can also create a program icon via context menu executable file.

Standard location path: “C:\Program Files\[name]”. Create a shortcut, click on it right click mouse and go to the second tab.

In the “Window” drop-down list, three methods for launching the program will be available:

  1. Regular sizes;
  2. Collapsed into an icon;
  3. Expanded to full screen.

Select the last item and save the configuration by clicking the “OK” button.

Advice! In the future, launch using the created shortcut so that the program opens in full screen.

Setting startup options in the start menu

Some game programs have start menu, where you can specify the launch configuration. As a rule, graphics parameters are set here, as well as the control method (keyboard or joystick). In addition, in home menu You can reassign control keys. Go to the graphic properties tab. If there is a “Fullscreen” or “Full screen” item, check it.

Advice! If the "Windowed" or "Run in Window" setting is available instead of activating full screen mode, clear this checkbox. The game will open on the entire monitor.

Change the system-wide resolution

Some games do not have a built-in full-screen mode. Difficulties may also arise with older programs that have limited maximum quantity points horizontally and vertically. In this case, changing the Windows resolution helps. When it is reduced, all interface elements become larger.

Selecting the same resolution as maximum size game window will allow you to run it on the entire monitor. To change this property, right-click on the desktop. Pressing must be done on free space, not on icons. To open desired menu select the “Screen Resolution” line.

From the drop-down list marked in the screenshot, select the required value. For the game to open in full screen, the resolution must match the size of the window in which the application is running. To clarify them, create a picture using the keyboard shortcut “Alt + PrintScreen”, and then paste the picture into Paint. The dimensions will be displayed at the bottom of the utility.

Important! By reducing the number of dots on the monitor, the size of all interface components will increase. For comfortable work On the computer, return to the previous settings after finishing the game.

Tutorial video: How to make the game fill the entire monitor screen

Full screen mode in graphics settings

New games allow you to change the display through their interface. Typically this is done in the graphics configuration. For example, when using "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" Go to the section "Options -> Video Settings". In the “Display Mode” line, select “Fullscreen” to maximize the window to fill the entire monitor.

It often happens that a program does not behave as expected. Most often this happens with computer games. For example, to launch some games in full screen mode you need almost shamanic dances.

How to make the game full screen?

  • First, try expanding the window through the game settings. To do this, find two items in the menu: “Window mode” and “Window size”. First, check the first box and if the game does not start, set the parameters in “Window Size” to maximum. This will allow you and the program to compromise. Technically the game will still be running windowed mode, but will now take up the entire screen space.
  • Change the screen size. Right-click on the desktop and select “Properties” in the pop-up window, and then move the slider down, selecting 800x600. This will increase not only the shortcuts on the desktop, but also the game itself.
  • Now try the keyboard shortcut. The standard combination in this case is “Alt” and “Enter”, but in different games this combination may vary. To find out what key combination this game needs, you should read the readme, ask on the game forum, or use the “Alt” and “Tab” combination. Sometimes it helps.
  • Check the game settings, it may be the problem. Right-click on the game shortcut and select “Properties”, then the “Object” field. If in address bar there is no windowed entry, that means everything is correct. If there is, delete it. This parameter launched the program in windowed mode.

Video lessons

Master's answer:

Often users like to while away a couple of minutes in exciting game at the workplace. In cases where a person needs to constantly respond to clients via chat, on a forum, ICQ, or follow up on emails, it is more convenient to open the game in a window. In addition, windowed mode is convenient for playing older games in which the graphics look too square if the application is expanded to full screen.

You need to start the game, and then press simultaneously on the keyboard Enter buttons and Alt. For many games this combination key is the operation to switch to windowed mode. This method the easiest way to open a game in a window, but many games, unfortunately, do not support it.

Another option is to create an icon for the game on the desktop if it is not there. Then you need to click on the shortcut right key mice. In the menu that opens, select “Properties”. In the field containing the path to the program, you need to add -window. For example, if previously it was - C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\lary\lary.exe, it should become - C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\lary\lary.exe -window. Then you need to click on the “Apply” button and close the “Properties” setting. After this, the game launched by this shortcut will start in the window. It is important to know that a number of games will continue to open in windowed mode, even if the user deletes –window in the program path line. To fix this problem, instead of -window you need to specify -full screen.

You can also launch the game and see the settings. Many games have a built-in function to run in windowed mode. Then the user only needs to do a search for the corresponding string in game settings and check the box. Go back to full screen mode, will be carried out in the same line by removing the checkbox.

You can seek help from various Internet resources if the user is unable to computer game open in windowed mode. On the developer’s website, as a rule, by entering “open in window” in the search bar, you can find information about launching the game in windowed mode. In the case when the game is quite old, and the developer company has long changed its name or ceased to exist, you can necessary information search on gaming forums.

You need to return to full screen mode if the game starts to slow down. Surprisingly, a game opened in a window can consume more resources than a game running in full screen mode. The toy sometimes slows down in windowed mode, because the developer did not optimize it for working in a window. You must remember to save the game before closing the window. If the user does not do this, all game progress will be lost.

Sometimes it happens that the image on the screen suddenly appears upside down. There is nothing wrong with this, since it is not difficult to return the settings back - after all, the problem in the vast majority of cases lies precisely in the broken settings. Now we will tell you how to turn the screen back.

Adjusting the screen on a regular monitor

If the image is turned upside down, typing the following key combination can help: “ctrl”, “alt” and “up arrow” (press simultaneously). Accordingly, if you press “ctrl”, “alt” and “down arrow”, the image will turn upside down - often the setting is confused by just such an accidental click when a person missed when pressing “ctrl”, “alt”, “del” to reboot. If this method does not help you, you can try the following: go to the Start menu and select Control Panel. Now we find the item “Screen” or “Display Properties” (the name may change depending on your operating system) and select “Options” or “Customize screen settings”. There you will see the “Orientation” menu, where you need to set the required parameter. You probably have one of the “inverted” options. Just select the orientation type and the problem will be solved. By the way, here you can select many other settings: screen resolution (for example, for individual applications or games that support certain resolutions), image brightness settings, color display options, and more. There is another rather rare “glitch” in which the image on the monitor is displayed as a mirror image. In this case, it is better to contact a specialist, since the issue here is a malfunction of the electronics. Self-remediation such a problem is only possible if you know well internal structure monitor.

How to maximize the screen on a laptop

The procedure here is, in general, the same as when working with a regular PC ( personal computer). You can try pressing the key combinations listed above, or you can use the settings in the Control Panel. Of course, manipulating the settings in Display Settings may vary slightly depending on the operating system you are using. However, these differences are insignificant and consist mainly in the names of the functions, so it will not be difficult to figure it out, especially since you already know where to go and what settings to change.

Each of modern programs V automatic mode adjusts to the monitor display resolution. But, if someone decides to install a game that was popular many years ago, it may turn out that it is only partially displayed on the monitor. Accordingly, there is a need to make the game full screen.
There are several reasons why the game is only partially visible on the display. However, you shouldn’t get upset in this situation, since there are ways to bring everything back to normal and play in full screen mode.

Method 1: Using hotkeys

The easiest way to put the game into full screen mode is to press two buttons "Alt" and "Enter" at the same time. It helps not only in games released 10 or 15 years ago, but also in modern applications. For example, in WoT. By the way, if you press these two keys again in full-screen mode, you will return to windowed mode.

Method 2: Change startup options

There are situations, especially when playing on someone else's computer, that the game starts in windowed mode due to the fact that the "-windows" option is selected in the settings. Once you get rid of this inscription, the game will immediately appear in full screen mode.

Difficulties may also arise in situations where the game is simply incompatible with the existing operating system. There is a solution in in this case. Go to the shortcut properties and find the "Compatibility" tab there. Select the operating system from the list that matches the one installed on the computer.

But the list of OSes on the list is not as huge as we would like. Last on the list will be Windows Vista, and there is no longer version 10 of this OS.

Method 3. Setting up the video card

It is possible that the reason why the game does not want to run in full screen mode is the presence outdated drivers. It will be enough to update them or reinstall them. The menu of a particular video card manufacturer may be displayed differently.

For example, if installed Nvidia video card, then the user will have to go to the Control Panel and select nVidia. Here you can detect scaling. Mark it and the game will automatically expand to full screen.


If your computer is equipped with an ATI video card, you will need to run the Catalyst application Control Center. The hardest part will be for those who have a computer with an integrated video card. Intel Graphics. Very often it is included with laptops.

Method 4: Setting up the game

A number of games allow you to set the full screen mode to graphic settings. This feature is available for games that, for one reason or another, do not launch in full screen mode by default.

The problem is easily solved:

  • you should go to settings;
  • find the item where windowed or full-screen mode is set;
  • start the desired mode.
When the settings are changed, you will have to restart your computer. A reboot will be necessary regardless of the type of operating system and screen resolution.

Method 5. Change resolution

It is possible that the methods listed above did not help in your personal case. Most likely, the computer is running an operating system Windows systems 7.

There is now only one way to fix the problem - select a different screen resolution. However, this method also has side effects. For example, other programs designed for previously installed parameters may not be available.

So, having played this or that time in old game, return the monitor to its previous resolution.


It is possible that the game only functions at a resolution of 640x480, and the monitor simply cannot support this mode. Then you will have to select it by opening the compatibility tab.

Attention! This function, after the game has been turned off, returns normal resolution in automatic mode

Solving the problem on a laptop

A similar problem may appear when running games on laptops running Windows. The reason is most likely expressed in incorrectly set parameters in the settings Intel video cards Graphics. To fix the problem you need to:
  1. Use only software from the card manufacturer. If it is not there, then correct the situation accordingly;
  2. Go to graphic characteristics;
  3. Go to the "Display" section. If it is missing, then, by default, the maximum resolution is used.


You need to reduce the resolution and then you can change the monitor screen parameters. After that, set the scaling parameter. As a result, full screen mode will become available.

Take into account that each application will now stretch to fill the entire screen. As a result, there is a chance that the clarity of the picture will noticeably deteriorate.

Let's sum it up

Now the user is very familiar with the methods that will help open the game in full screen mode. All of them are intuitively simple, and everyone can figure them out. As a rule, it will take no more than 1-2 minutes to set up the game in full screen mode.