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Easy-to-follow steps for turning a Windows or Mac game into full-screen mode
Written byStan Kats|Edited byDarlene Antonelli, MA
Last Updated: September 5, 2023Fact Checked
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- Entering Full-Screen in Windows |
- Entering Full-Screen on a Mac |
- Troubleshooting
Do the games you open on your computer not open in full-screen mode? While a keyboard shortcut can be the easiest solution, you may need to take a few more steps to figure out how to get your game to fill the screen.
Things You Should Know
- First try pressing "Alt + Enter," then use the in-game menu to enter full-screen.
- On a Mac, use the green button in the top left corner of the window or try a shortcut like "Command + Control + F" or "Fn + F."
- If your game won't fill the screen, try some troubleshooting steps.
- Change the Display Scale of your display since percentages greater than 100% may prevent your games from playing in Full-Screen Mode.
Section 1 of 3:
Entering Full-Screen in Windows
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1
Press Alt+↵ Enter. Pressing those keys together should maximize your game window to fill the screen.[1]
- Alternatively, press Esc to minimize the game.
2
Choose "Full Screen" from Game Settings. For games that don't recognize the keyboard shortcut, you need to navigate through the in-game menu for a "Display/Graphics" option. From there, you'll see "Display Mode" options listing Windowed or Full-Screen. Select Full-Screen.
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Section 2 of 3:
Entering Full-Screen on a Mac
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1
Press the green icon and select Enter Full Screen. It's in the top left corner of all Mac windowed screens and will cause the window to fill the screen.[2]
2
Try a keyboard shortcut. Unfortunately, the keyboard shortcut for entering full screen mode on Mac is not standardized across all apps. However, a few common options that may work include control + command + F, Fn + F, and command + return.
- If none of those work, you can also open the View menu at the top of the screen and select Enter Full Screen. You will usually see the keyboard shortcut for the app you're using listed next to that option.
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Section 3 of 3:
Troubleshooting
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1
Change the Display Scale. To do this, press Win + I then click System > Display. Click the drop-down menu under "Scale/Scale and layout" and select "100%."
- For Mac, go to System Settings > Display.[3]
2
Disable Full-Screen optimization (PC only). While this setting sounds like it should help you, it could be bugged and prevent you from opening your game in full-screen mode. To turn this off for PC, right-click on your game's icon and select Properties > Compatibility > Disable fullscreen optimizations > Apply > OK.
3
Switch your main screen. If you're using dual monitors, this may help! If you're not using dual monitors, skip this step.
- Right-click a blank spot on your desktop and select Display settings > Identify and switch the main display from the current monitor to another one.
- You can also use this fix for Macs. To switch your display, go to System Settings > Display.
4
Run the game in Compatibility Mode (PC only). To do this, right-click the game's shortcut on your desktop and select Properties > Compatibility > Run this program in compatibility mode for and select an older version of Windows. Finally, select Apply > Ok.
5
Disable overlays. Sometimes, apps with overlays can prevent your game from opening in full-screen. This includes programs with overlays like Discord, Steam, and GeForce Experience.
6
Try some basic Windows fixes. Last, but not least, you can try a few other things to see if you can get your game into Full-Screen Mode. Update your graphics drivers using Device Manager or right-click and select Run game as administrator.
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About This Article
Written by:
Stan Kats
Professional Technologist
This article was written by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. This article has been viewed 32,749 times.
7 votes - 37%
Co-authors: 2
Updated: September 5, 2023
Views:32,749
Categories: PC Games
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 32,749 times.
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