Open the game in a window using the keyboard. Full screen key. Basic hotkeys

Not only outdated, but also quite modern games can, by various coincidences, run in windowed mode, and not full-screen. This is not always convenient and can cause significant discomfort to the player. However, there is no universal solution to this problem. Below we list all the possible combinations of actions in order to convert different games to full screen. If one method doesn't work, just move on to the next.

How to run the game in full screen mode

The easiest way out for a game running in windowed mode is to treat it like a regular program and expand it to full screen by clicking on the corresponding button in the upper right corner. If the desired icon is not there, follow the next steps:

  • We are trying to switch the game to full-screen mode using the Alt+Enter hotkey combination. These keys work not only for games, but also with any other applications - test them for fun.
  • Full screen can be configured separately in the menu of the game itself. To do this, we are looking for the checkboxes “Windowed mode” and the like in the corresponding section, switching the launch to full screen.
  • We study the shortcut through which the game starts. We right-click on it, go to the “Properties” item. On the “Shortcut” tab, “Target” field, remove the -window launch parameter (it is he who is responsible for opening in windowed mode.
  • If the game was installed via Steam, in the shortcut you will only see a link to the application being launched. Parameters can be found and checked by right-clicking on a specific game and selecting "Properties" from its context menu. After that, move to the “General” tab and click on the “Set launch options” button.
  • If the problem occurs on a laptop with an integrated Intel graphics card, you should open the manufacturer's utility installed with the drivers and check if the correct resolution is set in the "Display" section.
  • The traditional solution for any problems in games is to update the video card drivers. Even if you have the most “fresh” ones, to be sure, you should remove them and reinstall them. After that, we go into the settings of the program that is responsible for displaying graphics (for example, “NVIDIA Control Panel” and the like) to check the image scaling. For NVIDIA cards: go to “Adjust desktop size and position”, enable scaling; for ATI: “Display properties” -> “Properties” -> scaling setting; for Intel Graphics: “Display” -> “Basic settings” and set the parameters. If changing settings is not available, lower the screen resolution.

How to make a full screen mode in the game - setting the resolution

Old games can run in a small window also because this is the maximum value allowed for them - at the time of their creation, there were simply no more “advanced” displays. Possible course of action in this case:

  • go to the game settings and see what the maximum resolution it works with;
  • set the same value for your monitor;
  • run the game again and check the result;
  • after the end of the gameplay, we return a more familiar resolution.


For many older but still popular games, HD versions have been created. It may well be worth looking for one of these improved editions.

The usual practice of working on a computer involves the use of several programs at the same time. They are opened in windowed mode, then it is not difficult to switch from one to another. But gaming applications often run immediately in full screen mode, which prevents them from working in parallel with other windows. Fans of old games are also uncomfortable with the full-screen version, at low resolution everything looks ugly, fuzzy. It is inconvenient to take screenshots, if you exit the application, then you have to wait for the download again, time is wasted. Therefore, it is desirable for users to set the windowed mode in games, for which there are different ways.

To solve the problem of how to put the game in windowed mode, certain key combinations help. The simplest trick when the application is running in full screen is to press Alt+Enter. Similarly, you can press F11 in Windows or Ctrl + F, in MacOS Command + M. Perhaps in the settings you will find other combinations specifically for your application. The method is easy, effective, because pressing the keys again will open the full screen mode back.

The first and easiest way is to use the shortcut

2. Change settings

Perhaps in the settings there is an option to switch to another mode, check. Go to the section with settings (Options), look at them, whether there is a “Screen mode” (Windowed mode) or a similar function: “Play in a window”, “Windowed mode”, other analogues. When you find it, select it by checking the box or activating it in another way provided by the program, save the change.

3. Applying a modifier

If there is no option to deploy the game on screen, add it using a special modifier.

  • Right-click on the launch shortcut, click on "Properties". You can also call the "Properties" window in the main menu of your OS.
  • Go to the line "Object", at the end of the line (with the End key).
  • Put a space, enter "-window".
  • Click Apply - OK, run the application.

In this way, the launch of various toys is edited, for example, the popular Warcraft, Counter Strike, Mass Effect. Other programs may apply a slightly different modifier, in Sims2 for example you need to assign "-w", in some applications "-win" works. Try different modifier options for yourself.

It will be possible to launch the game in a windowed version, to return to the old settings, simply delete the entered modifier.

4. Settings file

If this option is enabled by the manufacturer, it is performed as follows:

  • Go to the installed program folder.
  • Find the texts “Windowed”, “Fullscreen” in the files (if you have Windows 7, enter the text in the Explorer in the search box, click on “File Contents” in the right corner).
  • For Fullscreen, set the value to 0 to disable. For Windowed, set the value to 1 to enable it. You can now run the application.

5. Third Party Programs

The above methods are applicable if such features are included in the settings. How to run any game in windowed mode when the manufacturers did not provide for this? Third party software will help.

You can forcefully switch to the desired launch option in games by taking the old Chinese program D3DWindower, it copes with this task, although it is quite old. Install it, run it, add your game to the list by clicking on the "plus". In the settings, set the desired height, width of the window.

6. Emulators

Emulators do not work on all computers, they are demanding on resources. Download, run the emulator (Vmware, Windows Virtual PC). We recommend using the official websites. You create a virtual "computer within a computer" that runs in the usual window size, and any program running in it will be within the emulator window.

The disadvantages are that a virtual computer requires a lot of disk space, it takes a long time to set it up, and it is time consuming. Installing an emulator just to start the game is irrational, use the method if you need it to work.

If the above methods, showing how to put the game in windowed mode, did not help, try contacting the developers through the official website, support forum. In addition, when this option is not available in principle, we recommend minimizing the full-screen application to switch to another program by pressing Alt + Tab, then you can simply expand it.

A lot of gamers like to play in windowed mode. Yes, and at work, in order to hide from the boss that you are playing - many people prefer to play in the window, so that in which case they can quickly switch to another window with the mouse. Or old games are much more convenient to play in a window due to the not too high maximum resolution. I suggest ways to switch to windowed mode. Try it, don't be shy. One just for you:

So, the ways to switch to windowed mode:

1. The most primitive way- start the game, and then press ALT and Enter together. Some games just react to this combination as a call to switch to windowed mode.

2. The method is more complicated. Create a shortcut on the desktop of the game, if it doesn't already exist.

Right-click on the shortcut and call "Properties" or "Properties"

For example: it was - “C:\Program Files (x86)\snowball.ru\MassEffectGold\MassEffect.exe”

became “”C:\Program Files (x86)\snowball.ru\MassEffectGold\MassEffectLauncher.exe” -window

Apply and exit properties. Launch the game using this shortcut.

The pitfall here is this: some games, even if you remove “-window”, will still run in a window. To fix this, replace "-window" with "-full screen".

3. Built-in way. There is no need to invent anything here. Many games, especially modern ones, already support running games in windowed mode by default. It is enough to find the desired item in the settings and check the box.

4. If nothing helped. Well, here you need to search on a special game forum or just on the Internet to see if a particular game starts. Usually, if a windowed mode is built into the game, then the developer trumpets about it everywhere - especially on the game's website.

5. If the game began to slow down in windowed mode - switch to full screen mode. It means that either your computer can’t cope with the game (it’s not strange - resources may be required even more for playing in the window) or the game can’t cope with the computer (the developer simply didn’t optimize or maybe didn’t even test the game in windowed mode).

In this article, I will show you in what ways you can expand a window to full screen and what keyboard shortcuts to use for this on Windows 7, 10 and MAC. The widespread introduction of the computer mouse was a revolutionary innovation that greatly simplified the use of a personal computer. Today, most users use this device to navigate the system and enter simple commands. However, all common operating systems allow you to perform these necessary tasks without using a mouse.

As practice shows, knowledge of certain key combinations allows you to expand the window to full screen with greater speed, which has a positive effect on overall productivity. It only takes a little getting used to, and performing familiar tasks with short keyboard shortcuts will seem more convenient than moving the mouse.

The transition to using the keyboard to perform routine operations is most often common among programmers, webmasters and other professions whose work involves the need to enter a large amount of information. Among the significant advantages of this approach, it is worth highlighting the following.

When using hotkeys to expand a window to the entire monitor, attention does not have to be transferred to the mouse, which greatly simplifies the task, especially in the long run. The point is that entering text or commands using the keyboard requires the involvement of a certain part of the brain. Using the mouse involves slightly different areas, since it works in a fundamentally different way. Therefore, there is not only a waste of time on the physical transfer of the hand to the side, but also a switch of attention to another area of ​​activity. From the point of view of an ordinary user, this is not critical, but for a professional who spends hours at a computer, it can be quite significant.

How to minimize/maximize the application window

As an example of such manipulations with the keyboard, consider minimizing / maximizing an application from windowed to full screen mode and vice versa. At the same time, due to the peculiarities of the functioning of a particular operating system, the key combinations will be somewhat different, while the principle itself will be approximately the same.

Opening on Windows 7 and Windows 10

Windows 7 and 10 OS are the most common versions of the operating system, and therefore it is worth starting the consideration of the issue with them. So, in order to minimize or maximize the window of any running application, you must use the simultaneous pressing of the keys " Win” (with the system logo, it is located closer to the lower left corner of the keyboard) and the up / down arrows. The application will change its display from windowed to full screen.


The same effect can be achieved in another way. It is somewhat longer, but it may seem more convenient to someone. You must simultaneously press Alt+Space, in the context window that appears, use the arrows to select the required action, then confirm it with the button Enter.


Expanding a window in MAC OS

On the operating system from Apple, the algorithm of actions will be about the same. Keys must be pressed at the same time Command+Power. Depending on the situation, the combination will either minimize the active application to windowed mode, or expand it to a full-screen version of the display.

Using the "hot keys" described above, you can significantly simplify the deployment of a window to full screen, as well as increase the efficiency and speed of the actions performed. By the way, there are quite a lot of such combinations, so there is always room for improvement.

Instruction

Try the easiest way to switch from full screen to windowed mode - with the game running, press Alt + Enter. If it does not work, check if the manufacturer has used other fairly common analogues of this command - the F11 key and the combination Ctrl + F for Windows or Command + M for MacOS.

Another way to do without manually editing the game properties is to use the switch to windowed mode from the program settings. This option is also not available in all games, but it's worth checking - in the menu of the running application, go to the settings section and look for the setting "Screen mode" (Windowed mode) or similar to it. If such a setting exists, check the box and save the changes.

If you can’t get by with the controls of the game itself, try adding the appropriate modifier to the program launch line. To do this, right-click on its shortcut on the desktop and select the "Properties" line in the context menu. If you use the item in the OS main menu to start, then do the same with the line in the menu. As a result, a window with a selected line in the "Object" field will appear on the screen.

Go to the end of this line (End key) and add the -window modifier separated by a space. Then press the OK button and run the application. This method allows Counter Strike, Warcraft, Mass Effect, etc. If it does not work in your game, try changing the modifier - for example, windowed mode in Sims 2 by adding -w, and in addition to this option, -win is also possible.

This option can also be enabled through the settings file, if, of course, it is provided by the manufacturer. To find out, go to the game folder and look in the files for the text Fullscreen or Windowed. In Windows 7, this can be done using the search box in the upper right corner of the Explorer window by clicking the File Contents icon after entering text. The Fullscreen setting in the settings file must be disabled, i.e. assign it a value of 0, and Windowed - enable, i.e. assign 1.

note

A computer game does not have to be closed in order to switch to another program. It can be minimized and at the same time open the window of another running application by pressing the Alt + Tab key combination - this allows in many cases to solve the problem without starting the game in windowed mode.

Sources:

  • [Guide] launching the game in 2 windows

Sometimes the user needs to run their favorite game in a windowed mode and there are many reasons for this: from the simple convenience associated with a high screen resolution, to hiding the game from the authorities if their representative accidentally enters the office. There are many ways to perform this operation.

You will need

  • Computer game.

Instruction

The easiest and most affordable way is to press the Alt + Enter key combination. Most Windows platform applications use this command to change the display mode. But in terms of games, this method is not the most effective, so most likely it will not work for you.

Also, the windowed mode can be set using the software of the game itself. How to do it? This setting, as a rule, is located in the game menu, section "Setting" (Options). Because there are a large number of games, this option is called differently: "Windowed mode", "Play in a window", FullScreen Mode, etc. After closing the settings menu, the game window will automatically resize.

Next, you can take advantage of the possibilities of changing the data of the file being launched, to be more precise, changing the parameters for launching the game. If an executable file is appended with the window operator, there is a possibility of displaying the windowed mode. Right-click on the game's shortcut and select "Properties".

In the window that opens, go to the "Object" field and add the "-window" operator without quotes. For example, initially we have a string like "C:Program FilesAlawar.ruMagic BubblesSkyBubbles.exe", after changing it it will look like this: "C:Program FilesAlawar.ruMagic BubblesSkyBubbles.exe" -window. To restore the full screen mode of the game, just remove the added operator or replace it with "-full screen" without quotes.

If all methods somehow failed to cope with the task, it is recommended to contact the original source - the developer of this game complex. On the official website or forum, you can ask such a question or use the search to find the answer. But not all games support windowed mode, so you may encounter this situation.

Recently, there has been a large abundance of simple games, which are called logical. The presence of such a game on the computer of an office worker suggests that he sometimes wants to relax. But not every boss of the organization in which this employee works accepts the launch of games during the workflow. To hide a running game from the boss in time, you can use the Alt + Tab key combination, but, as a rule, the application cannot be quickly minimized in this way. In search of a specific solution to this problem, the following method was created to launch the game in a windowed mode.

You will need

  • Editing game settings.

Instruction

Of course, the fact of using games during the workflow, especially when you get caught by the boss, is not the most pleasant. It may happen that important people come to work from a regional city or from the capital, which can significantly “tarnish” your reputation.

If you understand a little in the game settings, then you can use the windowed mode of the running game. To do this, it is enough after launching it to go to the settings, which are located in the main menu of the launched. If your game is not, then try options in the settings, which may include the following: Window, full screen. Once you have found such items, try to activate them. Some games require a restart to see the changes made to the settings.

There are games, in the settings there is no mention of mode. In this case, you will need to find a shortcut to your game. If it is not on, then it can be found in installed programs, information about which is located in the Start menu. Right-click on the game's shortcut, select "Properties" from the menu that opens. In the opened pay attention to the file launch path, it can be like this: "C: Program FilesRockstarGrand Theft Auto 3gta3.exe".

The "-window" parameter is required at the end of this line. As a result, we will get the following line: "C: Program Files Rockstar Grand Theft Auto 3gta3.exe" -window. After clicking on the "OK" button, open the game - it should start in a windowed mode.

There are a number of games that, after this conversion, no longer run in full screen mode. Replace the "-window" value at the end of the line with "-full screen".

In some cases it is convenient to run game in the window mode. For example, if you want to quickly switch between windows or play old games, most of which do not support the high resolution of modern monitors. There are several ways to switch to windowed mode in the Windows operating system.

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