How to Fullscreen a Game on Windows 10 – Try These Methods [Partition Magic]

By Ariel | Follow | Last Updated July 20, 2020

Summary :

A great many users want to know how to make a game full screen on Windows 10. If you are searching for how to fullscreen a game, this post of MiniTool is what you need. Besides, you will get several common solutions to fix the issues with fullscreen games on Windows 10.

Quick Navigation :

Fullscreen mode provides users with a better view of game playing and minimizes distractions. Most games are able to play in fullscreen mode, but you need to activate the Windows 10 fullscreen games. How to fullscreen a game on Windows 10? Please keep reading the following content.

How to launch Steam games in windowed mode? A great many users want to set up Steam launch options windowed. This post provides detailed steps for you.

How to Make a Game Full Screen

There are 2 simple ways about how to make a game full screen Windows 10. You can use a simple keyboard shortcut for some games, while some certain games may need to force full screen Windows 10 via the In-Game menu.

Method 1. Use a Simple Keyboard Shortcut

The first and simplest method on how to fullscreen a game is to using the Alt + Enter keyboard shortcuts while playing games. This method is suitable for most games, while enables the games to switch between windowed mode and fullscreen mode.

This simple shortcut can also work for DOSBox that’s used for many older games. However, some games use this keyboard shortcut for other features. So, you need to force full screen Windows 10 through the In-Game menu.

Method 2. Use the In-Game Menu

Another simple method on how to make a game full screen Windows 10 is to use the In-Game menu. This menu can be found in the graphics or video settings. Here’s how to fullscreen a game.

Step 1. Launch the game that you want to play in fullscreen mode.

Step 2. Navigate to the display > video settings tab one by one.

Step 3. Then check if there is a Display Mode option in Video settings window.

Step 4. Click on the drop-down menu and select the Fullscreen mode.

Step 5. Save the changes and restart the game.

The 2 simple ways to set up Windows 10 fullscreen games have been elaborated. However, some users complain that they still can’t play games in fullscreen mode. So, we summarize several common methods to fix the problem.

If you also encounter this issue, you can try the following methods

Common Fixes to Windows 10 Not Playing Fullscreen Games

There are 3 major ways to fix the unplayable Windows 10 fullscreen games issue.

How to move game to other monitor? A great many users want to play games on second monitor. Now, this post will provide you with detailed steps to do that.

Fix 1. Change the Display Scaling to 100%

Some users reported that many games won’t run properly if the display scaling is not set to 100%. So, you can try changing the display scaling to 100% to fix the issue. Here’s how:

Step 1. Press the Win + I keys to open the Settings window.

Step 2. Navigate to the System > Display.

Step 3. Scroll down the right sidebar, and then find the Change the size of text, apps, and other items option under the Scale and layout section and change it to 100% (Recommended).

Fix 2. Change Your Main Screen

If you are using a dual monitor on Windows 10, you may experience problems with fullscreen games, you can fix it by changing the main screen. For that:

Step 1. Right-click the empty space on your Windows 10’s desktop and select Display settings option.

Step 2. Click on Identify, and then you will see a number on the screen. Usually, it’s 1 or 2.

Step 3. Set the monitor that has the same number as the one in Step 2 to the main screen.

Step 4. Save the changes and check if the fullscreen issue is fixed.

Fix 3. Run the Game in Compatibility Mode

Sometimes, the fullscreen games mode cannot be fully compatible with Windows 10. So, you can try running the games in compatibility mode if you encounter the issue. To do so, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Right-click the shortcut of the fullscreen game and select Properties.

Step 2. Go to the Compatibility tab and select the checkbox for Run this program in compatibility mode for and select an older windows version from the drop-down menu.

Step 3. Click on Apply and OK to save the change.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Position: Columnist

Ariel is an enthusiastic IT columnist focusing on partition management, data recovery, and Windows issues. She has helped users troubleshot various problems like PS4 corrupted disk, unexpected store exception error, the green screen of death error, etc. If you are searching for methods to optimize your storage device and restore lost data from different storage devices, then Ariel can provide reliable solutions for these issues.

Switch to full screen mode on Windows 10 apps

• Games will usually run in fullscreen mode, but there might be some apps that don’t feature such an option. Learn how to fix that.
• Microsoft Edge only supports a maximizing option, not a fullscreen mode . F11 doesn’t work in Microsoft Edge but we have a solution below.
• Our Windows 10 Guides section is filled with how-to articles about Windows 10. Just take a look and bookmark the page.
• For a more general approach on the guides category, you should explore our Tech Tutorials Hub.

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Users of Windows 10 now have the option to toggle fullscreen mode for apps in Windows 10. Apps such as Netflix, Edge, or the Paint 3D feature controls for minimizing, maximizing, and closing the app window.

Games will usually run in fullscreen mode, but there might be some apps that don’t feature such an option. What should users do if they want to run a fullscreen app in window mode?

What’s the solution for running Edge in fullscreen mode, for instance?

How to full screen an app on Windows 10?

How to toggle fullscreen mode in Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge only supports a maximizing option, not a fullscreen mode. F11 doesn’t work in Microsoft Edge and, as you browse through all the options, you aren’t going to find a solution for launching Edge in fullscreen.

The only option available is using a shortcut to launch most Windows 10 apps in a dedicated fullscreen mode: Windows-Shift-Enter. This toggles the active Windows 10 app between normal and fullscreen mode.

This shortcut can also be used to run games and apps that normally launch in fullscreen mode but in windowed mode.

Edit: Microsoft followed all other major browsers and now you can use F11 to enter the Fullscreen mode.

Albeit, you can’t toggle it as a default option, but pressing a single key shouldn’t be an issue, now would it?

Microsoft Edge is moving to the Chromium-based platform so we can expect a better experience from the Windows 10 native browser.

Windows 10 full-screen limitations

Unfortunately, the feature has some restrictions and they include the following:

• The shortcut above works for most Windows 10 apps but not for all of them. It seems to be working just fine with Microsoft Edge, Bubble Witch Saga, and Netflix, but it may not work for other apps. It might only work for UWP apps but not for not-UWP apps, such as the ones created for Windows 8.
• You cannot use Esc if you want to exit the fullscreen mode and you don’t have any indications displayed on the screen on how to leave it. You can still use the Alt-Tab combination, though.
• When using the shortcut to run Microsoft Edge in fullscreen mode, the address bar, and the tabs are not going to be displayed. If you want to navigate to other tabs, you can use keyboard shortcuts such as Ctrl-Shift-Tab or Ctrl-Tab. You can also use Ctrl-T, in case you want to open a new tab with options for loading a new web address.
• If you middle-click on right-click on certain links, they’ll open in new tabs.

Even if the feature has its limitations, it’s still better to have it at your disposal in case you want to toggle fullscreen mode in Windows 10.

This article will also help you in solving the following issues:

FIX: Windows 10 games won’t go fullscreen

• Even if it’s mostly a stable OS, the truth is that games won’t always go fullscreen in Windows 10.
• We’ve looked at multiple user reports, so rest assured that a great strategy to fix this distracting issue involves changing the display scaling settings.
• You may also try a new remote control application that never interferes with fullscreen games.
• Running them in Compatibility mode may also do the trick, so refer to the below steps right away.

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We all love to relax with a favorite game on our computers, but it seems that some players are having problems with fullscreen games in Windows 10.

This sounds like an unusual problem, and today we’ll try to fix that. Some users report that they are unable to run games in fullscreen mode.

According to them, the game just switches to desktop and stays that way while game sounds play in the background.

This makes most games unplayable since Windows 10 games run in fullscreen mode by default, but there are a few solutions that you can try.

What to do if Windows 10 is not playing games fullscreen?

1. Run your game in windowed mode

If your game comes with a configuration file, or if you can set its configuration before starting it, just make sure that you set it to run in windowed mode.

This isn’t the best solution, but it’s a workaround that will allow you to play your favorite game in just a few seconds.

For the best experience, be sure to select borderless windowed mode and the same resolution that you use on your desktop.

2. Set display scaling to 100%

1. Open the Settings app and go to System > Display.
   
2. Find the Change the size of text, apps, and other items and set it to 100%.

It has been reported that many games won’t run properly unless the display scaling is set to 100%, so use the above steps to set display scaling to 100% in Windows 10.

You might have to sign out of your account and sign back in order to apply the changes, so be sure to do that. Up next, check if your games are working again.

Even more, there’s a game booster that will get rid of low FPS, freezes, lags, and other issues while playing. If you like the idea of a better gaming experience, don’t hesitate to give it a try as well.

3. Change your main screen

You can experience problems with fullscreen and games if you’re using dual monitor setup. However, you can fix this problem simply by changing your display settings.

In order to do so, right-click on your Desktop and choose Display settings from the menu. When the Display settings window opens, you should see two monitors labeled with numbers.

In the Display settings window, click Identify. A number should appear on your screen. Now in Display settings set the monitor with the same number you got as the main monitor.

Save the changes and try running games in fullscreen. This is a simple trick confirmed by users, so give it a try too.

4. Disable Teamviewer

Many users reported various fullscreen issues with their favorite games, and according to them, the common cause is Teamviewer.

If you’re not familiar with Teamviewer, it’s a remote assistance application that allows you to control any other PC remotely.

This is a rather popular application and many users have it installed. Even though Teamviewer is a great application, sometimes issues do occur.

They all know how to fullscreen a game, that’s for sure. However, this isn’t possible all the time. They were able to solve the problem simply by disabling Teamviewer.

If doing so doesn’t help, you might want to try uninstalling the application and check if that solves the problem instead.

If you need another remote control application that won’t interfere with fullscreen games, try out one with bank-level encryption and an impressive speed. Our recommendation is ideal in that regard.

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5. Change Nvidia Control Panel settings

1. Open Nvidia Control Panel.
2. Go to Manage 3D settings > Global settings.
   
3. Change Preferred graphics processor from Auto-select to High-Performance Nvidia processor.
4. Click on Apply to save the changes and try running games in fullscreen mode.

If you own both integrated and dedicated graphic you might need to change few Nvidia Control Panel settings to fix this issue.

Certain users reported that they fixed the problem simply by adjusting their desktop size and position in Nvidia Control Panel. To do that, follow these steps:

1. Open Nvidia Control Panel.
2. Go to Display > Adjust desktop size and position.
   
3. Locate the scaling option and set it to No scaling and click on Apply to save changes.
   

After making these changes, you should be able to run games in fullscreen without any problems. If you use AMD graphics, you should be able to find similar options in Catalyst Control Center.

Can’t open Nvidia Control Panel on Windows 10? In such a case, rest assured that this detailed guide will help you fix the issue in no time.

6. Use the Compatibility mode

1. Locate the problematic application, right-click it, and choose Properties from the menu.
   
2. Navigate to the Compatibility tab and check Run this program in compatibility mode for an option. Now select the desired version of Windows, then click on Apply and OK to save changes.
   

If you’re having problems with fullscreen games on your PC, you might want to try running them in Compatibility mode.

This mode is specially designed for older applications that aren’t fully compatible with Windows 10. To run a certain application in Compatibility mode, you need to complete the above procedure.

After enabling Compatibility mode, try to run your game again. Note that you might have to try several different compatibility modes before you find the one that works for the selected game.

Compatibility mode is a useful feature that allows you to run old software on your PC, so feel free to try it out.

7. Set the Fit setting to Fullscreen.

If you’re having problems with fullscreen in your favorite games, you might be able to fix this issue simply by setting the font size to 100%.

We already showed you how to do that in Solution 2, so be sure to check it out for detailed instructions.

After doing that, you need to open Intel HD Control Panel application and make a few changes. When Intel HD Control Panel opens, navigate to the Display section and set the Fit setting to Fullscreen.

Now check the Override application settings checkbox and save changes. After doing that, you should be able to run older games without any problems on your PC.

Keep in mind that this solution works only if you’re using Intel HD integrated graphics.

If you’re using AMD or Nvidia graphics, be sure to check their Control Panel software to change the aforementioned settings.

8. Restore your Taskbar to the default position

1. Press Windows Key + Ikeyboard shortcut to open the Settings app.
2. Now navigate to the Personalization section.
   
3. From the menu on the left select Taskbar. Now in the right pane, enable Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode option.
   

According to users, problems with fullscreen games can occur if your Taskbar isn’t in the default position.

Some users like to move their Taskbar to the side or to the top of their screen, but that can sometimes cause this problem to occur.

However, you can easily fix this issue simply by moving your Taskbar to its default position on the bottom.

Once you move your Taskbar to the bottom of the screen, the issue should be resolved and you’ll be able to play your favorite games in fullscreen once again.

If you don’t want to move your Taskbar to the default position, you can fix the problem by setting the Taskbar to hide automatically.

After you enable this option, you should be able to run games in fullscreen mode without any problems.

If Taskbar is not working, do not hesitate to take a look at our quick guide to find out how to solve the issue with ease.

9. Change your resolution in the Catalyst Control Center

1. Open Catalyst Control Center and navigate to Graphics/Desktop & Display section.
2. Click the triangle button in the big Screen model section and then click on Properties.
3. Now set your resolution to the lower one and save changes.
4. Navigate to Graphics/Desktop & Display and click on the bottom left small laptop triangle icon.
5. You should see several options available. Click on Fullscreen and save changes.

According to users, you might be able to fix this problem simply by changing your resolution in the Catalyst Control Center.

After doing that, you just need to change the resolution on your PC and set it to the desired value. Now your problem should be resolved and you’ll be able to enjoy games in fullscreen mode once again.

If the issue persists, do not hesitate to repeat the entire procedure after minimizing the game.

As you can see, solving full-screen issues on Windows 10 is relatively simple, and we hope that you managed to solve this problem using one of our solutions.

You may often experience issues while trying to run certain games in fullscreen mode. Do keep in mind that the above solutions cover all these problems:

• PC game won’t go fullscreen – Many users reported that Windows 10 isn’t running games in fullscreen. This is usually caused by your game or graphics card settings.
• Fullscreen games keep minimizing – If your fullscreen games keep minimizing, the problem might be a third-party application. Don’t hesitate to take a look at this dedicated guide right away.
• Windows 10 fullscreen games black screen, flickering, crash – Many users reported flickering, crashes, and black screen on Windows 10. These often occur if you have a dual monitor setup.
• Taskbar showing in fullscreen game – Another relatively common issue on Windows 10 is the taskbar overlaying on top of games. If the taskbar won’t hide in fullscreen games, just force-hide it.
• Windows 10 game resolution problem – Sometimes, you just need to adjust your screen resolution to 1024 x 768, then try playing your game again.
• Windows 10 not using full screen – That’s a relatively common problem, and it’s most likely caused by your settings. However, you should be able to fix it by using our solutions.
• Windows 10 full screen not working – This is just a variation of this issue, but you should be able to solve it easily with one of the above procedures.

Let us know if you managed to fix all your fullscreen game issues in Windows 10. Make sure to use the comments area in that regard.