Full screen games. Go to full screen. How to set up full screen mode

Modern programs, as a rule, automatically adjust to the display resolution - however, those who like to play old action games or arcade games may have a question about how to make the game full screen.

Because an application created 10, 15 or even 25 years ago can only be partially displayed on a modern one.

Sometimes such a question arises during startup.

There are a number of reasons why this happens, as well as several ways to get everything back to normal and play in full screen mode.

Method 1: Using hotkeys

Quite often, you can switch a game or any other application to full screen by just pressing 2 keys – “Alt” and “Enter”.

The method helps not only in old games, but also in modern ones - for example, in WoT.

The same key combination will return windowed mode back if necessary.

Method 2: Change startup options

Sometimes it happens, especially if you play on someone else’s computer, that the game starts in windowed mode due to the “-window” parameter set in the shortcut properties.

It can be written in the “Object” line of the game shortcut properties.

By removing this inscription, you can restore the standard launch to the entire monitor.

In this case, you should select the “Compatibility” tab in the properties of the shortcut or the application itself and select the operating system.

However, most often the list of operating systems ends with Windows Vista, and for the owner of a modern OS, for example, this method will not help.

Method 3. Setting up the video card

In some cases, outdated video card drivers prevent you from running games in full screen. The issue can be resolved by updating them or completely reinstalling them.

Each manufacturer's video card setup menu looks different.

For example, for company products, the user will have to open the Start menu/Control Panel.

Here select the nVidia Control Panel and select the scaling adjustment there. When you turn it on, the game should expand to fit the screen.

ATI brand video cards require the Catalyst Control Center application to be running.

And for integrated Intel Graphics cards, often installed on, you will need to perform a number of steps described separately.

Method 4. Game settings

Some games on modern operating systems, for example, do not allow you to set full-screen or windowed mode in their graphics settings.

This possibility can be detected by launching a game that for some reason runs in a window, that is, not in full screen.

Solution to the problem:

  1. Go to settings;
  2. Find the item responsible for launching in windowed or full-screen mode;
  3. Enable the mode or check the box.

Sometimes after changing the settings the game has to be restarted. In this case, it usually doesn’t matter what the operating system is or the screen resolution.

Method 5. Change resolution

If all of the above did not help bring the game resolution to normal, the game may be old enough to run in full screen in .

Sometimes in this case the picture looks blurry.

And there is only one way to fix the problem - change the resolution of your screen.

After this, however, other programs, more modern and designed for normal parameters, will no longer run.

Therefore, after playing the game, you need to return the monitor to its normal resolution.

If the game requires a resolution of 640x480, but the monitor does not support it, there is another option. It is selected in the shortcut properties on the compatibility tab.

Important! It is worth noting that this function allows you to automatically return to normal resolution after exiting the game.

In this article, I will show you how 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 into everyday use 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 essential tasks without using a mouse.

As practice shows, knowing certain key combinations allows you to expand a window to full screen at a faster rate, which has a positive effect on overall productivity. Once you get used to it, performing common tasks using short keyboard shortcuts will seem more convenient than moving the mouse.

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

When you use hotkeys to expand a window to fill the entire monitor, you don't have to focus on the mouse, which makes the task much easier, especially in the long run. The point is that entering text or commands using the keyboard requires the use of a certain part of the brain. Using a mouse involves slightly different areas because it works fundamentally differently. Therefore, there is not only a waste of time physically moving the hand to the side, but also a switching 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 the computer, it can be quite significant.

How to minimize/maximize an application window

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

Open 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 to consider the issue with them. So, in order to minimize or maximize the window of any running application, you need to simultaneously press the “ Win"(with the image of the system logo, it is located closer to the lower left corner of the keyboard) and 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 some may find it more convenient. You must simultaneously press Alt+Space, in the context window that appears, use the arrows to select the required action, and then confirm it with the key Enter.


Maximizing the window in MAC OS

On the Apple operating system, the algorithm of actions will be approximately the same. You must press the keys simultaneously Command+Power. Depending on the situation, the combination will either minimize the active application to windowed mode or expand it to a full-screen display version.

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

To play comfortably on some laptops, you need to disable various graphics settings and lower the resolution. At the same time, black stripes may appear along the edges of the screen in computer games. And all because of incorrectly configured scaling. In this article we will figure out how to stretch the game to fill the entire laptop screen. Please note that the image quality will be slightly degraded.

You can change the scaling in the video card control panel. True, find this parameter in Nvidia Control Panels(GeForce) or Catalyst Control Center(Radeon) you won't succeed.

Modern laptops come with an integrated Intel graphics card. It is in the Intel Control Panel that the scaling option is located. You can open it by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting " Graphic characteristics...» in the context menu.

If this item is not in the context menu, you probably do not have Intel software installed. Install it from the disk that came with your laptop or download it from the company's official website. When you launch it for the first time, a window will appear asking you to select the application mode. Select " Advanced Mode"(display all settings) and click on the button " OK«.

In chapter " Display» open « basic settings". If you are using the maximum display resolution, the scaling option you need will be hidden.

Accordingly, it is necessary to reduce the resolution so that the parameter we need appears. Choosing something new permission(for example, it was 1366x768, 1360x768 was selected), after which we set the scaling parameter - “ Zoom to full screen«.

Save the changes using the button " Apply". We immediately return to the usual screen resolution and save the settings again.

That's it, you can close the Intel Control Panel. Now, despite the selected resolution, the game will be stretched to fill the entire laptop screen.

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. They can be expanded to full size through the shortcut properties, changing the Windows resolution or settings of the application itself.

Full screen mode in shortcut properties

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

Standard location path: “C:\Program Files\[name]”. Create a shortcut, right-click on it 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 a start menu in which 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 the initial 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 a limited maximum number of horizontal and vertical points. In this case, changing the Windows resolution helps. When it is reduced, all interface elements become larger.

Selecting the same resolution as the maximum size of the game window will allow it to run on the entire monitor. To change this property, right-click on the desktop. The click should be made on a free space, not on the icons. To open the 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 Options -> Video Settings. In the “Display Mode” line, select “Fullscreen” to maximize the window to fill the entire monitor.

Of course, in most cases it all depends on the masterpiece of the gaming industry itself. But sometimes a relatively new operating system is to blame.

For example, if Windows 10 is installed on your PC, and the toy is designed for XP, then nothing good will come of running it.

It also happens that a toy is designed for one monitor resolution (which was in use about 10 years ago), and the user has a new high-resolution display. In this case, problems are also possible.

So why can't the toy run in full screen mode? There are several reasons.

  • The game is very old. Such toys usually do not support high resolution and gamers have to try their best to get out of this situation.
  • The toy does not support full screen mode. It’s very difficult to do anything here, since it’s a matter of the game’s capabilities themselves.
  • New operating system. Which categorically refuses to support old programs (including games).
  • Old video card drivers. In this case, it also happens that some program does not want to run in full screen mode.
  • Special hotkeys. Sometimes switching to full screen mode can be done solely using hotkeys. The graphical interface may not have such settings.
  • Video card settings. It often happens that the application that powers the video card does not have the appropriate settings installed. That's why there are problems with full-screen mode.

The good news is that almost all of the above problems have solutions. And often they are quite simple. Let's look at everything in order. This is the only way to make the old toy work in full screen mode.

This option can be used if the old game does not support the resolution used on the monitor. To begin with, you should look at the maximum possible resolution in the toy’s settings, and then set it on the monitor. It's very easy to do.

1. Right-click on an empty space on the computer desktop and select “Display Settings” from the menu that appears.

2. Now click on the words “Advanced screen settings”.

3. In the next window, select the desired resolution in the corresponding line and click on the “Apply” button.

The resolution has changed. Just keep in mind that other programs may not start. Now launch the game and set it to the maximum resolution. After that it should launch in full screen mode.

After you are finished working with the toy, do not forget to return the monitor resolution to its place. Some modern utilities categorically refuse to run on low screen resolutions.

There is only one thing you can do here: stretch the window to fill the entire screen. But it is far from certain that the image is adapted for the wide screen. Also, don't count on high picture quality.

You need to launch the game and wait until it fully launches. Then you need to move the mouse cursor over the edge of the window and stretch it to fill the entire screen. This is a unique solution that is suitable for toys that do not support full-screen mode.

If the user has “ten” installed, and the toy was released in the days of XP or Windows 2000, then it is not surprising that it refuses to work on Windows 10. The compatibility issue needs to be resolved. The good thing is that this can be done very simply.

1. Right-click on the toy’s shortcut on the desktop and select “Properties” from the menu that opens.

2. In the window that opens, go to the “Compatibility” tab.

3. Next step: check the “Run in compatibility mode for” checkbox. In the line below, select the desired version of the Windows operating system, click the “Apply” button and then “OK”.

Now you can try to launch the toy in the standard way (using a shortcut). It should launch in full screen mode. Provided that the operating system version for compatibility mode was selected correctly.

If the desired toy cannot work with high resolutions, then in the compatibility mode settings you will also need to check the “Use 640 x 480 resolution” option. It is also not harmful for such games to add the “Low color mode” item and select 8-bit color. This will save settings only for the current application. And you won’t need to change them all the time when you exit the game.

Often, old video card drivers do not allow the latter to work adequately with old games, even in operating system compatibility mode. You can update the driver by downloading the current one from the manufacturer’s website, but it’s easier to use the capabilities of “Ten”.

1. Open the “Control Panel” and click on the “Device Manager” item in it.

2. Now look for the name of the desired video adapter and right-click on it. In the menu that appears, select “Update drivers...”.

3. Click on the item “Automatically search for updated drivers.”

That's all. The update wizard will download and install the necessary drivers. After updating, it is recommended to restart the machine for all changes to take effect. And after the restart, you can try to launch and configure the game.

Often the toy lacks resolution options in the GUI. But this does not mean that you cannot scale the image. Hotkeys can be used for this. Different games may have different settings. But sometimes OS hotkeys are also suitable for changing the window scale.

1. This key combination is actively used in some players in order to expand the image to full screen. Can also be used in some toys.

2. Another popular combination for enabling full-screen mode in some games. You can also try the “Shift+Enter” combination. Sometimes it helps.

3. Some laptops use the “Alt” key and one of twelve function buttons simultaneously. Each laptop has its own programmed settings. Therefore, you will have to act at random.

Using hotkeys you can actually make some games work in full screen mode. But not all. However, this is one solution to the problem. And not even the most difficult one.

If the video card application does not have scaling parameters set, you may experience problems with switching to full-screen mode. Laptops with hybrid graphics (Intel + NVIDIA) are especially susceptible to this. You just need to change the settings.

1. Open the “Control Panel” and click on the “Intel® Graphics and Media” item.

2. The application for managing the integrated graphics will immediately open. In the “Scaling” column, select “Save scaling”. Then click “Apply” and click “OK”.

This completes the video card setup. Now you can launch the toy and try to make it expand to full screen. After setting up the video adapter, everything should work out. And if not, then there is nothing more you can do.

It is worth noting that in laptops with hybrid graphics, a discrete graphics card from NVIDIA is responsible for processing the graphics of demanding games, and an adapter from Intel is responsible for displaying visual information on the screen. And if scaling is configured exclusively on an adapter from NVIDIA, then there will be no changes on the screen. You need to configure the graphics adapter that displays the image on the display. And this is a card from Intel.

Conclusion

So, the most common reasons for running games in windowed mode were discussed above. If all the methods for solving the problem listed in this material did not help, then nothing can be done. You'll just have to accept it.

However, there is a 99 out of 100 chance that toys behave this way for one of the reasons described above. This means that the chances of success are quite high.