How To Go Full Screen On Pc

Learning how to go full screen on PC is a fundamental skill that improves your viewing experience. Activating full-screen mode for an application usually involves a simple keyboard shortcut or menu option. Whether you’re watching a video, giving a presentation, or playing a game, full screen removes distractions and lets you focus on the content. This guide covers every method for Windows and Mac, across browsers, apps, and even specific situations.

Full-screen mode expands your application to cover the entire display, hiding the taskbar, menu bars, and other desktop elements. It’s useful for many activities. The method can vary depending on the program you are using, but several universal techniques work in most cases.

Universal Keyboard Shortcuts For Full Screen

Keyboard shortcuts are often the fastest way to toggle full screen. These key combinations are standardized across many applications, from web browsers to media players.

The Primary Full Screen Shortcut: F11

The F11 key is the most common full-screen shortcut for web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge on Windows. Pressing it once activates full-screen mode; pressing it again restores the window.

Simply press the F11 key on your keyboard.
To exit, press F11 again or move your cursor to the top of the screen and click the “Restore” button that appears.

The Alternative Shortcut: Alt + Enter

This combination is prevalent in multimedia applications and some games. It’s a reliable second option if F11 doesn’t work.

Make sure the application window you want is active.
Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard.
While holding Alt, press the Enter key.
Repeat the steps to exit the mode.

The Windows Key + Shift + Enter Shortcut

This is a lesser-known shortcut specific to Windows 10 and 11 that works in certain contexts, like the Microsoft Store apps.

Using Application Menus And Controls

If keyboard shortcuts aren’t your preference or you can’t remember them, you can almost always find the full-screen option within the application’s own interface. The location is usually consistent.

Standard Menu Path

Look for the “View” menu in the application’s menu bar at the top of the window. The full-screen option is frequently listed there.

Click on View in the menu bar.
Look for an option labeled “Full Screen,” “Enter Full Screen,” or “Fullscreen Mode.”
Click that option to activate it.

Dedicated Full Screen Buttons

Many media-centric programs have a dedicated button. In video players like VLC or YouTube, and in streaming services like Netflix, look for a square icon with diagonal arrows pointing outward, typically in the bottom-right corner of the video player.

Hover your mouse over the video playback area to reveal controls.
Click the full-screen icon (usually a box with arrows).
Click the same icon again, or press the Esc key, to exit.

How To Go Full Screen In Web Browsers

Web browsers have multiple ways to enter full-screen mode, for either the entire browser window or just a video element.

Full Screen For The Entire Browser Window

This makes the entire browser interface, including all tabs, go full screen.

Keyboard: Press F11.
Menu: Click the three-dot or hamburger menu (Customize and control) > Zoom > click the full-screen icon next to the zoom percentage.

Full Screen For A Video On A Website

This is the most common use. It makes only the video player fill your screen while the browser itself remains in the background.

Start playing the video on sites like YouTube, Vimeo, or Twitch.
Move your cursor over the video player.
Click the full-screen button in the player’s control bar.
Press the Esc key to exit video full screen reliably.

How To Go Full Screen In Specific Applications

Some major programs have thier own specific methods or quirks for full-screen mode.

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

In Office apps, full screen is often called “Read Mode” or “Full Screen Reading” in Word, and “Slide Show” in PowerPoint.

Word: Go to the View tab and click Read Mode.
PowerPoint: Go to the Slide Show tab and click From Beginning or press F5.
Excel: Use the View > Full Screen option, or press Ctrl+Shift+F1.

Video Players (VLC, Windows Media Player)

These players offer several intuitive methods.

Double-click the video playback area.
Use the Video > Fullscreen menu.
Press the F key (common in VLC and others).

PC Games And Steam

Games usually have a display setting within their options menu. You can toggle between Fullscreen, Windowed, and Borderless Windowed modes.

Open the game’s Settings or Options menu.
Navigate to Graphics or Display settings.
Change the Display Mode to “Fullscreen.”
For Steam games, you can also try Alt+Enter if the in-game option isn’t working.

How To Go Full Screen On Mac Computers

The principles are similar on a Mac, but the keyboard shortcuts and menu names differ. The green traffic light button in a window’s top-left corner is key.

Using The Green Full-Screen Button

Hover over the green button at the top-left of any window. It will either show a plus sign (+) or two diagonal arrows. Clicking it will enter full-screen mode for that app.

Mac Keyboard Shortcuts

These are the standard Mac equivalents.

Control + Command + F: This is the primary shortcut for entering full screen in most Mac applications.
For Safari: You can also use Shift+Command+F.
To exit, press the same shortcut again, or move your cursor to the top of the screen to reveal the menu bar and click the green button.

Troubleshooting Common Full Screen Problems

Sometimes full-screen mode doesn’t work as expected. Here are solutions to frequent issues.

Full Screen Is Not Working Or Is Black

This can be caused by outdated graphics drivers or software conflicts.

Update your graphics drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel’s website.
Try running the application as an administrator (Right-click icon > Run as administrator).
Check for updates to the application itself.

Taskbar Remains Visible On Top

In Windows, the taskbar might stay on top due to a setting.

Right-click the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
Turn off “Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode” and then turn it back on. This can reset its behavior.
Ensure no other notifications or pop-ups are keeping the taskbar active.

How To Exit Full Screen When Stuck

If you can’t exit with the usual methods, try these emergency steps.

Press the Esc key repeatedly. This is the universal “exit” key.
Press the F11 or Alt+Enter keys.
Press Alt+Tab to switch to another window, which may force the full-screen app to minimize.
As a last resort, press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager and end the task.

Advanced Full Screen Modes And Tips

Beyond basic full screen, there are modes that offer more control or convenience.

Borderless Windowed Mode (Fullscreen Windowed)

Popular in gaming, this mode makes the game window borderless and the size of your monitor, allowing for seemless alt-tabbing without the delay of true full screen.

Using Multiple Monitors With Full Screen

You can have a full-screen application on one monitor while working on another. The key is to set the application to full screen on the desired display first. Some applications in full screen will capture your mouse cursor, preventing you from moving to the other screen; borderless windowed mode often fixes this.

Making Command Prompt Or Terminal Full Screen

For the Windows Command Prompt, you can press Alt+Enter to toggle full screen. On Mac Terminal, you can use Command+Enter or click the green full-screen button.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the shortcut key for full screen?

The most common shortcut key for full screen on a Windows PC is F11, especially in web browsers. The Alt + Enter combination is also widely used in media players and games.

How do I get my computer screen back to normal size?

To get your screen back to normal from full screen, press the same key or shortcut you used to enter it (like F11 or Esc). The Escape (Esc) key is a reliable universal way to exit full-screen mode in most applications.

Why won’t my PC go full screen?

If your PC won’t go full screen, it could be due to outdated software, incorrect display settings, or a conflict with another program. Try updating your graphics drivers, checking the application’s display settings for a “Fullscreen” option, and closing other running programs.

How do I make a game full screen?

To make a game full screen, open the game’s settings menu, navigate to Graphics or Display options, and change the display mode from “Windowed” to “Fullscreen.” You can also try pressing Alt+Enter while the game is running.

What is the difference between full screen and maximize?

Maximizing a window enlarges it to fill the desktop but keeps the taskbar, title bar, and window borders visible. Full-screen mode removes all other interface elements, allowing the application’s content to use every single pixel on your monitor for a truly immersive view.