Learning how to make a game full screen on PC is a common first step for a better gaming experience. Forcing a game to display in full screen on PC often involves checking the game’s own video or display settings. This simple change can eliminate distracting borders, improve performance, and help you become fully immersed in the game world.
This guide provides clear, step-by-step methods for getting any game into full screen mode. We will cover in-game settings, Windows shortcuts, graphics driver controls, and solutions for stubborn games that refuse to cooperate.
How To Make A Game Full Screen On Pc
The primary and most reliable method is always the game’s own options menu. Virtually every PC game includes a display or video settings section where you can control the window mode.
Here is the standard process you should try first.
Step By Step Guide To In Game Settings
Start the game you want to modify. Navigate to the main menu or pause menu and look for an option labeled “Settings,” “Options,” or “Configuration.”
Inside settings, find a sub-menu for “Video,” “Display,” or “Graphics.” The exact name varies between games.
Within the video settings, locate the setting for “Display Mode,” “Window Mode,” or “Screen Mode.” You will typically see three main options.
- Fullscreen: The ideal mode. The game takes over your entire monitor, often leading to best performance and no distractions.
- Windowed: The game runs in a movable window with a title bar and borders, like any other application.
- Borderless Windowed (or Fullscreen Windowed): A hybrid mode. The game covers the whole screen but runs in a window, making alt-tabbing to other programs faster, but sometimes at a small performance cost.
Select “Fullscreen” from the list. You may need to apply the changes or restart the game for them to take full effect. Always check for a “Resolution” setting directly below and ensure it matches your monitor’s native resolution for the sharpest image.
Using Keyboard Shortcuts For Quick Toggles
Many games support universal keyboard shortcuts to switch between window modes quickly. This is useful for testing or if you cannot find the setting in the menu.
The most common shortcut is Alt + Enter. While the game is the active window, simply press these two keys together. This often toggles between full screen and windowed mode instantly.
If Alt + Enter doesn’t work, try these other common shortcuts.
- F11: A standard full screen toggle for many applications and some games.
- Alt + F4: Be careful with this one, as it usually closes the application. Only use it if you intend to quit.
- Some games use custom shortcuts. Check the game’s control settings under “Keyboard” or “General” for a “Toggle Fullscreen” command.
When Keyboard Shortcuts Do Not Respond
If the shortcuts fail, the game might be overriding them, or you may need to run the game as an administrator. Right-click the game’s shortcut or .exe file and select “Run as administrator.” Also, ensure you are pressing the keys while the game window is actively selected.
Configuring Graphics Driver Control Panels
Your graphics card software from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel provides powerful override settings. You can force full screen behavior for specific games or globally here.
For NVIDIA Graphics Card Users
Right-click on your desktop and select “NVIDIA Control Panel.” In the left pane, navigate to “Display” > “Adjust desktop size and position.”
On the right, ensure “Scaling” is set to “Full-screen” and “Perform scaling on” is set to “GPU.” This helps prevent black bars. For per-game settings, go to “Manage 3D settings” > “Program Settings,” select your game, and look for an option like “DSR – Factors” or “Vertical sync” which can sometimes influence windowing, though the main control is usually in-game.
For AMD Graphics Card Users
Right-click the desktop and open “AMD Radeon Software.” Go to the “Settings” gear icon, then “Display.” Ensure the “GPU Scaling” option is turned on and set to “Full Panel” for proper scaling. You can also check the “Gaming” tab, select your game, and explore the “Display” settings within its profile for any relevant overrides.
For Intel Integrated Graphics Users
Right-click the desktop and choose “Intel Graphics Settings.” Go to “Display” or “General Settings.” Look for a “Scaling” option and set it to “Scale Full Screen.” This setting helps applications fit the monitor correctly.
Adjusting Windows Display And Compatibility Settings
Windows itself has settings that can affect how games and applications run, especially older ones.
Windows Display Scaling And Resolution
Press Windows Key + I to open Settings. Go to “System” > “Display.” Verify that your “Display resolution” is set to the recommended value. Also, check the “Scale” setting. Using a scale like 125% or 150% can sometimes cause issues with games; try setting it to 100% if a game has problems.
For multiple monitors, ensure the game is launching on the correct primary display. You can set your main gaming monitor as the “Main display” in this same settings menu.
Using Compatibility Mode For Older Games
If an older game refuses to go full screen, Windows Compatibility mode can help. Locate the game’s .exe file (often in Program Files or Steam’s steamapps folder). Right-click it and select “Properties.”
Navigate to the “Compatibility” tab. Check the box for “Run in compatibility mode for:” and select an older Windows version like “Windows 7.” Also, check the box for “Disable fullscreen optimizations.” This is a key setting that resolves many full screen issues in Windows 10 and 11.
You can also try checking “Run this program as an administrator” here. Click “Apply” and then “OK.” Launch the game to see if the issue is resolved.
Solving Common Full Screen Problems And Glitches
Sometimes, getting a game to run full screen is only half the battle. You might encounter problems like black bars, performance drops, or the game minimizing.
Fixing Black Bars And Incorrect Aspect Ratios
Black bars on the sides or top and bottom usually indicate an aspect ratio mismatch. First, check the game’s resolution setting. It should match your monitor’s native aspect ratio (e.g., 1920×1080 for 16:9, 2560×1440 for 16:9).
If the resolution is correct, the issue is likely in your graphics driver scaling settings, as described in the NVIDIA/AMD/Intel sections above. Ensure the scaling is set to “Full Panel” or “Full Screen” and is performed by the GPU, not the display.
Addressing Performance Issues In Full Screen Mode
Paradoxically, some users report worse performance in full screen. This can be due to Windows “Fullscreen Optimizations,” a feature designed to help but which sometimes hinders games. To disable it for a specific game, use the Compatibility tab method mentioned earlier and check “Disable fullscreen optimizations.”
Also, in your graphics driver control panel, ensure settings like V-Sync are configured appropriately. Running in “Borderless Fullscreen” mode can sometimes cause more stutter because Windows treats the game like a desktop window, subject to desktop composition.
Preventing Games From Minimizing Automatically
If your game keeps minimizing, it’s often due to other applications sending notifications. Turn off focus-stealing notifications.
- Open Windows Settings (Win + I) and go to “System” > “Notifications & actions.”
- Turn off “Get notifications from apps and other senders” or disable them for specific apps like Discord or Slack.
- Also, check for background applications like cloud storage clients (OneDrive, Dropbox) or update checkers that might pop up.
Advanced Methods And Third Party Tools
For games that are truly stubborn, especially older classics or non-Steam applications, these advanced tools can provide a solution.
Borderless Gaming And Windowed Fullscreen Tools
Software like “Borderless Gaming” (available on Steam or GitHub) can force almost any window into a borderless full screen state. This is perfect for games that only offer a windowed mode or for running emulators in a seamless full screen.
After installing, you simply run the tool, launch your game in windowed mode, and then add the game’s window to the tool’s list. It will instantly remove the borders and center the window to fill your screen.
Editing Game Configuration Files Manually
Many games store their display settings in a configuration (.ini or .cfg) file. You can edit these files with Notepad to force full screen. This is common for games like those built on older engines.
- Find the configuration file. It’s often in “Documents/My Games/[Game Name]” or in the game’s installation folder.
- Look for lines like “Fullscreen=0” or “Windowed=1” and change them to “Fullscreen=1” and “Windowed=0”.
- Save the file and set it to “Read-only” in its properties to prevent the game from changing it back.
Be sure to back up the file before making changes incase you make a mistake.
Platform Specific Tips For Steam And Other Launchers
Game launchers like Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG Galaxy sometimes have their own overlay or launch options that can affect window mode.
Using Steam Launch Options
In your Steam library, right-click a game and select “Properties.” In the “General” section, you’ll see a box for “Launch Options.” You can add commands here that the game will use on startup.
Common full screen commands include -fullscreen or -windowed -noborder to create a borderless window. The exact command varies by game; a quick web search for “[Game Name] launch options” will provide specifics.
Settings In Epic Games And GOG Galaxy
The Epic Games Launcher has fewer built-in options. Your best bet is to use the in-game settings or the methods described above. GOG Galaxy sometimes offers additional graphical settings for older games in its “Settings” > “Game Features” section for specific titles.
For any launcher, disabling the in-game overlay (Steam Overlay, Discord Overlay) can sometimes resolve full screen conflicts. You can find these settings within each application’s settings menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Make My Computer Game Full Screen?
Start with the game’s own video settings menu and select “Fullscreen” mode. If that doesn’t work, try pressing Alt + Enter while the game is running. For persistent problems, check your graphics driver settings or Windows compatibility options.
Why Is My PC Game Not Going Full Screen?
Common reasons include incorrect in-game resolution, outdated graphics drivers, interference from Windows fullscreen optimizations, or a conflict with the game’s compatibility settings on modern Windows. Running the game as an administrator can also help.
What Is The Difference Between Fullscreen And Borderless Windowed?
Fullscreen gives the game exclusive control of the display, usually offering the best performance. Borderless Windowed makes the game cover the screen but runs it as a desktop window, allowing for faster alt-tabbing but potentially introducing slight input lag or lower frame rates.
How Can I Play A Game In Full Screen Mode On A Dual Monitor Setup?
Set your primary gaming monitor as the “Main display” in Windows Display Settings. Use the in-game settings to select full screen mode. For some games, you may need to set the game to run in “Borderless Windowed” mode to easily move your cursor to the second screen without the game minimizing.
Can I Force A Game To Full Screen With A Batch File Or Script?
Yes, you can create a batch file that starts the game with specific command-line arguments for full screen. For example, a basic .bat file could contain the line: `start “” “C:\Path\To\Game.exe” -fullscreen`. You would need to know the correct executable path and launch parameters for the game.