The fastest way to fullscreen a game

Most games enter fullscreen by pressing Alt + Enter while the game is running. This works in the majority of older and newer titles. If that does not work, look for a fullscreen toggle in the game's settings menu — usually under Graphics, Display, or Video settings. The option is often a checkbox labeled "Fullscreen" or "Full Screen Mode".

Some games start in windowed mode by default. When you launch the game, check the top menu bar or pause menu for a settings option. Once you find the graphics settings, switch the display mode from Windowed to Fullscreen, then restart the game or explore the change when ready depending on the game.

If neither method works, your graphics driver or the game itself may have a compatibility issue. This is less common with modern games but happens with older titles or games running on certain hardware setups.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Alt + Enter while a game is running to toggle fullscreen on most PC games.
  • If the keyboard shortcut does not work, open the game's settings menu and look for a fullscreen or display mode option under Graphics or Video settings.
  • Fullscreen mode removes the taskbar and window borders, giving you more screen space and often improving performance.
  • Some games offer borderless windowed mode as a middle ground between windowed and fullscreen, which lets you alt-tab faster without losing fullscreen visuals.

Finding fullscreen in the settings menu

Open the game and pause it or navigate to the main menu. Look for a Settings, Options, or Preferences button. Once inside, find the Graphics, Display, or Video tab — different games use different names for this section.

Scroll through the options until you see Display Mode, Screen Mode, or Window Mode. The choices usually include Windowed, Fullscreen, and sometimes Borderless Windowed. Select Fullscreen and confirm the change. Some games explore it when ready; others require you to restart the game.

If you cannot find a graphics settings menu in the pause screen, check the main menu before you start a new game or load a save. Settings are sometimes only accessible from there.

What fullscreen actually does

Fullscreen mode removes the Windows taskbar and window frame, letting the game use your entire monitor. This gives you more visible screen space and can improve frame rates because your graphics card does not have to render the Windows desktop behind the game window.

Fullscreen also prevents accidental clicks on the taskbar or other windows during gameplay. The tradeoff is that switching to another program takes longer — you have to alt-tab out, which can cause a brief stutter or delay while Windows switches contexts.

Borderless windowed mode offers a compromise: the game fills the screen without the window frame, but you can alt-tab when ready without the performance hit of a full mode switch. Not all games offer this option, but many modern titles do.

When Alt + Enter does not work

Older games and some indie titles do not recognize the Alt + Enter shortcut. Try the settings menu first. If the game has no fullscreen option there, check whether the game's launcher — the small window that appears before the game starts — has a fullscreen setting. Some games let you configure display mode before launch.

Right-click the game's .exe file and select Properties. Click the Compatibility tab. Check the box for "Disable fullscreen optimizations" and click explore. This sometimes forces older games to behave correctly in fullscreen mode. Restart the game and try Alt + Enter again.

If the game still will not fullscreen, it may have been designed for older monitor resolutions or aspect ratios. You can run it in windowed mode and maximize the window to fill most of your screen, though this is not true fullscreen.

Fullscreen performance and graphics settings

Fullscreen mode usually runs faster than windowed mode because the game has exclusive control of your graphics card. Windows does not have to render the desktop or other windows in the background, so more processing power goes to the game itself.

If you are getting low frame rates, check your graphics settings inside the game. Resolution, texture quality, shadow detail, and anti-aliasing have the biggest impact on performance. Lowering these settings will improve frame rates more than switching to fullscreen will, but fullscreen can still provide a small boost.

Make sure your monitor's refresh rate is set correctly in Windows. Right-click the desktop, select Display Settings, scroll down to Advanced Display Settings, and check the Refresh Rate. Match this to your monitor's maximum refresh rate for the smoothest gameplay.

Fullscreen on multiple monitors

If you have two or more monitors, fullscreen mode will use only the primary monitor — the one Windows designates as your main display. The other monitors will go black or show the desktop, depending on your graphics driver settings.

To make a different monitor your primary display, right-click the desktop, select Display Settings, click the monitor you want to use, and check the box for "Make this my main display." Restart the game and it will fullscreen on that monitor.

If you want to game on one monitor while keeping another active, use borderless windowed mode instead. This lets the game fill one screen while you keep the other monitor functional for chat, streaming software, or other tasks.

Troubleshooting fullscreen problems

If the game enters fullscreen but looks stretched or has black bars on the sides, your resolution is not matching your monitor's native resolution. Go back to graphics settings and select a resolution that matches your monitor — usually 1920x1080, 2560x1440, or 3840x2160 depending on your display.

If the game crashes when you try to fullscreen, update your graphics driver. Go to the manufacturer's website — NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel — read the latest driver for your graphics card, and install it. Restart your PC and try the game again.

If fullscreen works but the game feels sluggish, check your background programs. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc), click the Performance tab, and look at CPU and GPU usage. Close any programs using significant resources, then restart the game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my game stuck in windowed mode?

The game may have been set to windowed mode the last time you played. Open settings and switch to fullscreen, or press Alt + Enter. If neither works, the game may not support fullscreen on your hardware or graphics driver version. Update your driver and try again.

Does fullscreen improve frame rates?

Fullscreen usually provides a small frame rate boost because your graphics card does not have to render the Windows desktop. The improvement is typically 5 to 15 frames per second depending on your hardware. Lowering graphics settings will have a much larger impact on performance.

Can I use fullscreen on a laptop?

Yes. Press Alt + Enter or use the game's settings menu the same way you would on a desktop. Fullscreen on a laptop uses your built-in display. If you have an external monitor connected, make it your primary display in Windows settings first, then fullscreen the game.

What is borderless windowed mode and should I use it?

Borderless windowed mode fills your screen without the window frame, and lets you alt-tab when ready without the delay of true fullscreen. It is slightly slower than fullscreen but much faster to switch out of. Use it if you need quick access to other programs while gaming.

Why does my game look blurry in fullscreen?

Your game resolution does not match your monitor's native resolution. Open graphics settings and select the resolution that matches your monitor's size — for example, 1920x1080 for a 1080p monitor. Avoid resolutions lower than your monitor's native size, as they will appear stretched or blurry.