To make your desktop fill the monitor, select the monitor’s recommended resolution in your computer’s display settings. To fill the screen with a single app, maximize its window or use its full-screen control. The Windows settings steps below use Windows 11 menus.
The short version
- Desktop size: Start with the affected monitor’s recommended or native resolution.
- App windows: On Windows 11, press Windows + Up Arrow to maximize a supported window.
- Browser full screen: Chrome and Edge on Windows use F11.
- Small text: Display scaling enlarges interface elements but does not correct desktop underscan.
- Remaining borders: Check your display’s picture controls and the supported scaling controls for your graphics hardware.
| Adjustment | When to use it | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop resolution | The desktop does not fit the monitor | Your operating system’s display settings |
| Display scaling | Text and apps need to be larger | The selected monitor’s scaling controls |
| Multiple display mode | Mirrored displays need different resolutions | Projection or mirroring controls |
| Window maximization | One app needs more desktop space | The app’s maximize or fill control |
| App full screen | A browser, app, or video should fill the screen | The app’s full-screen control |
| Webpage zoom | Only webpage content needs resizing | The browser’s zoom controls |
| Monitor picture size | The display’s picture needs resizing | The monitor or TV’s physical controls |
| Graphics scaling | You need to stretch or resize the desktop | Your supported graphics software |
| Graphics updates | Resolution choices changed unexpectedly | Windows Update or the graphics maker’s downloads |
| Connection checks | An external display has missing or incorrect modes | The cable, adapter, dock, and video port |
Set the recommended resolution in Windows
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Display. Select the monitor you want to adjust, then under Display resolution, choose the resolution marked (Recommended). Repeat this separately for each connected monitor.
For larger text and apps, select the monitor and choose a percentage under Scale & layout > Scale. This changes the size of interface elements, but it does not correct an underscanned desktop. For a physically rotated monitor, choose the matching setting under Display orientation.
When duplicated displays have different dimensions or resolutions, press Windows + P. Choose Second screen only to use the external monitor alone, or Extend for separate desktops. On Windows 11, return to Settings > System > Display and select the external monitor’s recommended resolution.
Choose the preferred display resolution on Mac
Open the Apple menu > System Settings > Displays, then select your monitor. Choose Default to use the display’s preferred resolution. The available resolution choices depend on your Mac and display.
When resolutions appear as thumbnails, hold Control and click a thumbnail, then choose Show List to see numerical resolutions. Turn on Show all resolutions if available. During mirroring, use Optimize for to select the external display. The Use as control lets you choose whether that display mirrors or extends the desktop.
Adjust a Chromebook or Ubuntu display
On a Chromebook, select the time, then open Settings > Device > Displays. Select the external monitor’s name and choose the appropriate setting under Resolution. Use Display and text size to adjust interface size, or Orientation for a rotated monitor.
On Ubuntu, open Activities, type Displays, and open Displays. Select the monitor and choose its native Resolution, adjusting Scale or Orientation as needed. Click Apply, then Keep Changes.
For multiple Ubuntu monitors, choose Join Displays instead of Mirror in Activities > Displays. Set each monitor’s native Resolution separately, since mirroring uses a shared resolution that may not suit both panels. Other Linux desktops have different menus.
Make an application fill the desktop
On Windows 11, activate the window and press Windows + Up Arrow. If the window starts minimized, repeat the shortcut until it is maximized. Supported applications fill the available desktop area while retaining normal window and taskbar behavior.
To reclaim the taskbar area, right-click an empty part of the Windows 11 taskbar and select Taskbar settings > Taskbar behaviors. Check Automatically hide the taskbar. This lets a maximized window use more screen space.
On a Mac, click the green button at the upper-left corner of a supported app window to enter full-screen mode. Alternatively, hover over it and choose Full Screen > Entire Screen. To leave, hover over the green button and choose Exit Full Screen.
To fill the desktop with a supported resizable Mac window, hover over the green button and select the Fill icon under Fill & Arrange, or press Fn + Control + F. For the same action by double-clicking, open System Settings > Desktop & Dock and set Double-click a window’s title bar to to Fill. Then double-click the window’s title bar.
On a Chromebook, select Maximize at the window’s upper-right corner to fill the desktop. Press the Chromebook’s Full screen key, also identified as F4, to hide tabs and launchers.
Use full screen in browsers and videos
In Chrome, open More and select Full screen beside Zoom. The keyboard shortcut is F11 on Windows or Linux, Command + Control + F on Mac, or the Full screen key on ChromeOS.
In Microsoft Edge on Windows or Mac, open Settings and more and select Full screen. You can also press F11 on Windows or Command + Control + F on Mac.
In Firefox, open the menu button at the upper right and select the full-screen icon. Its shortcut is F11, or Fn + F11 on keyboards requiring Fn; on Mac, use Command + Shift + F. Repeat the shortcut to exit.
For YouTube in a desktop browser, open the video and click Full screen at the player’s bottom-right corner. Click Exit full screen or double-click the video to leave. Embedded videos on other websites may not expose full-screen controls.
When only webpage content needs resizing, open More > Zoom in Chrome and select Zoom in or Zoom out. For a default across sites, open More > Settings > Appearance > Page zoom. These controls change webpage size rather than the desktop’s fit on the monitor.
Removing a saved site zoom setting deletes that site’s saved zoom level. To remove one in Chrome, open Settings > Privacy and security > Site Settings > Additional content settings > Zoom levels, then click X beside the site.
In Edge, open Settings and more and choose Zoom in or Zoom out. For a browser-wide default, open Settings and more > Settings > Accessibility > Visibility > Page zoom. Use Zoom levels to manage individual sites.
Fix the picture size on your monitor or TV
On LG monitors with these aspect-ratio controls, press the joystick beneath the monitor. Open Settings > Input > Aspect Ratio > Full Wide. On supported 21:9 LG monitors displaying 1080p content, Cinema 1 or Cinema 2 provides another enlargement option.
If an LG monitor using picture-by-picture shows your picture on only half the panel, open Menu > Input setting > PBP > Off. This applies to PBP-capable models, and model-specific menus may differ.
On compatible Samsung TVs and Odyssey Ark displays, use the remote to open Settings or All Settings > Picture > Expert Settings > Picture Size Settings. Choose Picture Size > 16:9 Standard for widescreen output, or use Fit to Screen to show the complete image. For manual enlargement, choose Picture Size > Custom, then Zoom and Position. Samsung says menu paths and available controls vary by model and year.
For a compatible TV or projector showing your Mac’s picture, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Displays. Select the connected display and adjust Underscan if available; if that control is absent, use the display’s own picture-size controls. For a compatible TV that exposes Overscan in these settings, select it when the picture does not fill the TV.
Fix remaining borders with graphics scaling
For a supported display driven by NVIDIA graphics, open NVIDIA Control Panel > Display > Adjust Desktop Size and Position > Scaling. Select Full-screen, then click OK to stretch a lower-resolution desktop across the panel. If needed, choose GPU or Automatic (Display) under Perform Scaling on.
For manual resizing on a supported NVIDIA display, open Adjust Desktop Size and Position > Size. First use the guidance there to check your display’s hardware settings, then, if necessary, check Enable desktop resizing, click Resize, adjust the sliders, and click OK. Keep the resized resolution and matching refresh rate selected. Unsupported display types do not expose these controls, so check your display’s supported picture-size options.
For a compatible display connected to a supported Radeon graphics card’s HDMI port, first set the display to that HDMI input’s native resolution and refresh rate. Open AMD Software, search for Display, and select Display Settings. Select the affected display and adjust HDMI Scaling until the picture fits.
For GPU scaling in AMD Software Adrenalin Edition, your supported Radeon system must use DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort with the display at its native resolution and refresh rate. Open AMD Software, search for Display, and select Display Settings. Set GPU Scaling to Enabled and Scaling Mode to Full panel.
On Windows 11 systems with Intel Arc A-Series or B-Series dedicated graphics, open Intel Graphics Software > Display. Set Scaling Mode to GPU Scaling, then choose Stretch under Scaling Method. This requires a standard resolution because custom resolutions are unsupported with this mode. Availability on Iris Xe or UHD systems depends on the computer manufacturer’s configuration.
For supported Intel external displays with edges cut off after upgrading to Windows 11, open Intel Graphics Command Center > Display and select the monitor. Under General > Scale, choose Custom and adjust both sliders until the picture fits. Custom scaling is unavailable for built-in laptop screens; for those screens, check the recommended resolution in Windows 11 under Settings > System > Display.
Restore missing resolution choices
If resolution choices changed unexpectedly, on Windows 11 open Start > Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates. Install applicable updates, then on Windows 11 return to Settings > System > Display and choose the recommended resolution.
When graphics software needs updating, find and update your graphics driver using a download appropriate for your hardware and operating system. Obtain supported software through NVIDIA’s driver downloads, AMD’s Drivers and Support, or Intel’s Download Center.
For an external monitor with missing or incorrect display modes, disconnect unnecessary docks, dongles, and adapters, then reseat the monitor cable. Try another cable or video-output port, and test the monitor with another computer if necessary. These checks help identify a connection problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make only the desktop wallpaper fill the monitor?
On Windows 11, open Settings > Personalization > Background and choose Picture or Slideshow under Personalize your background. Choose Fill to cover the screen with possible cropping, Stretch to cover it with possible distortion, or Span for one image across multiple monitors. These choices apply when the empty area belongs to the wallpaper.
Can you maximize a Windows window by voice?
With Voice access already running and listening, say Maximize window, or say Maximize Edge for Microsoft Edge. These English phrases apply to Windows 11 version 22H2 and later with supported Voice access languages.
How do you change external display mode on a Surface without a keyboard?
On a supported Surface connected to an external display, select the Network, Sound, or Battery area of the taskbar to open quick settings. Select Project, then choose Second screen only or Extend.
How do you put Fortnite into full screen on PC?
From the Lobby, select your Profile Icon > Settings > Video. Under Display > Window Mode, choose Fullscreen or Windowed Fullscreen, then click Apply. These controls are specific to Fortnite on PC.
How do you adjust an AirPlay picture through Apple TV?
On Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, open Settings > AirPlay and Apple Home > AirPlay Display Underscan. Adjust that setting for the connected display to change the fit of the AirPlay picture.