To run a PC game in full screen, select Fullscreen in the game's display settings or use its supported keyboard shortcut. In Rocket League, press Alt + Enter to switch display modes; shortcut support varies in other games. The Windows Settings steps below use Windows 11 menus.
The short version
- Start in the game: Choose its full-screen display mode using the menu path for that game.
- Try a supported shortcut: Rocket League supports Alt + Enter, while UWP games use Windows + Shift + Enter.
- Consider borderless: Fortnite's Windowed Fullscreen fills the screen with a borderless window.
- For browser games: Press F11 in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox on Windows to expand the browser.
- Keep launch options specific: Use commands intended for your launcher and game engine.
| Method | Where it applies | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Fortnite full screen | Fortnite for Windows | Selects Fullscreen |
| Fortnite borderless | Fortnite for Windows | Selects Windowed Fullscreen |
| Rocket League display menu | Rocket League on PC | Offers Fullscreen or Borderless |
| Alt + Enter | Rocket League on PC | Switches display modes |
| Windows + Shift + Enter | UWP games on Windows | Activates full screen |
| Steam launch argument | Supported Valve GoldSrc and Source games | Requests full screen at launch |
| Standard Epic launcher argument | Epic Games Launcher | Requests full screen through launcher Settings |
| Epic Early Preview argument | Epic Games Launcher Early Preview | Requests full screen through Manage |
| Unity player argument | Applicable Unity 6 standalone games | Requests full screen when starting the executable |
| Xbox mode keyboard entry | Supported Windows 11 PCs | Opens a gaming environment with full-screen apps when possible |
| Xbox mode alternative entry | Supported Windows 11 PCs | Enters through Game Bar or Task View |
| Xbox mode at startup | Supported Windows gaming handhelds | Enters the gaming environment at sign-in |
| Chrome full screen | Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS | Expands the browser |
| Edge full screen | Microsoft Edge for Windows | Expands the browser or browser-based stream |
| Firefox full screen | Firefox on Windows and Linux | Expands the browser |
| Voice access | Windows 11 22H2 and later | Sends a game's supported keyboard shortcut |
| NVIDIA scaling | Supported NVIDIA display configurations | Stretches lower-resolution output |
| AMD scaling | Supported AMD display configurations | Scales output to fill the panel |
| Fortnite preference repair | Graphics settings that reset between launches | Removes the settings file's read-only restriction |
| Windows windowed optimizations | Compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games | Changes windowed or borderless presentation performance |
| Edge administrative policy | Managed Microsoft Edge for Windows | Permits browser full screen |
| Borderless Gaming | Compatible game windows | Converts windows to borderless full screen |
| Window maximization | Resizable Windows games that allow it | Enlarges the window but can retain borders and the taskbar |
Choose full screen in the game settings
Start with your game's display controls to select its screen mode. Menu paths differ by game, so follow the route for the title you are playing.
In Fortnite for Windows, open the Lobby, select the Profile Icon, then open Settings > Video > Display > Window Mode. Select Fullscreen, then click Apply. To fill the display with a borderless window, select Windowed Fullscreen and click Apply.
In Rocket League on PC, open Settings from the main menu or press Esc. Open Video > Window Mode, then select Fullscreen or Borderless.
Use a shortcut your game supports
With Rocket League active, press Alt + Enter to switch its display mode. Support for this combination in other games depends on the game. If it does not change the mode, use the game's display settings.
For a Universal Windows Platform game, focus the game window and press Windows + Shift + Enter. This shortcut applies to UWP games, not every game installed through Microsoft Store or the Xbox app. Use the game's own controls when that shortcut does not apply.
Expand a browser game
For a game running in Chrome on Windows, press F11 to expand the browser. You can also open More and click Full screen beside Zoom. The browser fills the display, but whether the game itself expands depends on the website.
In Microsoft Edge for Windows, focus the tab containing your game or browser-based stream and press F11. Press F11 again to exit full screen.
In Firefox on Windows, open the game page and press F11, or Fn + F11 on some compact keyboards. Alternatively, click the top-right menu button and select the full-screen icon. The website determines how the game canvas resizes.
Set a compatible launcher option
A launch argument tells a compatible game which display mode to use when it starts. Match the argument to your launcher and game engine, and use the in-game display controls if it does not produce the mode you want.
For Valve's supported GoldSrc and Source engine games, open Steam's Library, right-click the game, and select Properties > General. In Launch Options, enter this command:
-fullscreenClose Properties, then launch the game. Valve says these arguments do not apply to most third-party games.
In the standard Epic Games Launcher, click the user icon and open Settings. Scroll to your game, check Additional command line arguments, and enter this command:
-FULLSCREENLaunch the game after entering the argument. Epic offers this option for all games in its launcher, but use the game's own display settings if it still opens in the wrong mode.
The Epic Games Launcher Early Preview uses a different route. Open Library, select the game, click the three dots beside Play, and select Manage. Turn on Additional command lines arguments, then enter the same command:
-FULLSCREENFor standalone games using Unity 6 player arguments, launch the game's executable with -screen-fullscreen 1. Replace the example executable path with your game's path:
"C:\Games\Example\Example.exe" -screen-fullscreen 1Unity also provides -window-mode exclusive and -window-mode borderless for Windows. Game code can affect the resulting display mode, so check the game's own settings if the argument does not give you the expected result.
Enter Xbox mode on a supported PC
On supported Windows 11 PCs running version 24H2 or later in supported markets, you can launch games from Xbox mode. Microsoft says apps appear full screen when possible; unsupported apps appear against a black background.
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Gaming > Xbox mode and turn on Enable Xbox mode. Press Windows + F11, then launch your game from the gaming home app.
After enabling Xbox mode, you can also open Game Bar with Windows + G or the controller's Xbox button and use its Settings entry to enter Xbox mode. Alternatively, turn on Show Xbox mode in Task View, then open Task View with Windows + Tab or its taskbar icon and enter Xbox mode.
Fill unused space with graphics scaling
Use graphics scaling when you want to stretch output to fill the display. NVIDIA's full-screen scaling stretches lower-resolution output; it does not switch a windowed game into full-screen mode. Select your game's display mode before adjusting scaling.
Open NVIDIA Control Panel with a supported display, then open Display > Adjust Desktop Size and Position > Scaling. Select Full-screen and click OK. If needed, select GPU under Perform Scaling on and click OK again.
For AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition, these steps apply to supported DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort displays running at their native resolution and refresh rate. Open AMD Software, search for Display, and open Display Settings. Set GPU Scaling to Enabled, then set Scaling Mode to Full panel. Control availability varies by system.
Keep Fortnite from resetting the setting
If Fortnite accepts your display choice but resets its graphics settings between launches, remove the read-only restriction from its settings file. Press Windows + R, enter the following location, and press Enter:
%localappdata%Open FortniteGame > Saved > Config > WindowsClient. Right-click GameUserSettings.ini, select Properties, uncheck Read-only, and select Apply. Return to Fortnite and choose your desired display mode again.
Improve compatible borderless games
Once your game is running borderless, Windows 11 offers a performance setting for compatible DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 games. It changes presentation performance rather than selecting the game's window mode.
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > System > Display > Graphics. Under Default settings, turn on Optimizations for windowed games, then restart the game. This setting also applies to compatible windowed games.
Consider a separate borderless utility
If you need another way to convert a game window into borderless full screen, get Borderless Gaming from its official Steam product page. The Steam edition supports converting game windows and automatically applying saved profiles. Compatibility varies by game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I maximize a game window?
Focus a resizable Windows game window and press Windows + Up arrow. This works when the game allows window maximization, and it can leave window borders and the taskbar visible.
Can a Windows gaming handheld start in Xbox mode?
Supported Windows gaming handhelds running Windows 11 24H2 or later can enter Xbox mode automatically in supported markets. On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Gaming > Xbox mode. Under Choose home app, select an installed supported gaming home app, then turn on Enter Xbox mode on startup.
Can I activate a game's shortcut using voice access?
On Windows 11 22H2 and later, you can send keyboard input through voice access when it is already configured and listening. Focus the game and say a command using the template Press <key1> <key2>..., replacing the placeholders with the names of the keys in the game's supported shortcut. Voice access sends the keyboard combination, so the game must support that shortcut.
What can an administrator check if full screen is blocked in Edge?
For managed Microsoft Edge on Windows, version 77 onward, an administrator can open Administrative Templates > Microsoft Edge > Allow full screen mode and select Enabled, or leave the policy unconfigured. The corresponding registry policy is SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\FullscreenAllowed, with a REG_DWORD value of 1. This permits browser full screen and does not force native games into full screen. The policy does not apply to profiles signed in with a Microsoft account.
Which browser shortcuts work on Linux or ChromeOS?
In Chrome or Firefox on Linux, press F11 to expand the browser; Firefox also supports Fn + F11 on some compact keyboards. In Chrome on ChromeOS, press the keyboard's full-screen key, also called F4. Whether the game canvas expands still depends on the website.