How to Fullscreen Any Game on PC

Whether you’re a casual gamer or a hardcore PC enthusiast, playing your favorite titles in fullscreen mode can significantly enhance your gaming experience. It enables better immersion, reduces distractions, and, in many cases, improves performance by allocating more system resources to the game rather than rendering your desktop environment.

TL;DR: Running a game in fullscreen mode offers a smoother and more immersive experience. The most common methods include toggling in-game settings, using keyboard shortcuts like Alt + Enter, or adjusting compatibility properties. If those don’t work, third-party utilities and graphics driver options often provide a solution. This guide covers all the most effective ways to fullscreen any game on PC, regardless of title or system age.

Why Fullscreen Matters

Unlike windowed or borderless windowed modes, fullscreen mode allows your graphics card to prioritize game rendering. This often results in better frame rates, reduced input lag, and minimized background interference. For competitive gamers, these performance gains can even impact gameplay outcomes.

Let’s explore all the reliable ways to fullscreen a game, whether it’s an older classic or a modern AAA title.

1. Use In-Game Display Settings

Most modern games offer adjustable display modes within their settings. This is the most straightforward and reliable method for entering fullscreen mode.

Go to the game’s Options or Settings menu.
Navigate to the Display or Graphics section.
Find the Display Mode or Window Mode option.
Set it to Fullscreen or Exclusive Fullscreen.
Apply the changes and restart the game if required.

This internal method ensures compatibility with the game engine and is your best first step.

2. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Many games support universal Windows keyboard shortcuts that toggle between display modes. Here are the most effective ones:

Alt + Enter: Works with most DirectX games. Instantly switches between windowed and fullscreen.
F11: Common in browser-based or Unity-powered games.

If your game doesn’t respond to these shortcuts, your next step should be to explore manual settings or force fullscreen through alternate methods.

3. Adjust Windows Compatibility Properties

For older programs or games that don’t handle modern screen resolutions well, compatibility settings in Windows can help.

To do this:

Right-click the game executable (EXE file).
Select Properties.
Go to the Compatibility tab.
Check “Disable Fullscreen Optimizations”.
Optionally, check “Run in 640×480 screen resolution” for very old games.
Click Apply and OK.

This is especially useful for classic titles running in low resolution that refuse to scale properly on modern screens.

4. Force Fullscreen via Launch Options

If your game runs through a launcher like Steam, Epic Games, or GOG Galaxy, you might be able to force fullscreen by modifying launch parameters.

For Steam games:

Open Steam and right-click the game in your Library.
Select Properties.
Under the General tab, find Launch Options.
Enter the following parameter: -fullscreen

Other possible commands include:

-windowed (to revert)
-noborder (for borderless windowed fullscreen)

This approach is especially effective for titles built on engines like Source, Unreal, and Unity.

5. Use Graphics Card Control Panels

Sometimes, your GPU driver software can override resolution settings and force fullscreen scaling.

Depending on your GPU, do the following:

For NVIDIA Users

Open the NVIDIA Control Panel.
Navigate to Display > Adjust desktop size and position.
Set Scaling Mode to Full-screen.
Check the box for Override the scaling mode set by games and programs.

For AMD Users

Open AMD Radeon Settings.
Go to Display.
Enable GPU Scaling.
Set Scaling Mode to Full Panel.

These settings affect how your system handles image scaling at different resolutions, often helping older games fit the screen properly.

6. Use Third-Party Utilities

If all else fails, consider using trusted third-party software that can help force fullscreen behavior.

Recommended tools include:

Borderless Gaming: Automatically converts windowed mode games into borderless fullscreen. Available on GitHub and Steam.
DxWnd: Designed for older Windows games, allows modification of resolution and window behavior.
DisplayFusion (Pro): Advanced multi-monitor management with fullscreen support.

Remember to download these tools only from official websites to avoid malware and ensure compatibility.

7. Tweak Configuration Files

Some games store settings in external configuration files that you can edit manually to enable fullscreen mode.

How to do it:

Find the configuration file (usually in Documents or the game’s install folder).
Look for values like Windowed=1 or Fullscreen=false.
Change them to Windowed=0 and/or Fullscreen=true.
Save the file and relaunch the game.

Each game may use different syntaxes or file formats (like INI, CFG, or XML), so consult community forums for game-specific advice.

8. Modify Registry Entries (Advanced)

Warning: This is for experienced users only. Editing the Windows registry incorrectly can cause system instability.

Some games store display preferences in the Windows registry:

Press Win + R and type regedit.
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\[Game Developer or Game Name].
Find values related to display mode or resolution and modify accordingly.
Backup the registry first by exporting the key before making changes.

Troubleshooting Common Fullscreen Issues

Occasionally, fullscreen mode may not work as expected. Here’s how to troubleshoot common problems:

Black screen after switching: Hit Alt + Tab to toggle focus or restart the game.
Resolution mismatch: Manually set the display resolution to match your monitor’s native resolution before launching the game.
Game minimizes on loss of focus: Use borderless fullscreen mode via third-party tools to avoid interruptions.
Flickering or stuttering: Disable fullscreen optimizations in compatibility settings.

When Fullscreen Isn’t the Best Option

Despite the advantages, there are times when fullscreen is not ideal:

Multitasking: Switching apps is slower in exclusive fullscreen.
Multi-monitor setups: Fullscreen can interfere with displays and cause stutters when moving the mouse between screens.
Streamers or developers: Windowed or borderless modes make overlays and debugging easier.

In such scenarios, consider using borderless windowed mode for the best compromise