How to Full Screen a Game on PC: A Step-by-Step Guide (2024)

Your computer offers many options for customizing your experience. These include changing themes, reorganizing menus, choosing fonts, and more. When it comes to gaming, however, many players prefer to focus on the game itself. Most players play games in full screen. However, you can also play games in windowed mode. But what if you want to play the game in full-screen mode? Street Fighter 6 is now on the PC. Can I set it to full screen even though the PC game has many options? The answer is “yes. In fact, most PC games have a full-screen choice. However, the steps to get there may vary from game to game. Preferably, open the game you like to play in full-screen mode. Locate the Settings or Options menu. It may be discovered in different places, depending on the game. Once found, look for the Display or Graphics tab.

Table of Contents

What is Full-screen Mode?

Before we get into the how-to, it is essential to understand the “what” behind full-screen gaming. Full-screen mode expands the game window to the entire display without the taskbar, dock, or other windows getting in the way.

Maximizes immersion without interface elements blocking your view
Increases visual fidelity by taking advantage of the full resolution of the display
Improved performance because the game does not render other interface elements
Benefit shooters and other games by eliminating the distance to the edge of the mouse
Full-screen exclusive mode prevents negligent use of the Alt-Tab key, which can cause performance degradation

Match 3 games offer a completely different world in full-screen mode, with expanded visuals that make it easier to spot potential matches and combos and genuinely vibrant colors and animations that add depth and tactility to every move.

Advantages of Playing Games in Full Screen

Playing games in full-screen mode on a PC offers a combination of advantages that can seriously enhance your gaming experience.

Immersive Experience: Playing games in full-screen mode allows you to immerse yourself in the virtual world fully. You can concentrate exclusively on the game and become fully immersed in its story and gameplay without the distraction of other applications or desktop icons.
Enhanced Graphics: Full-screen mode allows games to utilize the entire monitor space, providing a larger canvas to showcase stunning graphics and visual effects. Intricate details, vivid colors, and lifelike environments can be appreciated in all their glory.
Maximized viewing area: Playing games in full-screen mode offers you a more expansive domain of view, permitting you to see more of the game world. It is especially advantageous in first-person shooters (FPS) and open-world role-playing games (RPG). Having a broader perspective is essential for strategic decision-making and situational awareness.

How to Full Screen a Game on PC

Method 1: Use the in-game options

Many games have an in-game option to switch between windowed and full-screen mode.

Method 2: Adjusting Display Settings

If your game does not have an in-game option to switch to full-screen mode, you can still run in full-screen by adjusting the display settings on your PC.

Right-click on the desktop and select “Display Backgrounds” or “Screen Explanation” from the context menu. It will spread the Display Settings panel.
In the Display Settings panel, locate the “Resolution” drop-down menu. Click it to see the resolution options unrestricted for your monitor.
Select the highest resolution option available from the drop-down menu. It will confirm that the game employs the maximum screen space available.
Click “Apply” to save changes. The screen may flit momentarily as the resolution is adjusted.
When the game is installed, it will automatically run in full-screen mode using the newly set resolution.

Method 3: Use Keyboard Shortcuts

In some cases, games provide keyboard shortcuts to switch between windowed and full-screen modes.

Launch the game and make sure it is running in windowed mode.
Press the “Alt” key on your keyboard.
Hold down the “Alt” key and press the “Enter” key. This keyboard combination is often utilized to switch between windowed and full-screen modes in many games.
The game will switch to full-screen mode. Release the “Alt” and “Enter” keys.

Method 4: Edit the game file

For advanced users, another way to make a game go to full screen on a PC is to edit the game files directly.

Navigate to the game’s installation directory on the PC. It is usually located in the “Program Files” or “Program Files (x86)” folder on your main drive.
Locate the configuration file with the “.ini” or “.cfg” extension. The name of the file may vary from game to game, so you may need to consult the game documentation or search online to find the appropriate file for the game you are playing.
Spread the configuration file employing a text editor such as Notepad or a trustworthy code editor.
Look for lines of code or variables related to the game’s display settings or video options. It could be something like “full screen” or “windowed display.”
Adjust the value of the line or variable from “0” (windowed manner) to “1” (full-screen mode). Reserve the changes caused to the file.
When you launch the game, it should run in full-screen mode using the new display settings.

Method 5: Use third-party software

Using third-party software can be an effective way to run your game in full-screen mode on a PC.

Research and select reliable third-party software that is compatible with your game and operating system. Look for software that specifically lists full-screen mode as one of its features.
Follow the instructions that appear to download and install the software. To ensure the safety of your system, download from a trusted source.
Launch the software and find the option to force the game into full-screen mode.
Add games to the software’s list of supported games or use the software’s auto-detection feature to identify the games you want to go full screen.
Apply the changes or settings in the software and close the software.
When you launch the game, it should be pushed by the third-party software to run in full-screen mode.

Conclusion

Playing games in full-screen mode dramatically enhances the gaming experience on a PC. It immerses the user in a virtual world, eliminates distractions, and maximizes the visual impact of the game. In this article, we explored different ways to bring games to full screen on the PC. We began by understanding what full-screen gaming is and the benefits it brings. These methods include using in-game options, adjusting display settings, using keyboard shortcuts, editing game files, and using third-party software.

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