Forced full screen mode for programs and games. How to run the game in windowed mode: all the ways

Many users prefer to play in windowed mode. This way you can quickly minimize the application and get to work, or run the game at a lower resolution if you have a weak computer. In any case, this feature will be extremely useful to everyone, and knowledge of how to turn it on will be useful to any PC user. Let's figure out how to run the game in windowed mode on different platforms.

All ways

All options for launching games in the window can be divided into the following categories:

Using key combinations;
Using the command in the properties of the executable file;
Using the functionality of the game;
Through third party software.

We will analyze all the methods in the form of step-by-step instructions.

Standard Combinations

Consider the keyboard shortcuts that are used in the Windows and MacOS operating systems. The most common and standard option is to press the Alt + Enter keys. You must start the game and go to its window. Then press the Alt + Enter combination, after which the application will go into windowed mode.

Also in the Windows operating system, there are other keyboard shortcuts. You can press F11 or Ctrl+F to enable windowed mode in games on Windows 7, 8 or 10.

On MacOS, a different combination is used, since the mentioned keys are not on the Apple layout. Here, just press command + M. After that, any application will switch to windowed mode.

However, all of these key combinations may not help in some cases. The fact is that in most modern games the standard switching to the window does not work. Let's figure out how to run the game in windowed mode using third-party methods.

Entering parameters

It should be noted right away that this option works with old games in most cases. To do this, you will need an application shortcut and its properties. Right-click on the icon and go to the "Properties" section in the menu.

Open the Shortcut tab and find the Target field. Here you need to enter the -window command. Some games accept the -w or -win options. You can only find out which of them is applicable to your application by experiment. If the command does not match, then the game will also start in full screen mode.

Another option on how to run the game in windowed mode is to work with the compatibility settings. In the same window with the shortcut settings, go to the "Compatibility" tab. In the tab, find the item "Disable optimization in full screen" and check the box next to it.

Switching in the game settings

If all the above options did not help, then you should look at the list of settings in the application itself. Most games have the ability to switch to windowed mode at any supported resolution.

Usually this setting is located in the graphics or gameplay settings section. Before starting the game in windowed mode, select an appropriate screen resolution. Once you've set your preferences, don't forget to apply and save your changes so that the application launches with the settings you've configured the next time.

But what to do if there are no such settings in the parameters inside the game, or they are not activated / do not work correctly? In this case, you can try setting the parameters in the configuration files.

Almost all games store a list of settings in separate configuration files. They can be found in the folder with files or in the directory with saves. Often they are called config or similar words. They must be opened using the standard Windows Notepad and make changes.

Before opening the game in windowed mode in this way, back up your saves and configuration files so that you can return all settings to their original state. Then open the configuration and look for lines called windowed or similar. After the = sign, you need to set 1 instead of 0. If you find the fullscreen parameter, then you need to change 1 to 0 here. One turns on one of the modes, and zero turns it off. After that, try running the application in a window again.

Third party software

If you do not know how to open the game in windowed mode using the above methods, then try the functionality of third-party programs. One of these is the Chinese utility D3DWindower. You can download it for free on the Internet. Run the program and do the following:

Click on the + icon.
In the window, select the folder with the desired game, after which it will appear in the list.
Click on the closed folder icon to go to settings.
Next, specify the width and height of the window.
Check the box.
Click on the button in the lower right corner and select the D3DHook.dll file.
Save changes and restart the game.

Now the application should be forced to open in windowed mode, even if such a setting is not provided by the developers.

However, if this method did not help you, then you should search the Internet for a solution for a particular game. Often projects are released with their own features, modes and bugs. If you are going to play some game, you should be aware of all the key bugs and features. There you will also read about windowed mode and whether it can be configured. Try all the methods from our instructions before looking for other methods on the Internet. Now you know how to make a windowed mode in the game with keys, programs and using options.

Not everyone knows how to run the game in windowed mode, but most users have come up with a similar idea. Sometimes because of the inconvenience in terms of switching between other programs, since each time turning off one game to look in another place does not always have a positive effect on the nerves of the player. Sometimes, due to the lack of the ability to take a screenshot in a particular game using PrtScrn and Paint, because some copy only black windows instead of a full-fledged image. Sometimes due to the small screen resolution provided by the game, because of which you have to look at an imperfectly sharp image, provided that your monitor is much larger. Sometimes for other, more compelling reasons. In any case, from the article you will learn how to run the game in windowed mode, for whatever purpose you need this knowledge.

Method 1: keyboard shortcut

The first thing you can try to do is to press Alt + Enter at the same time. This is not only the easiest way, but also the most efficient, since this is how most games can be switched to the mode we need. If you get tired of it, just press the aforementioned keyboard shortcut again and the full screen mode will return, and you can continue the game as before.

This method is convenient and easy, for which it is appreciated by everyone who knows it. Another thing is that not all games support such a command. In this case, you can also try pressing other keys that are similar to "Alt+Enter": F11 or Ctrl+F.

Method 2: Label Properties

This method is the most unreliable, because with many games (at least modern ones) it simply does not work. However, you still need to know the "how". You can also start the game in windowed mode by adding a certain inscription to the game shortcut, which in most cases is located on the desktop. Most often, "-window" works. When this does not work, you can try to insert the "-w" or "-win" command.

So, where and how to enter. We go to the desktop and right-click on the shortcut of the desired game to go to the "properties". There we see a highlighted line called "object", which shows the location of the game itself and added "exe" at the end. That's where we need to write our commands. At the very end, you put an extra space, after which you add "-window" (without quotes, of course). Then click "OK" and open the game in windowed mode, if it really worked.

Method 3: settings

Since the windowed mode in games is of interest to many users, the creators notice this, and therefore strive to make the conditions for their customers as comfortable as possible. In this case, you do not have to press keys or change the properties of the shortcut. Sometimes it’s enough just to go into the game settings and rummage through them in search of something interesting.

So, most often the screen settings are located in the "graphics" or "video" section. It is there that you can see the inscriptions "Full screen", "In the window", "Windowed mode", etc. with the presence of a checkmark, which can be both checked and unchecked. Sometimes you need to restart the game for the new settings to take effect, keep this in mind and try to change the settings not at the moment when you have an important unsaved mission at stake.

Some games offer to choose immediately when you start the game. However, if you wondered "how to run the game in windowed mode", then it is unlikely that your toy offers this to you.

Conclusion

That's it, now you know how to make a windowed game mode, and you can try to apply the information received in practice. However, I would like to remind you that some games “eat” more when they are launched in this mode, i.e. full requires less power. If you understand that the windowed mode of your computer does not pull, it's better not to risk it. However, not all games react this way, but only some, so you simply have to try it out. Remember how to start the game in windowed mode, because this can come in handy later on even if you are not an avid gamer.

Many people like to pass the time playing their favorite game, where time flies by quickly and unnoticed. Of course, you want to do this as comfortably as possible, so that the process is a pleasure. Sometimes we want to do several things at once - chat with a friend or work while immersing ourselves in the virtual world, but doing this can be difficult because full screen mode does not allow it.

Windowed mode is a very handy feature, which is good because while using the computer, you can easily switch between programs and quickly minimize the window. Some of them work in this mode by default: many system programs, folders, while others do not. For example, games that for the most part automatically open in full screen, and this can create various kinds of inconvenience for users.

There are games whose graphics are old by today's standards, or even pixelated, but if you want to play - it will be more convenient to do it in windowed mode, so as not to be distracted by the simplicity of the graphic component. Or, again, the need to perform several tasks at the same time, without interrupting their work, i.e. without turning off.

Everyone has different reasons for this, but it's pretty easy to do, despite some problems that may arise. It should be noted that some games do not work well in windowed mode, and to be precise, this requires a large load, and they can become unstable. This happens due to the fact that the developer did not provide for the possibility of using this mode or did not sufficiently optimize his program.

Ways to run the game in a window

And yet, many users have experienced some inconvenience at least once, for example, if you minimize every time you leave the computer, it can take time. There are several ways to open a game in a window, all of them are quite simple, but not always suitable, so all of them should be studied for further use.

Settings

The easiest way is to check if changing the screen mode to windowed mode is available in the game settings. Usually there are settings in the main menu. Most likely, the window mode change will be in the graphics sections. There we find the parameter windowed mode / full screen and select the first.

In this case, we simply uncheck. If you need to make it full screen, put it back. After the change, do not forget to click the apply button, then the game will immediately start in the window, and you can start playing.

Change shortcut properties

There is another way:

Find the shortcut with the desired game and right-click on it. From the list that opens, select "Properties".
In the window that opens, in the "Shortcut" tab, you need to find the line "Object". It says the location of the shortcut, and at the very end of this entry you need to put a space and add “-window”, and then the “Apply” button.
Run and check if the method worked.

If not, then add "-win", or just "-w". To return to full screen mode, just erase the inscribed and save the changes.

Keyboard shortcuts

There are certain keyboard shortcuts that, when pressed, will allow you to make a program in windowed mode. During the game, you can, without closing it, press ALT + Enter, and by pressing again return to full screen mode.

If the combination didn't work, it means that the game has other hotkeys for this action, and you can find them in the control settings. They can be Ctrl+F, Windows F11, or MacOS Command+M.

Other programs

If the game functions do not provide for opening in windowed mode, then this can be done using special programs that can be downloaded on the Internet. One of the easiest programs to run D3DWindower. It is downloaded in archive format. When you open it, go to the d3dwindowerenglish folder and open the program itself.

Click on the plus button (Add Program). A window will open where you need to select the desired game by double-clicking or clicking "Open".
Select the added one and click on the closed folder icon (Settings). A menu will open where you specify the required window size. The standard size is 800×600, but you can specify another.
In the DLL line, you must select a file called D3dHook.dll, it will be located in the archive you downloaded. Click OK.
After we have installed and saved all the necessary parameters, we need to start it with the button that shows the computer (Run Program).

Everything should automatically launch at the screen size you specified earlier, and D3DWindower will close. Further launches the program will open in windowed mode, and to return to the original one, remove the game from the menu list of this program.

Emulators

Emulators are programs that allow you to emulate another program on your computer when your computer does not support its use. In this case, emulator programs will emulate the ability to run the game in a window, which is impossible under normal conditions. These programs are very demanding on the system, so they will not work on every computer.

There are several different emulators, it is better to download them from official sites in order to avoid viruses entering the system. But installing an emulator is a difficult job, a weak computer is not suitable for this, and besides, it requires a lot of hard disk space. Therefore, they are used most often only for really necessary work.

If nothing helped

If all these methods fail, then you can contact support. Each game has an official website where they can help you solve your problem. Sometimes support is only available in a certain language, but you will be able to translate it, and some sites have a language changer.

Usually the support service will provide assistance either through the account of their game site, where you need to register for this, or log into an existing account previously created there, or they will contact you by your mail, which they will ask you to specify, describing the problem.

They can solve the problem by sending you new letters with a solution. If it does not fit, write about it by replying to the letter, then the support representative will offer another option.

Video

Using this video as an example, it will be easier for you to understand how to open almost any game in a window.

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Windowed mode is the best conspiracy. Why play in windowed mode at all? It is from him that it is easiest to switch to another window when the boss, wife, parents or a cat suddenly entered the room, which is very against your pastime. But seriously, this question may be relevant for fans of old games. As a rule, such games have a very low resolution and look terrible when expanded to full screen. In addition, the windowed mode is convenient for switching to other tabs, allowing you to instantly return back to the game, without a long wait for textures, locations, and so on to “load”.

But how to run the game in windowed mode? Full screen mode in some games can be disabled in the graphic settings of the game itself, with others you will need to apply a couple of tricks. In this article we will talk about all known methods.

In the game, press ALT+Enter. This is a classic combo that works in a lot of fullscreen applications and puts the game in windowed mode.

Some games use other hotkeys, which can be found in the control settings menu.

Using the "-" propertywindow»

If the game does not respond to hotkeys, you should try the following steps:

Save changes and enter the game.

If that doesn't work, try "-w" instead of "-window".

With this property, launching the game using this icon will be done in windowed mode. To open the game in full screen again, you just need to delete the entered condition.

Game settings

Some games support switching to windowed mode through the settings menu - you just need to check the graphic settings menu and the game will open in a window.

Using Third Party Programs

The most common program for forcing a game into windowed mode is the Chinese D3DWindower, quite old, but working.

In order to play in the window with it, you must:

Download the program, install it and run it.
Click on the "plus" and select the file with the game - it will appear in the program list.
Select the game and click on the closed folder icon - the settings window will open, where in the first tab you will need to:
- set the desired width and height of the window - in the first two input fields, respectively;
- make sure that there is a checkmark to the right of them;
- press the button on the right at the bottom of the window, then select from the folder with the D3DHook.dll program;
- save the settings and click on the third button on the right in the main menu of the program.

If everything is done correctly, the program should open the game in windowed mode.

Attention: on the way to D3DWindower there should be no Cyrillic characters!

Using the emulator

If this program did not help you, you can try using system emulators, however, this method is very demanding on computer resources and is not suitable for everyone.

In order to run the game through the system emulator, you can use Windows Virtual PC or Vmware, which can be downloaded from the links from the official sites. Such programs create a so-called virtual machine - "a computer in a computer" and usually work in windowed mode, so any game launched in this way will be in the window of the emulator program. This method requires a lot of configuration, and the virtual machine takes up quite a lot of hard disk space, so we recommend using this method only if you are already working with it. Setting up the emulator just for the sake of running the game in windowed mode is too time consuming and time consuming.

However, if you still decide to try, then you will need an OS installation image, best of all, Windows, since it is compatible with most games, an emulator distribution kit, time and patience. You will need to do the following:

Install one of the above programs and run it.
Following the instructions, indicate to the program the path to the image of the installation disk with the OS, set the amount of disk space allocated to the virtual machine (as a rule, 20 GB of free space is enough for the emulator to work correctly, but in our case everything will depend on the size of the game you want in it run).
Wait for the installation of the OS, complete it, following the instructions of the installer.
Reboot the virtual machine.
Install the game on it and all the necessary additional software (Visual C ++, DirectX, etc.).
Run and hope that your computer has enough performance.

It is worth remembering that playing in windowed mode, especially using third-party software (especially through a virtual machine), requires more resources, and therefore may slow down, freeze and work incorrectly, especially if you play on a weak computer or a large number of others are running in parallel. programs.

In the game, press ALT+Enter. This is a classic combo that works in a lot of fullscreen applications and puts the game in windowed mode.

Some games use other hotkeys, which can be found in the control settings menu.

Using the "-" propertywindow»

If the game does not respond to hotkeys, you should try the following steps:

Save changes and enter the game.

If that doesn't work, try "-w" instead of "-window".

With this property, launching the game using this icon will be done in windowed mode. To open the game in full screen again, you just need to delete the entered condition.

Game settings

Some games support switching to windowed mode through the settings menu - you just need to check the graphic settings menu and the game will open in a window.

Using Third Party Programs

The most common program for forcing a game into windowed mode is the Chinese D3DWindower, quite old, but working.

In order to play in the window with it, you must:

Download the program, install it and run it.
Click on the "plus" and select the file with the game - it will appear in the program list.
Select the game and click on the closed folder icon - the settings window will open, where in the first tab you will need to:
- set the desired width and height of the window - in the first two input fields, respectively;
- make sure that there is a checkmark to the right of them;
- press the button on the right at the bottom of the window, then select from the folder with the D3DHook.dll program;
- save the settings and click on the third button on the right in the main menu of the program.

If everything is done correctly, the program should open the game in windowed mode.

Attention: on the way to D3DWindower there should be no Cyrillic characters!

Using the emulator

If this program did not help you, you can try using system emulators, however, this method is very demanding on computer resources and is not suitable for everyone.

Install one of the above programs and run it.
Following the instructions, indicate to the program the path to the image of the installation disk with the OS, set the amount of disk space allocated to the virtual machine (as a rule, 20 GB of free space is enough for the emulator to work correctly, but in our case everything will depend on the size of the game you want in it run).
Wait for the installation of the OS, complete it, following the instructions of the installer.
Reboot the virtual machine.
Install the game on it and all the necessary additional software (Visual C ++, DirectX, etc.).
Run and hope that your computer has enough performance.

Table label of the game, if there is none. If there is a label, you will operate on it. Click on the shortcut with the right mouse button, select "Properties" from the drop-down menu ("Properties" - for the English version of the OS). Add "-window" to the address line of the game. For example:
Was - "D:\Games\Data\Gothic.exe";

It became - "D:\Games\Data\Gothic.exe -window".

Click on the "Apply" button and exit. Now launch the game using the edited shortcut. It is worth noting that some games continue to run in the window even if you remove the "-window" inscription. Here you need to write another inscription, namely “full screen”.

The third way is built-in. The fact is that many modern games provide windowed mode. You just need to activate the appropriate option in the game settings and that's it.

In some cases it is convenient to run game in the window mode. For example, if you want to quickly switch between windows or play old games, most of which do not support the high resolution of modern monitors. There are several ways to switch to windowed mode in the Windows operating system.

Instruction

Before trying various ways to start windowed mode, check if the game has such a setting. To do this, launch the game and go to the "Settings" menu. Select "Video" and find the corresponding function. If it is missing, then you can try other options.

Start the game. After it is fully loaded, press the Alt and Enter keys on the keyboard at the same time. As a rule, many games then go into windowed mode. If this method did not help, then it will be necessary to try out more complex options.

Find the shortcut for your game on your desktop. If not, then open the folder with the game and find the file to run it. Hold it with the right mouse button and drag it to the desktop. A menu will appear in which you must select the "Create Shortcut" command. You can also just right-click on the file and select "Create Shortcut", then move it to the desired location.

Call the "Properties" menu for the game's shortcut. Find the "Object" item, which contains the path to the game, select it and add at the end - window. For example, there was a value: C:/Games/Counter-Strike 1.6 Condition-Zero/hl.exe, and it will become: C:/Games/Counter-Strike 1.6 Condition-Zero/hl.exe - window.

Save your settings and launch the game from the shortcut. If you want to run the game in full screen again, then simply delete the entry you made. In some cases, the launch will still occur in windowed mode, to fix this, write - full screen instead of -window.

Look for information about the windowed mode of your game on the forums and sites dedicated to its settings and walkthrough. Some games require you to enter special codes or commands, while others have special additional programs to run in the window. In doing so, be very careful. If you are playing

Many of us sometimes want to remember the past and play classic computer applications. This often raises the question of how to run the game in a window.

Unfortunately, most older applications are not easy to get to work correctly on modern PCs equipped with the Windows 7 operating system or later versions of Microsoft software.

For example, the screen resolution may be 640x480 or even less. On modern HD monitors, this resolution looks, to put it mildly, terrible.

To solve the problem, you need to run the application in windowed mode. Some games offer a built-in feature for the user to launch an application in a window. But what about programs whose developers did not provide for such an opportunity?

There are several solutions to the problem that will help you run in windowed mode not only old, but also new applications.

First of all, you need to try holding down the Alt and Enter key combination on the keyboard while the program is running in full screen mode. This is the easiest way to solve the problem. As a result, some games may automatically go into windowed mode, but not all.

Many applications can be switched to window mode using internal settings.

In any game there is a start menu, where there is always an item "Settings" or "Options". There is usually a sub-item "Video Settings" or "Graphics Settings", in which application developers often provide a function to disable full-screen mode. For example, in the game Dota 2, this function is located in the "Video / Audio" sub-item.

Some programs contain .ini files that allow you to customize the game before launching it. If you're lucky, then among the launch options there may be a mode for playing in a window. .ini files are usually located in the root folder with the game (exactly in the place on the hard drive of the computer where the application was installed).

Another possible solution to the problem is to write certain commands in the program shortcut.

To do this, right-click on the icon that launches any game and try adding one of the following commands to the "Object" field:

-window;
-windowmode;
-f resolution;
-f 1024×768.

Editing the properties of a shortcut may cause the program to malfunction.

You do not need to delete everything that is written in the "Object" line by default. It is enough just to add a command to what is already there. In addition, you may need administrator rights to change the shortcut. If there are no such rights, then you should contact the owner of this PC.

Emulators

There are special emulator programs that allow you to run Windows games on the Apple Mac platform (including in windowed mode). Not all applications are successfully transferred from one platform to another, while maintaining performance, but it's worth a try. The most popular emulators today are DirectX OpenGL Wrapper, DxWnd and Glide.

If you have a desire to run a very old toy running under the DOS operating system, then it is best to use the DOSBox emulator. This program is quite easy to use and allows you to run the game in windowed mode. It is enough to start the emulator to see the emulation of games.

Owners of the Windows 7 operating system can also try Windows XP Mode, an official utility from Microsoft that allows you not only to emulate XP, but also to run the game in a window. Alternative emulators can be programs such as VMware or VirtualBox.

They are able to emulate various operating systems and display the game in windowed mode. Accordingly, all programs launched through these emulators will also be launched in the window.

The situation when you have to use several programs at the same time is a common thing for a computer user. Application programs run in windowed mode, and switching from one window to another is a breeze. But if one of these programs is a computer game, things get a little more complicated due to the fact that applications of this type run in full screen mode by default.

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Instruction

Try the easiest way to switch from full screen to windowed mode - with the game running, press Alt + Enter. If it does not work, check if the manufacturer has used other fairly common analogues of this command - the F11 key and the combination Ctrl + F for Windows or Command + M for MacOS. Another way to do without manually editing the game properties is to use the switch to windowed mode from the program settings. This option is also not available in all games, but it's worth checking - in the menu of the running application, go to the settings section and look for the setting "Screen mode" (Windowed mode) or similar to it. If such a setting exists, check the box and save the changes. If you can’t get by with the controls of the game itself, try adding the appropriate modifier to the program launch line. To do this, right-click on its shortcut on the desktop and select the "Properties" line in the context menu. If you use the item in the OS main menu to start, then do the same with the line in the menu. As a result, a window with a selected line in the "Object" field will appear on the screen. Go to the end of this line (End key) and add the -window modifier separated by a space. Then press the OK button and run the application. This method allows you to run Counter Strike, Warcraft, Mass Effect, etc. in a window. If it does not work in your game, try changing the modifier - for example, windowed mode in Sims 2 is enabled by adding -w, and in addition to this option, -win is also possible. This option can also be enabled through the settings file, if, of course, it is provided by the manufacturer. To find out, go to the game folder and look in the files for the text Fullscreen or Windowed. In Windows 7, this can be done using the search box in the upper right corner of the Explorer window by clicking the File Contents icon after entering text. The Fullscreen setting in the settings file must be disabled, i.e. assign it a value of 0, and Windowed - enable, i.e. assign 1. How easy