How to open any program in a window. How to run a game in windowed mode or full screen on Windows
Windowed mode is especially popular for fans of older games. If earlier the standard was 800 × 600 pixels, today this value is no less than 1280 × 1024 pixels. Therefore, if you run old game on a large monitor in full screen, it will look dull and blurry. However, this can be avoided by running the game in windowed mode. How to do it? We will talk about this in our article.
Method number 1. Windowed mode via "Game settings"
Most games provide settings that allow you to change the resolution, as well as select the type of screen - Fullscreen, "Window", "Window without frame".
If, in your case, the game does not provide such an opportunity, then you need to resort to other methods.
Method number 2. Standard keyboard shortcut
When starting the game, you need to use the following keyboard shortcut:
Method number 4. Using D3DWindower
D3DWindower is the most popular program that allows you to translate the game to any resolution, as well as launch the game in a window. In this case, the user just needs to download this program and make the appropriate settings.
D3DWindower.zip - Downloaded 910 times - 701 KB
- Unpack the archive with the D3DWindower program into a separate folder, and then run the file "D3DWindower.exe".
- After that click on the icon « icon-plus» .
- Specify the directory (path) to the game, and then click on the button "Open".
- After that, right-click on the game and select "Options (O)".
- Specify the required permission "Width" (width) and "Height" (height) and then check the box "Use Windowed Mode"- this activates windowed mode. Save the settings by clicking the button "OK".
- Now click on « icon-play» to launch the game in a window.
We hope our methods helped you get the game running in windowed mode. However, it is worth remembering that any game in windowed mode consumes much more resources than when launched in full screen. Be sure to take this into account, otherwise you may face freezes and problems when starting the game in a window on a weak computer.
Windowed mode is the best conspiracy. Why play in windowed mode at all? It is from it that it is easiest to switch to another window, when the boss, wife, parents or cat suddenly entered the room, which is very against your pastime. But seriously, this question may be relevant for fans of old games. Typically, these games are very low resolution and look terrible when deployed to full screen. In addition, the windowed mode is convenient for the ability to switch to other tabs, allowing you to instantly return to the game, without a long wait for the "loading" of textures, locations, and so on.
But how do you run the game in windowed mode? Full screen mode in some games can be disabled in the graphics settings of the game itself, with others you will need to apply a couple of tricks. In this article we will cover all the known methods.
In game press ALT + Enter buttons. This is a classic combination that works in many full screen applications and puts the game in windowed mode.
Some games use different hotkeys, which can be found in the control settings menu.
Using the property "-window»
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 typing -w instead of -window.
With this property, the game will be launched using this icon in windowed mode. To reopen the game in full screen, you just need to delete the entered condition.
Game settings
Some games support switching to windowed mode through the settings menu - just tick the graphical settings menu and the game will open in a window.
Using third-party programs
The most common program for forcing the game into windowed mode is the Chinese D3DWindower, which is quite old, but working.
In order to play in a window using 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 a 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 there is a check mark to the right of them;
- click the button in the lower right part of the window, then select from the folder with the program D3DHook.dll;
- save the settings and click on the third button from the right in the main menu of the program.
If done correctly, the program should open the game in windowed mode.
Attention: on the way to D3DWindower there should be no Cyrillic characters!
Using an emulator
If this program did not help you, you can try using system emulators, but this method is very demanding on computer resources and will not suit 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 - "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 time-consuming configuration, and the virtual machine takes up a lot of hard disk space, so we recommend using this method only if you are already working with it. Configuring the emulator just for the sake of running the game in windowed mode is too laborious and time-consuming.
However, if you do 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, 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 OS installation, complete it following the instructions of the installer.
- Reboot the virtual machine.
- Install the game and all the necessary additional software on it (Visual C ++, DirectX, etc.).
- Start up and hope that your computer has enough performance.
It is worth remembering that playing in windowed mode, especially when using third-party software (especially through a virtual machine), requires more resources, and therefore may slow down, freeze and work incorrectly, especially if you are playing on a weak computer or a large number of others are running in parallel programs.
The table is a shortcut to the game, if there is none. If there is a label, you will operate with 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 game address line. For example:
It was "D: \\ Games \\ Data \\ Gothic.exe";
It became "D: \\ Games \\ Data \\ Gothic.exe -window".
Click on the "Apply" button and exit. Now start the game with the edited shortcut. It is worth noting that some games continue to run in a window even if you remove the "-window" label. 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 corresponding option in the game settings and that's it.
In some cases it is convenient to run the 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. To switch to windowed mode in operating system There are several ways for Windows.
Instructions
Before trying different ways to start windowed mode, check if the game has a similar setting. To do this, start 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 your game shortcut on the desktop. If it is not there, then open the folder with the game and find the file to start it. Right-click it 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 shortcut. Find the item "Object", which contains the path to the game, select it and add at the end - window. For example, the value was: C: / Games / Counter-Strike 1.6 Condition-Zero / hl.exe, but it becomes: C: / Games / Counter-Strike 1.6 Condition-Zero / hl.exe - window.
Save the settings and start the game from the shortcut. If you want to run the game again in full screen, then just delete the entry. 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 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 a window. Be very careful when doing this. If you play
Many of us sometimes want to remember the past and play classic computer applications. In this case, the question often arises of how to start the game in a window.
Unfortunately, most legacy applications are not easy to get to work correctly on modern PCs with Windows 7 or later versions of Microsoft software.
For example, the screen resolution can be 640x480 or even less. On modern HD monitors, this resolution looks, to put it mildly, awful.
To solve the problem, you need to run the application in windowed mode. Some games offer the user a built-in function to launch the application in a window. But what about programs whose developers did not foresee such an opportunity?
There are several solutions to the problem that will help you start not only old, but also new applications in windowed mode.
First of all, you need to try to hold 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 switch to windowed mode, but not all.
Many applications can be switched to window mode through internal settings.
In any game there is a start menu, where the "Settings" or "Options" item is always present. There usually is 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 Dota 2 game, this function is located in the “Video / Audio” sub-item.
Some programs contain files with the extension .ini, in which you can customize the game before launching it. If you're lucky, there may be a mode for playing in a window among the launch options. .Ini files are usually located in the root folder with the game (exactly in the place on the hard disk of the computer where the application was installed).
Another possible solution to the problem is to register certain commands in the program shortcut.
To do this, right-click on the icon that launches any game, and try to add one of following commands in the "Object" field:
- -window;
- -windowmode;
- -f resolution;
- -f 1024 × 768.
Editing shortcut properties may cause program 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. Also, 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 their functionality, 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 run 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 capable of emulating various operating systems and displaying the game in windowed mode. Accordingly, all programs launched through these emulators will also run in a 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 as easy as shelling pears. But if one of these programs - computer game, everything turns out to be somewhat more complicated due to the fact that applications of this type are launched in full screen mode by default.
Sponsored by the placement of P & G Articles on "How to open the game in windowed mode" How to start the game in windowed mode in Windows How to open the game in a window How to enable the game in a window
Instructions
Try the easiest way to switch from full screen to windowed mode - with the game running, press the Alt + Enter key combination. If it doesn't work, check to see if the manufacturer has used any other fairly common counterparts of this command - the F11 key and the Ctrl + F combination for Windows or Command + M for MacOS. Another way to avoid manual editing of game properties is to use the switch to windowed mode from the program settings. This option is also not present in all games, but it is 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. 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 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 will appear on the screen with a highlighted line in the "Object" field. Go to the end of this line (End key) and add the -window modifier after a space. Then click the OK button and run the application. This method allows you to run in a window Counter strike, Warcraft, Mass effect etc. If it doesn't work in your game, try changing the modifier - for example, windowed mode in Sims 2 is enabled by adding -w, and besides this option, -win is 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 search 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, if you click the "File Contents" icon after entering the 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 simple
Modern programs, as a rule, automatically adjust to the display resolution - however, fans of playing old action games or arcades may have a question about how to make a game full screen.
Because an application created 10, 15 or even 25 years ago can only partially be displayed on a modern one.
Sometimes the same question arises at startup.
There are a number of reasons why this happens, as well as several ways to get things back to normal and play in full screen mode.
Method 1. Using "hot keys"
Quite often, you can translate a game or any other application full screen by just pressing 2 keys - "Alt" and "Enter".
The method helps not only in old games, but also in modern ones - for example, in WoT.
The same keyboard shortcut will return windowed mode if necessary.
Method 2. Change startup parameters
Sometimes it happens, especially if you are playing on someone else's computer, that the launch of the game in windowed mode is due to the "-window" parameter set in the shortcut properties.
It can be written in the "Object" line of the properties of the game label.
By removing this inscription, you can restore the standard start to the entire monitor.
In this case, you should select the "Compatibility" tab in the properties of the shortcut or the application itself and select the operating system.
However, most often the list of OS ends with Windows Vista, and for the owner of a modern OS, for example, this method will not help.
Method 3. Setting up the video card
In some cases, outdated video card drivers interfere with running games in full screen. The issue is resolved by updating them or completely reinstalling them.
Each manufacturer's graphics card settings menu looks different.
For example, for the company's products, the user will have to open the Start / Control Panel in the menu.
This is where nVidia Control Panel is selected and select the scaling control there. When enabled, the game should expand to fit the screen.
For ATI brand graphics cards, Catalyst Control Center application is required.
And for integrated Intel Graphics cards, which are often installed on, there are a number of steps that are described separately.
Method 4. Game settings
Some games on modern operating systems, for example, do not allow you to set full screen or windowed mode in their graphical settings.
This possibility can be detected by starting a game, which for some reason runs in a window, that is, not in full screen.
Solution to the problem:
- Go to settings;
- Find the item responsible for launching in windowed or full screen mode;
- Enable the mode or check the box.
Sometimes, after changing the settings, the game has to be restarted. In this case, it usually does not matter what the operating system is, or the screen resolution.
Method 5. Change permission
If all of the above did not help bring the resolution of the game back to normal, the game may be old enough to run in full screen.
Sometimes in this case the picture looks blurry.
And there is only one way to fix the problem - to change your screen resolution.
After that, however, other programs, more modern and designed for normal parameters, will stop running.
Therefore, after playing a game, you need to return the monitor to its usual resolution.
If the game requires 640x480 resolution, and the monitor does not support it, there is another option. It is selected in the shortcut properties on the compatibility tab.
Important! It should be noted that this function allows you to return to the normal resolution automatically after exiting the game.
Solving the issue on a laptop
If the problem with an application that does not open to the full height or width of the screen occurs on a Windows laptop, it may lie in the incorrectly set parameters of the integrated Intel Graphics.
To eliminate it, you will need:
- Install software from the card manufacturer;
- Open the menu of graphical characteristics that appears when you right-click on an empty area of \u200b\u200bthe desktop;
- Find the "Display" section and open its basic settings. It may not be present if the maximum resolution is already set on the laptop.
By reducing the resolution, you can change the screen parameters.
By closing the Intel panel, you can launch all the applications you need, which will now stretch across the entire display area.
Sometimes this can degrade the clarity of the original image.
Therefore, after the game, you should turn off scaling and use it only for this particular program.
Let's sum up
Knowing how to open games and programs in full screen mode can greatly simplify the process of working and playing. Typically, all of these methods require little effort.
And some of them allow, after spending a little time right away, no longer worry about games that do not open in full screen.
How to make a game in full screen? On laptop
5 Ways - How to Make the Game Full Screen
Hello everybody! Today's article will talk about how to start the game in windowed mode, and what you can use for this. Windowed mode is extremely convenient for fans of not the most last gamesas the image quality will be terrible. Fast switching of clutches without long waiting is available when this mode is selected. Some games allow you to turn off the full screen mode through the settings, but somewhere you can not do without a trick.
Most games react by changing from full screen mode to windowed mode - by pressing ALT + Enter... If this combination does not work, you need to go to the settings.
Properties "-window"
If you could not find the valid combinations, or the game simply does not react, you can do the following:
If this option does not work, instead of the whole word, enter "-W". This property will help open the game in windowed mode. Its cancellation is carried out by deleting the entered.
Applying settings
There are games that allow you to go into the graphic settings and, by checking the box, set the windowed mode.
How to run the game in windowed mode using third-party programs
Now, consider using helper programs.
One of the most popular and effective programs is D3DWindower... To use it, you need to do:
- Download the program, install it and run it.
- Click on the "+" icon and select the required game from the drop-down list. Next, click on the closed folder symbol. In the window that opens with the settings, you need to do:
- set the required window parameters using 2 input fields;
- check for a check mark opposite them;
- at the bottom of the window there is a button that you need to click on.
- select D3DHook.dll from the program folder;
- we approve the saving of the settings and in the main menu, click on the third button.
We use the system emulator
A fallback for the desired transformations will be the use of emulators. Everything would be fine, but here it is necessary to take into account the capabilities of your PC, since the requirements for its resources will be quite high.
To start the game, use the programs Windows Virtual PC or Vmware. The game launched through the emulator program will be in its window. This method will be preceded by lengthy setup and will require a lot of space. I recommend that you use it if you are going to work with it directly. Downloading for the sake of the game, I find it simply impractical.
If you decide to use this method, you will need an operating system installation image, time, and a willingness to follow through. Then we do the following:
- Install the program.
- Following the prompts, specify the path to the OS image and set the required amount of space for the emulator to work. 20 GB will be enough, however, you need to take into account the size of the game itself.
- Wait while the operating system is installed from the disk, restart the virtual machine.
- Use it to install the game and all the necessary software.
- Carry out the launch
Remember that launching a game through a virtual window using additional programs requires considerable performance from your computer. The game may slow down or display not very correctly, especially when you have several tabs open or you have turned on the game on a notoriously weak computer.
Many users prefer to play in windowed mode. This way, you can quickly minimize the application and go 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 knowing how to turn it on will be useful to any PC user. Let's take a look at how to run the game in windowed mode on different platforms.
All ways
All options for launching games in a 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.
Let's analyze all the methods in the form of step-by-step instructions.
Standard combinations
Let's take a look at the keyboard shortcuts used in the Windows and MacOS operating systems. The most common and standard option is to press Alt + Enter. You must start the game and go to its window. Then press Alt + Enter, after which the application will switch to windowed mode.
There are also other keyboard shortcuts in the Windows operating system. You can press F11 or Ctrl + F to enable windowed mode in games in Windows 7, 8, or 10.
MacOS uses a different keyboard shortcut because the above keys are not on Apple's layout. Here you just need to 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 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 need an application shortcut and its properties. Right click on the icon and in the menu go to the "Properties" section.
Click the Label tab and find the Object 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 applies to your application only by experiment. If the command does not fit, the game will also start in full screen mode.
Another option for how to run the game in windowed mode is to tinker with the compatibility settings. In the same window with shortcut settings go to the "Compatibility" tab. In the tab, find the item "Disable full screen optimization" and put a tick next to it.
Switching in 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 parameter is located in the graphics settings section or gameplay... Before starting the game in windowed mode, select an appropriate screen resolution. After setting the parameters, be sure to apply and save the changes so that the application starts with the specified settings next time.
But what 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 parameters in the configuration files.
Almost all games store a list of settings in separate configuration files. They can be found in the file folder or in the save directory. They are often called config or similar words. They need to be opened with standard Windows Notepad and changes made.
Before opening the game in windowed mode in this way, make a backup copy of the save and configuration files so that you can return all settings to their original state. Then open the configuration and look for lines with the name windowed or something similar. After the \u003d sign, you need to set 1 instead of 0. If you found the fullscreen parameter, then here you need to change 1 to 0. A unit enables one of the modes, and zero disables it. After that, try running the application again in the window.
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 follow these steps:
- Click the + icon.
- In the window, select the folder with the right game, after which it will appear in the list.
- Click on the closed folder icon to go to the 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 look on the Internet for a solution for a specific game. Often projects are released with their own features, modes and bugs. If you are going to play a game, you should be aware of all the key bugs and features. There you will also read about windowed mode and whether you can customize it. Try all the methods from our instructions before looking for other methods on the Internet. Now you know how to make the game windowed with keys, programs, and options.
