To go full screen on Windows, press F11. That works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, File Explorer, and many other apps, and pressing F11 again exits. For apps that don’t support F11, press Windows key + Up arrow or click the Maximize button to fill the screen, or try Alt + Enter in games and Windows key + Shift + Enter in some Microsoft Store apps.
On many laptops, F11 also controls something else, like volume or brightness. If nothing happens, press Fn + F11. Here are all the ways to go full screen in Windows 11 and Windows 10.
Full screen shortcuts in Windows
| Shortcut | Where it works | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| F11 (or Fn + F11) | Web browsers, File Explorer, many desktop apps | True full screen. Hides the taskbar and toolbars. |
| Windows key + Up arrow | Almost any window | Maximizes. The taskbar stays visible. |
| Alt + Enter | Many PC games, some video players | Switches between full screen and windowed |
| Windows key + Shift + Enter | Some Microsoft Store apps | Full screen on or off |
| Esc | Videos and some apps | Exits full screen |
Method 1: Press F11
- Open the app or browser window you want to make full screen.
- Press F11. If your laptop uses the top row for media keys, press Fn + F11.
- To exit, press F11 again. In a browser, you can also move the pointer to the top of the screen and click the X that appears.
In Chrome and Edge, you can also open the three-dot menu and click the full screen icon (a square with corners) next to Zoom.
Method 2: Maximize the window
Maximizing makes a window fill the screen while keeping the taskbar and title bar visible. Use any of these:
- Click the Maximize button (the square) in the top-right corner of the window.
- Double-click the window’s title bar.
- Press Windows key + Up arrow. Press Windows key + Down arrow to restore it.
- Drag the window to the top edge of the screen and let go.
Method 3: Full screen in games and videos
- Games: Look in the game’s Settings > Display or Video for Display mode, and choose Fullscreen or Borderless. Many games also switch with Alt + Enter.
- YouTube and most web videos: Press F or click the full screen icon in the bottom-right corner of the player. Press Esc to exit.
- Media Player and Movies & TV: Double-click the video, or press Alt + Enter.
- PowerPoint: Press F5 to start a slideshow in full screen.
Method 4: Hide the taskbar for more space
If an app has no full screen mode, you can hide the taskbar so a maximized window gets the whole screen.
- Right-click the taskbar and choose Taskbar settings.
- In Windows 11, expand Taskbar behaviors and check Automatically hide the taskbar. In Windows 10, turn on Automatically hide the taskbar in desktop mode.
The taskbar comes back when you move the pointer to the bottom of the screen.
Full screen in Office apps
| App | How to get a distraction-free view |
|---|---|
| Word | View > Focus hides the ribbon and taskbar; press Esc to leave. View > Immersive Reader is another option for reading. |
| Excel | Press Ctrl+Shift+F1 to hide the ribbon and other toolbars; press it again to bring them back. |
| PowerPoint | Press F5 to present from the start, or Shift+F5 from the current slide. |
| Outlook and others | Press Ctrl+F1 to collapse the ribbon, then maximize the window. |
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10
The shortcuts work the same on both versions. Windows 11 adds Snap layouts: hover over a window’s Maximize button to fill the screen or split it with other apps. On Windows 10, drag a window to the top edge of the screen to maximize it. Windows 10 is past its end-of-support date, so the steps here are written with Windows 11 in mind.
Full screen not working? Try these fixes
- F11 does nothing: Press Fn + F11, or press Fn + Esc to toggle Fn Lock on laptops that support it.
- The taskbar still shows in full screen: Restart File Explorer. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager, right-click Windows Explorer, and choose Restart.
- A game won’t fill the screen: Set the game’s resolution to match your monitor, and check your graphics card’s scaling settings.
- Black bars around a game or video: The video or game uses a different aspect ratio than your monitor. This is normal.
Related: Make apps full screen on Windows 11.
Related: Get out of full screen.
Frequently asked questions
How do I exit full screen on Windows?
Press F11 again, or press Esc for videos. In games, press Alt + Enter. If you’re stuck, press Alt + Tab to switch apps.
What’s the difference between full screen and maximized?
Maximized fills the screen but keeps the taskbar, title bar, and toolbars. Full screen hides those so the content uses every pixel.
Is there a full screen shortcut for all apps?
No. F11 works in most browsers and File Explorer, but each app decides whether to support it. Windows key + Up arrow maximizes nearly any window.
Does this work in Windows 10 and Windows 11?
Yes. All the shortcuts in this guide work in both versions.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.