Most computer games take over the whole screen when you play. But, depending on whether or not the developer allows it, you might be able to play in a window instead. 

The process to window a game takes just a few seconds, however, some games don’t natively support windowed mode. So, you may have to take some more involved steps to prevent those games from taking up the whole screen.

Check for the Easy Button

Some games explicitly allow the application to run in a windowed mode. Go into the Settings menu and you’ll see options listed using varying language. If you don’t see the below options there, you might access them from the game’s launcher.

This guide applies to Windows 10 and later.

  • Windowed Mode: Runs the game in a resizeable window just like any other application.Borderless Window Mode: Runs the game as a window, which may be full screen or not, but without the usual chrome (borders, toolbars, etc.) normal apps enjoy.Fullscreen (Windowed) Mode: Runs the game full-screen, but full-screen view is just a maximized window, so you can run other apps atop the game.

Make Windows Work for You

The Windows operating system supports command-line switches to adjust certain start-up parameters of programs. One way to “force” an application like your favorite game to run in a windowed mode is to create a special shortcut to the program’s main executable, then configure that shortcut with the applicable command-line switch.

  • Right-click or tap-and-hold the shortcut for the computer game you want to play in windowed mode.
  • If you don’t see the shortcut on the desktop, you can make one yourself. To make a new shortcut to a game or program in Windows, either drag it to the desktop from the Start menu or right-click (or tap-and-hold if you’re on a touchscreen) the executable file and choose Send to > Desktop.
  • Select Properties.
  • In the Shortcut tab, in the Target: field, add -window or -w at the end of the file path. If one doesn’t work, try the other.
  • Select OK.

If the game doesn’t support Windowed Mode play, adding a command-line switch won’t work. But, it’s worth trying. Many games, officially or unofficially, allow the Windows operating system to control how they render.

Right-click or tap-and-hold the shortcut for the computer game you want to play in windowed mode.

If you don’t see the shortcut on the desktop, you can make one yourself. To make a new shortcut to a game or program in Windows, either drag it to the desktop from the Start menu or right-click (or tap-and-hold if you’re on a touchscreen) the executable file and choose Send to > Desktop. 

Select Properties.

In the Shortcut tab, in the Target: field, add -window or -w at the end of the file path. If one doesn’t work, try the other.

Select OK.

If you receive an “Access Denied” message, you may need to confirm you’re an administrator on that computer.

Alternative Ways to Window a Game

Here are some additional methods to try if you want to play games in windowed mode:

Keyboard Shortcuts

Some games can be recomposed into a window by pressing the Alt + Enter keys together while in the game, or by pressing Ctrl + F.

Modify the .INI File

Some games store full-screen mode settings in an INI file. They might use the line “dWindowedMode” to define whether to run the game in windowed mode or not. If there’s a number after that line, make sure it’s 1. Some may use True/False to define that setting.

Use DxWnd

If the game relies on DirectX graphics, a program like DxWnd serves as a “wrapper” offering custom configurations to force full-screen DirectX games to run in a window. DxWnd sits between the game and the Windows operating system; it intercepts system calls between the game and the OS and translates them into an output that fits into a resizable window. But again, the game must rely on DirectX graphics for this method to work.

If Your Game Is Really Old

Some very old games from the MS-DOS era run in DOS emulators like the DOSBox emulator. DOSBox and similar programs use configuration files that specify full-screen behavior through customizable toggles.

Virtualization

Another option is to run the game through virtualization software like the VirtualBox virtualizer or VMware, or a Hyper-V virtual machine. Virtualization technology lets an entirely different operating system run as a guest OS within your existing operating system’s session. These virtual machines always run in a window, although you can maximize the window to get a full-screen effect.

Run a game in a virtual machine if it can’t be run in a windowed mode. As far as the game is concerned, it’s functioning like normal. The virtualization software governs its appearance as a window in its host operating system, not the game itself.

Some Considerations

There are a few things to keep in mind when attempting to modify your games:

  • Some games cannot be run in a windowed mode no matter what you try.Reverse any of the changes mentioned above if you decide you want to play the game in full-screen or regular mode again.

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