Keyboard shortcut for windowed game mode. Ways to run games in windowed mode

The usual practice of working on a computer involves the use of several programs at the same time. They are opened in windowed mode, then it is not difficult to switch from one to another. But gaming applications often run immediately in full screen mode, which prevents them from working in parallel with other windows. Fans of old games are also uncomfortable with the full-screen version, at low resolution everything looks ugly, fuzzy. It is inconvenient to take screenshots, if you exit the application, then you have to wait for the download again, time is wasted. Therefore, it is desirable for users to set the windowed mode in games, for which there are different ways.

To solve the problem of how to put the game in windowed mode, certain key combinations help. The simplest trick, when the application is running in full screen mode, press Alt+Enter. Similarly, you can press F11 in Windows or Ctrl + F, in MacOS Command + M. Perhaps in the settings you will find other combinations specifically for your application. The method is easy, effective, because pressing the keys again will open the full screen mode back.

The first and easiest way is to use the shortcut

2. Change settings

Perhaps in the settings there is an option to switch to another mode, check. Go to the section with settings (Options), look at them, whether there is a “Screen mode” (Windowed mode) or a similar function: “Play in a window”, “Windowed mode”, other analogues. When you find it, select it by checking the box or activating it in another way provided by the program, save the change.

3. Applying a modifier

If there is no option to deploy the game on screen, add it using a special modifier.

• Right-click on the launch shortcut, click on "Properties". You can also call the "Properties" window in the main menu of your OS.
• Go to the line "Object", at the end of the line (with the End key).
• Put a space, enter "-window".
• Click Apply - OK, run the application.

In this way, the launch is edited different games ears, for example, popular Warcraft, Counter strike, mass effect. Other programs may apply a slightly different modifier, in Sims2 for example you need to assign "-w", in some applications "-win" works. Try different modifier options for yourself.

It will be possible to launch the game in a windowed version, to return to the old settings, simply delete the entered modifier.

4. Settings file

If this option is enabled by the manufacturer, it is performed as follows:

• Go to the installed program folder.
• Find the texts “Windowed”, “Fullscreen” in the files (if you have Windows 7, enter the text in the Explorer in the search box, click on “File Contents” in the right corner).
• For Fullscreen, set the value to 0 to disable. For Windowed, set the value to 1 to enable it. You can now run the application.

5. Third Party Programs

The above methods are applicable if such features are included in the settings. How to run any game in windowed mode when the manufacturers did not provide for this? Third party software will help.

You can forcefully switch to the desired launch option in games by taking the old Chinese program D3DWindower, it copes with this task, although it is quite old. Install it, run it, add your game to the list by clicking on the "plus". In the settings, set the desired height, width of the window.

6. Emulators

Emulators do not work on all computers, they are demanding on resources. Download, run the emulator (Vmware, Windows Virtual PC). We recommend using the official websites. You create a virtual "computer within a computer" that runs in the usual window size, and any program running in it will be within the emulator window.

The disadvantages are that a virtual computer requires a lot of disk space, it takes a long time to set it up, and it is time consuming. Installing an emulator just to start the game is irrational, use the method if you need it to work.

If the above methods, showing how to put the game in windowed mode, did not help, try contacting the developers through the official website, support forum. In addition, when this option is not available in principle, we recommend minimizing the full-screen application to switch to another program by pressing Alt + Tab, then you can simply expand it.

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:

1. 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 reopen the game on Full Screen, you just need to remove 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:

1. Download the program, install it and run it.
2. Click on the "plus" and select the file with the game - it will appear in the program list.
3. 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:

1. Install one of the above programs and run it.
2. 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).
3. Wait for the installation of the OS, complete it, following the instructions of the installer.
4. Reboot the virtual machine.
5. Install the game on it and all the necessary additional software (Visual C ++, DirectX, etc.).
6. 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.

The computer is often used not only for work, but also for entertainment, including games. The game, like any application on a computer, can run in full screen mode or in a windowed version. Depending on the situation, it may be convenient to use one or another variant of its display. There are many ways to run the game in windowed mode, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Please note: Usually, the need to run the game in windowed mode is associated with the desire to quickly switch between running programs on the computer. It is also useful to run the game in windowed mode, for example, if it is quite old and has a low resolution, which causes the picture to be blurred when zoomed in to full screen.

Using in-game settings

The easiest way to switch a game from full screen to windowed mode is to use the settings in the game itself. Most often, the switch between windowed mode and normal mode is in the "Display" or "Graphics" options. However, not all games allow you to do this.

Using hotkeys

Experienced Windows users are well aware of the set of "hot keys" that move from one version of the system to another, allowing you to quickly perform all sorts of actions. There is a way in the system how to put an application or game into windowed mode. To do this, just press the Alt + Enter keys on the keyboard at the same time. After that, the full screen mode will change to windowed or vice versa.

Please note: This key combination works in all versionsWindows, but not with all programs and games.

Using the "-Window" property for a shortcut

If the game does not respond to any of the above methods, or it is not possible to change its display mode in the settings, you can try the method with adding the windowed mode parameter to the shortcut. To do this, you need to find the shortcut from the game on the desktop and right-click on it. Select "Properties" from the drop-down menu. A new window will open in which you need to enter the parameter " - window". This property is written in the "Object" column, as shown in the example below.

When the required parameter is registered, click "OK" to save the changes. After that, launch the game through this shortcut, and it will open in windowed mode.

Please note: In some cases, the "-window" does not work. We recommend in such situations to try to register the parameter "-w", save and try to run the game.

Using Third Party Applications

There are two types of applications that allow you to run programs in windowed mode - these are specialized utilities and emulator applications. Let's consider each of the options.

Utilities for running the game in windowed mode

There are a lot of auxiliary applications that allow you to run the game in windowed mode. Let's consider a similar type of program using D3DWindower as an example. This utility can be downloaded for free from the official website of the developers. After downloading the program, follow these steps to open the game in windowed mode:

After that, a window will open in which the necessary game will start.

Emulators to run the game in windowed mode

Emulators are the hardest way and should be used as a last resort. It implies a complete emulation of the operating system inside the window, followed by the launch of the necessary game inside it. There are many similar emulators, both paid and free. Among the most famous options are Windows Virtual PC and Vmware.

DxWnd is perfect free program, which helps to run old games on modern PCs with "fresh" versions of Windows. The program is universal and suitable for a variety of games, so the developer does not provide a list of projects officially supported by the program. In addition to launch problems, DxWnd helps to "fight" graphic artifacts, "stuttering" sound, incorrect display of three-dimensional models, "acceleration" gameplay other problems that are typical for older games.

Using the program is quite easy. To start the game, just "drag" it executable file(exe) to the main window. Next, you will be asked to specify the FPS limit, resolution, codec used, and some other launch options. Also, DxWnd users can switch between the game and hardware cursors, turn on the correction of its position on the screen, "bind" the game to one processor core, use color mode conversion, and so on. Inexperienced users are advised to stick with the default settings.

In addition to running old games, the program also performs another important function - it helps to run full-screen applications in a window. As with games, you can choose the size of the window yourself. The number of windows that can be launched is limited only by the power of your PC. From the DxWnd window, you can mass "minimize" and "restore".

Key features and functions

• allows you to run old games on modern hardware and new versions of Windows;
• makes it possible to choose FPS rate, resolution and other launch options;
• works with most games released under Windows;
• helps, if necessary, to launch a full-screen application in a window;
• is completely free.

Often a computer is used not only for work, but also for games. Like any application, the game can work both in full screen mode and in windowed mode. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. There are a lot of ways to launch a windowed game mode in Windows 10, and we will list them all in the article.

Windowed game mode in Windows 10 is one of the best methods of conspiracy. After all, people often play at work, during lessons, and when mom or boss comes in, you need to quickly switch the window and pretend that you are working at a computer. When working with windowed mode, this is not difficult, it is enough to flip through the windows and pretend that you are doing important things. In addition, in the mini version of the game, the image is better, and it becomes more comfortable to play.

Using game settings

The easiest way to start the game in windowed mode is through the application itself. Most often, this function is located in the "Graphics" or "Screen" options. But it is worth knowing that some games do not have such functions. Before you can run the game in the desired size, you need to adjust the resolution. In order for the game to save and start with the specified parameters, you must click the "Save" button and restart the application.

If you did not find anything in these settings, you can perform the following algorithm:

1. Open the folder with the installation files.
2. Find the texts "Windowed", "Fullscreen".
3. If the parameter "Fullscreen" press 0, if Windowed -1.
4. Launch the application.

Hotkeys

Hotkeys in recent times gaining momentum in popularity, as it is very convenient to use them. In order to open the windowed mode in the game, you need to press two Alt + Enter keys. This combination works in any version of Windows, but it does not work with all programs and games. In addition, the F11 key and the Ctrl + F combination can also put the game in windowed mode. In order to use the application in full resolution, you must press the keys again. But this method does not work with every game, and in some cases a more serious solution to the problem will be required.

Using WINDOW

If none of the above methods work, then you can try opening the game in a windowed version in other ways. To do this, you need to find the shortcut with the game on the desktop and right-click on it. After that, click on "properties". In a new window, write WINDOW in the object name, as shown in the figure. In order for the specified changes to be saved, you must click the "OK" button and start the game again in windowed mode.

Sometimes this parameter does not work, then you can try instead of WINDOW to enter " W" or " win". In order to understand which set of letters will work on your game, you have to experiment a little. In the event that none of these methods work, the game will start in full screen mode and you can try other launch methods.

Third Party Applications

But if changing the parameters does not help to open the game in a windowed version, you can try using additional applications, of which there are a lot on the Internet.

Playing in windowed mode is very convenient, there is no need to minimize the application, and if you have a weak computer, then this is the only case for a full-fledged game. Such a function will be useful to each user and can be useful in different cases.