How to Go Full Screen on Windows 11

To go full screen on Windows 11, click the window you want and press F11. It works in Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and File Explorer; press F11 again to exit. On many laptops, hold Fn while pressing F11. For other apps, use their own full-screen controls. Windows Terminal supports Alt + Enter; some games support it too. Microsoft Store apps do not all use the same full-screen shortcut. If you’d rather keep a window smaller and in the middle, see how to center a window in Windows 11.

There’s no single full-screen command that works in every app, because each program decides whether it supports full screen. The quick table below matches the key to the app, and the sections after it cover buttons, the taskbar, and what to do when nothing works.

Full-Screen Shortcuts by App

What you’re using	Press this	To exit
Edge, Chrome, Firefox	F11 (or Fn + F11)	F11 again
File Explorer	F11	F11 again
Other apps, including Store apps	Use the app’s View menu or full-screen button, if supported	Use its exit control
Windows Terminal and some games	Alt + Enter (Terminal also accepts F11)	Alt + Enter
YouTube and many video players	F, or double-click the video	Esc or F
PowerPoint slideshow	F5 (from the start) or Shift + F5 (current slide)	Esc
Any window (maximize, not true full screen)	Windows + Up arrow	Windows + Down arrow

Method 1: Press F11

1. Click inside the window you want to fill the screen, so it’s the active one.
2. Press F11. The tabs, address bar, title bar, and taskbar disappear, and the page fills the display.
3. To leave full screen, press F11 again (or Fn + F11). In a browser, you can also move the pointer to the top of the screen and select the X that appears. Chrome also exits when you press and hold Esc.

Microsoft’s keyboard shortcut list includes F11 for File Explorer. F11 may not work in Word, Excel, Control Panel, or every command-line window; use the app-specific controls below.

Other things that look like full screen exit differently. For a full-screen YouTube video, press Esc or double-click the video. In a game, switch its display mode to Windowed. For a maximized window, select Restore Down or press Windows + Down arrow.

F11 changes the volume or brightness instead

On many laptops, the top-row keys control media functions by default. Hold Fn and press F11, or turn on Fn Lock (often Fn + Esc) so the F keys work as F keys. See how to change Fn key settings in Windows 11.

Method 2: Use the App’s Full-Screen Button

• Microsoft Edge: select the three-dot menu, then the full-screen icon (two diagonal arrows) next to Zoom.
• Google Chrome: select the three-dot menu, then the full-screen square next to Zoom. For Mac shortcuts and more, see how to make Google Chrome full screen.
• Videos: select the full-screen icon in the player’s lower-right corner, or double-click the video. Netflix and other streaming sites work the same way.
• Games: open the game’s Display or Graphics settings and set Display mode to Fullscreen.
• Word: Focus mode (View > Focus) hides the ribbon and taskbar for distraction-free writing.

Method 3: Check Full-Screen Support in Other Apps

Look for a full-screen button or a full-screen option in the app’s View menu, and check the app’s help for its shortcut. In a photo viewer, full screen or slideshow usually shows only the photo. If the app has no full-screen mode, maximize the window instead.

Method 4: Alt + Enter for Games and Terminal

Windows Terminal uses Alt + Enter or F11 to toggle full screen by default, as documented in Microsoft’s Terminal actions reference. This also applies to a Command Prompt tab inside Terminal; a standalone legacy Command Prompt window may behave differently. Some games accept Alt + Enter, while others require their Display or Graphics menu. In File Explorer, Alt + Enter opens the selected item’s Properties, so use F11 there.

Make a Game Fullscreen

Most PC games have a fullscreen setting in their own menus, usually under Settings > Graphics or Display. Set the display mode or screen type to Fullscreen. In Minecraft (Java or Bedrock) and the Roblox Windows app, click inside the game window and press F11 (or Fn + F11); press it again to return to a window. If the picture looks stretched, check the display resolution as described in Troubleshooting below.

Full Screen in Specific Apps

Microsoft Office

• PowerPoint: F5 starts the slideshow from the beginning, Shift + F5 from the current slide, and Esc ends it.
• Excel: Ctrl + Shift + F1 hides the ribbon and status bar to show more cells; press it again to bring them back.
• Word: View > Focus hides everything but the page. View > Read Mode shows the document in a full-window reading layout.

Google Docs and Sheets

Choose View > Full screen to hide the menus, then press F11 to hide the browser too. Press Esc to bring the menus back.

Remote Desktop and virtual machines

• Remote Desktop Connection: Ctrl + Alt + Break switches the remote session between full screen and a window.
• VirtualBox: choose View > Full-screen Mode in the VM window. The Host key (right Ctrl by default) + F toggles it.

Multiple monitors

Full screen fills the monitor the window is on. Drag the window to the other display first, or press Windows + Shift + Left or Right arrow to move it, then press F11.

Maximize a Window When Full Screen Isn’t Available

Maximizing fills the desktop but keeps the title bar and taskbar. It works in every normal app:

• Press Windows + Up arrow to maximize and Windows + Down arrow to restore, both from Microsoft’s shortcut list.
• Press Windows + Shift + Up arrow to stretch a window to the top and bottom of the screen without changing its width.
• Double-click the window’s title bar, or select the square Maximize button in the top-right corner.
• Hover over the app on the taskbar, right-click its thumbnail, and choose Maximize.

To put two windows side by side instead, see how to split screen on Windows 11.

Hide the Taskbar for More Room

1. Right-click an empty part of the taskbar and select Taskbar settings.
2. Expand Taskbar behaviors.
3. Check Automatically hide the taskbar. The taskbar slides away, and maximized windows gain the bottom strip.

Move the pointer to the bottom edge of the screen to bring the taskbar back. Uncheck the box to keep it visible again.

Troubleshooting

The app won’t go full screen at all

Use the shortcut listed for that particular app, then look in its View or Display menu. There is no general Windows command that forces an unsupported app into true full screen. For a game, try its Fullscreen or Borderless windowed display mode. Otherwise, maximize the window and auto-hide the taskbar for more room. Here is how to auto-hide the Windows 11 taskbar.

If a full-screen app freezes and won’t exit, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and end the task. This can lose unsaved work, so use the app’s own exit control when it still responds.

The taskbar stays on top of a full-screen video

A notification or a stuck taskbar can cause this. Open Task Manager, find Windows Explorer, and select Restart task. The taskbar reloads and usually hides properly afterward.

The picture doesn’t fill the screen, or has black bars

That’s usually a display setting, not full screen. Open Settings > System > Display and choose the Display resolution marked (Recommended). Black bars on videos can also come from the video’s shape not matching your screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the full-screen shortcut on Windows 11?

Use F11 in browsers and File Explorer. Windows Terminal supports F11 and Alt + Enter by default; some games also support Alt + Enter. Other apps choose their own controls. Press the applicable toggle again to exit.

What’s the difference between full screen and maximized?

Full screen hides everything except the content, including the taskbar. Maximized fills the desktop but keeps the title bar and taskbar, so it’s easier to switch apps.

How do I go full screen without F11?

Use the app’s own full-screen button or menu. Alt + Enter works in Windows Terminal and some games. If the app does not offer full screen, maximize with Windows + Up arrow and auto-hide the taskbar.