How to Minimize a Full Screen Computer Program
Method 1 of 2:
On Windows
- Look for the "Exit full-screen" button. If you can find a button in your window that exits full-screen mode, you can simply click it and then click the - button in the top-right corner of the window to minimize it.
- Double-clicking most video player windows (e.g., VLC or YouTube) will take you out of full-screen mode.
- Press Esc to exit full-screen. If you're watching a video or viewing photos in full-screen mode, this key will exit full-screen mode.
- Use the Windows key (⊞ Win) to display the taskbar. Pressing this key, which resembles the Windows logo, will force the desktop's taskbar to display at the bottom of the screen. You can then click the full-screen program's icon to minimize it, or you can press the "Show Desktop" bar in the far-right corner of the taskbar.
- Press ⊞ Win+M to minimize all open windows. This will exit any full-screen windows and minimize each window to the taskbar. Keep in mind that re-opening any of these windows will prompt them to resume in full-screen mode.[1]
- Press ⊞ Win+⇧ Shift+M to open all minimized programs again.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to interrupt the program. Especially if you're playing a game that's freezing, pressing this combination of keys will almost always take you out of the window. To get to the desktop:
- Click Task Manager.
- Click the Processes tab.
- Click the full-screen program.
- Click End task.
- Manually shut down your computer. If you're encountering a full-screen program that won't close, press and hold your computer's Power button (or, if it's a desktop, remove the power cable) until the computer shuts down. When you restart your computer, all previously open windows will be closed.
Method 2 of 2:
On Mac
- Use the ⌘ Command+Ctrl+F shortcut. This command removes windows from full-screen mode, at which point you can click the yellow "Minimize" button in the top-right corner of the window.
- Try using the Esc key to exit full-screen mode. It's in the top-left side of the keyboard. The Esc key is ideal for exiting full-screen YouTube videos or photos on your computer. You can click the window's yellow "Minimize" button after disabling full-screen mode.
- Pressing Esc while playing a game won't minimize the game.
- Press ⌘ Command+M to minimize the current window. Return to it by clicking the new minimized icon in your Dock, next to the Trash icon.
- Some programs will simply exit full-screen after using this shortcut, meaning you'll need to click the yellow "Minimize" button to fully minimize the program.
- Hide your window by pressing ⌘ Command+H. This will turn all windows in the program invisible. Specific windows will not show up in your Dock; you will need to click the application icon, such as TextEdit or Safari, instead.
- Toggle off full-screen mode with ⌘ Command+F or ⌘ Command+⏎ Return. If none of the above shortcuts work, one of these key combinations might force the window to minimize.
- If you have a game window open, look at the key bindings to see if there is an option for minimizing or exiting full-screen.
- If you are playing a game through Steam, the Steam application may interfere with your ability to minimize programs.
- Force-quit the full-screen program. If the program is frozen and none of the previous options have worked, press ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+Esc, click the program, and click Force Quit.
- Manually shut down your computer. If you're encountering a full-screen program that won't close, press and hold your computer's Power button (or, if it's a desktop, remove the power cable) until the computer shuts down. When you restart your computer, all previously open windows will be closed.
4.2 ★ | 10 Vote
You should read it
- How to Fix a Black Login Screen on Windows 7
- How to Set a Screen Saver on PC or Mac
- How to Print Screen on HP
- How to Change Windows Logon Screen
- Why the touch screen does not work and how to fix it
- How to Share a Mac Screen
- How to disable Lock Screen lock screen on Windows 8, 10
- Should you buy a touchscreen PC?
May be interested
- How to Add Subtitles to a Movie/Video on VLCthis wikihow teaches you how to add a subtitle track to a video in vlc media player. as long as you have the subtitle file in the same folder and under the same name as the video with which you want to use it, you should be able to select...
- How to Set Up a New Computerjust ordered a shiny new computer? whether you're setting up a windows desktop, a mac or macbook, or a windows laptop, there are a few things you'll need to take care of before you start surfing the internet or playing your new games....
- How to Unzip a Filethis wikihow teaches you how to extract (or 'unzip') a zip folder's contents. extracting files from a zip folder will decompress the files, allowing you to open and run them properly. you can easily unzip zip folders by using the built-in...
- How to Copy and Paste Picturesthis wikihow teaches you how to copy images from one place and paste them into a different location on a windows or mac computer, as well as on an iphone, ipad, or android mobile device. not all images from the web are copyable. using...
- How to Print a Documentthis wikihow teaches you how to print a document on a windows or mac computer. to do so, you must have a printer set up and connected to your computer. make sure that your printer is connected and turned on. if your printer connects over...
- How to Stop Your PC from Forward Deleting Text as You Typeisn't it frustrating when you're typing and your new words start deleting the words already on the page? you might be thinking your pc's been hacked, but the issue is usually that you've pressed the ins (insert) key on the keyboard. this...