It may become annoying when you open an application and see it opened in a minimized state on your screen. Opening a window of every application that you work with becomes tedious in the process. However, there is an easy fix for making almost all applications open in a maximized window.
If you need to have your applications launched maximized in Windows, you can first start with altering the way the program shortcut launches. You can also look for the program's settings if the applications continue launching in minimized form.
This article will help you to get familiar with the ways of making it happen in both Windows 10 and 11.
The maximized window increases in size to make use of all the available space on the desktop but leaves out the taskbar. The distinction here is between full screen, where an application hides the taskbar among other parts of the desktop.
It may be necessary, for instance, to open your browser, File Explorer, or any other document editor in the maximized window to have more content shown at once.
There isn’t a single setting in Windows that will force any application to open in the maximized window all the time. You can manage this by setting up individual shortcuts and using application settings.
A simple method for ensuring your program opens maximized is modifying the Run setting under the shortcut’s properties.
The following are the steps involved:
First, locate the application shortcut. Look for the application shortcut on your computer.
Open the Properties menu. Right click on the application shortcut and select properties.
Navigate to the shortcut tab. Under the Properties menu, select the shortcut tab.
Look for the run option. Here you will see a drop down menu named “Run.”
Modify the option to maximized. Select “Maximized” instead of “Normal window.”
Finally, save your changes. Click on the apply then the ok button.
To test the setting, close the application and open it via the modified shortcut.
The above modification will make the application try to open maximized whenever you launch the application via the modified shortcut.
The process of making Windows 11 programs launch in a maximized state is the same one that was used in previous Windows versions. The key issue is reaching the proper properties of the shortcut, especially when the application is pinned to the taskbar.
In case you launch an application from the taskbar, follow these instructions:
Right-click the application icon in the taskbar.
In the appearing menu, right-click the application name if it is displayed there.
Choose Properties, if the option is available.
Go to the Shortcut tab.
Make sure Run is set to Maximized.
Press Apply and then OK.
After that, you should close and launch the application to see if everything is working properly.
If Properties is unavailable, find the shortcut of the application via Start menu or its installation folder. It is also possible to make a shortcut on the desktop.
Attention! Not all applications in Windows 11 use the classic desktop shortcut. Thus, the Run dropdown may be unavailable.
Method 3: Maximize the Window Before Closing the Program
Some programs have a feature that remembers the window size used before the program was closed. In case the shortcut trick does not work for you, this could be an alternative solution to apply.
Launch the program in the usual way.
Press the maximize button located at the top right corner of the window.
Do your tasks in the program as usual.
Close the program when it is still maximized.
Open the program and see what happens.
Some programs remember the size of the window and use it next time. Other programs do not follow this approach and have their own settings for the window.
This trick should be applied when the Run option of the shortcut is not available.
In some cases, the program will have its own preferences for startup or window management. Such preferences will override your expectations regarding the shortcut's behavior.
Open the program settings/preferences and check the options concerning:
Startup behavior
Window size and location
Startup options
Full-screen/maximized mode
The availability of options depends on the particular program. For instance, there might be an option that allows you to specify the initial window size in a terminal program, while there will not be any in a simple utility.
If the program offers a startup option, set it accordingly and try to launch the program to see the results.
What to Do If Windows Programs Still Open in Small Windows
If after trying all the methods listed above, the programs continue to open in a small window, consider the following reasons.
Verify the Shortcut You Modified
Perhaps you may have modified a desktop shortcut without stopping yourself from running the program through an icon on the taskbar. First, try testing the actual shortcut that you have modified.
Check for Separate Application Windows
Some applications use a launcher, splash screen or another window prior to presenting the actual user interface. It should be noted that maximizing the shortcut may not apply to all windows created by the program.
Review Display Settings
In case the windows are unexpectedly small or do not work properly, you need to go into Settings > System > Display and see if your display resolution and scaling works fine. It would be better if you try recommended resolution first.
This will change the way your content will be shown on the desktop.
In case the issue is related to only one application, make sure you look for any updates issued by the legitimate developer of that application.
Do not use any third party tools or edit the Windows Registry until you have tried these simpler solutions.
Through any one particular Windows settings option? That is not the case, although the shortcut technique may be useful for many desktop applications. Some programs will reset themselves to their previous dimensions, whereas others will run by themselves independently of such action.
It would be necessary to set up each individual program on a case-by-case basis. It would be best for users to set the Run shortcut setting to maximize and see what happens.
1. How can I always launch my applications in maximize mode in Windows 11?
Open the properties of your application shortcut by right clicking, then go to the Shortcut tab, set the Run option to "Maximized," and apply the changes.
2. Why does an application continue to launch itself in a small window?
This can be due to the fact that the application remembers its old window size, uses its startup preferences or opens a new window which does not follow the startup preferences of the shortcut.
3. Is the Maximized option usable for all programs running on Windows?
Not all. This option is applicable to most desktop programs, but there are exceptions when programs control their own window size or lack a corresponding shortcut setting.
4. How does maximized mode differ from full screen mode?
In maximized mode, the window covers the entire desktop space but still leaves the task bar visible. Full screen mode usually excludes all the other desktop elements.
Conclusion
Programs being opened maximized will save time and ensure consistency of desktop. First step is changing the run value of the shortcut to maximized. If this does not work, one should look into the application settings.
No matter whether it is Windows 10 or 11, these simple ways could be useful when trying to minimize the amount of window resizes and prepare applications for work. It should be remembered that the results of these actions will depend on the specific program’s behavior.