Most people enjoy working with applications that fill the entire screen because it makes everything easier to see and helps reduce distractions. When a program is already running you can simply click the maximize button in the top right corner of the window, and the program expands to use the full display. This is something many users do automatically without thinking because a larger window allows them to view more content at once and work more comfortably.
However, you may have noticed that some of your shortcuts or icons for certain programs do not open in full screen when you double click them. Instead of launching maximized they open in a smaller window that you have to enlarge manually every single time. This quickly becomes frustrating, especially if it is a program you use frequently and you prefer it to always start in a full screen view.
Fortunately, Windows provides a simple way to change this behavior. You can tell a program to open maximized every time by adjusting a setting in the shortcut that launches it. To do this, right click the icon you use to open the program and choose Properties. A new window will appear that contains several settings for that shortcut. One of the options is labeled Run, and next to it is a drop down list. This list gives you three choices. Normal window tells the program to open in a standard resizable window. Minimized opens the program but keeps it minimized on the taskbar so it does not appear on the screen until you click it. Maximized opens the program in full screen right from the start.
Choose the Maximized option and click Apply and then OK. The next time you open that program using the same shortcut it will begin in full screen automatically. This small adjustment saves time and creates a smoother experience, especially for programs you use often. It is a simple change that can make your daily computer use more efficient and more enjoyable.
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