4 Ways to Go Full Screen in Windows 11

This article explains how to go full-screen on Windows 11. Some methods are better than others, depending on the context.

Use Windows 11 Full Screen Keyboard Shortcut

If you plan to go full screen often, remembering just one Windows keyboard shortcut will most likely get you there: F11. You'll find that key on the top row of the keyboard.

With the app you want to use in full screen, open and in focus (select the window to focus on it), press F11 once to go into full-screen mode. Press it again to exit full-screen mode and go back to normal mode.

F11 works in web browsers, Microsoft Store apps, Microsoft 365 programs, and some parts of Windows (e.g., File Explorer, Command Prompt, and Control Panel). Some third-party programs will also trigger full-screen mode when that key is pressed.

Alt + Enter is another full-screen shortcut you can use while playing games or working in Terminal.

Press the Full Screen Button

The F11 keyboard shortcut is the easiest way to trigger full-screen mode, but it doesn't work for everything. If an app doesn't respond to the full-screen shortcut, the next best option is to look for a dedicated button.

For example, if you're viewing widgets in Windows 11, use the expand button to make the panel take up the whole screen.

Video streaming websites like YouTube and Netflix have their full-screen button. F11 still works to trim up unnecessary parts of the web browser, but the best way to watch a video in full screen is to press that button.

This works the same way on all websites. To use YouTube as an example, pause the video or run your mouse over it so you can see the menu, and then press the square on the bottom right. The F key works here, too.

All web browsers have full-screen functionality as well. This is useful to hide the navigation bar and bookmarks that usually sit above the web page. It also hides the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

If you're using Chrome, press the three-dot menu button at the top right of the program; the full-screen button is on the Zoom line. Although their buttons look slightly different, full-screen mode in Firefox, Edge, and Opera, all work the same way.

Hide Menus to Mimic Full Screen

Some programs don't support full-screen mode. If F11 doesn't work, another option is to hide various elements on the screen so that the app can expand as much as possible.

Google Sheets (and Docs, etc.) is a good example. Pressing the small arrow on the formatting bar will hide everything above it, including the menu bar and share options. Some other options are View > Show > Formula bar to disable the formula bar and View > Full screen to hide everything but the spreadsheet area (press Esc to close it).

If you have Microsoft 365 (Microsoft Office), one trick to free up some space is to auto-hide the Ribbon or show just the Ribbon tabs. This is a great idea if you have a small screen, need more working space, and still need access to the menu.

Select the Ribbon Display Options button near the top right of the Microsoft 365 program to see your options.

Hide the Taskbar for More Space

If you need even more screen real estate, you can hide the Windows 11 taskbar. The taskbar sits at the bottom of the screen, and while it might appear to be stuck there, you can minimize it to give your apps more room.

If F11 works, it will also hide the taskbar, but if your app doesn't support full-screen mode, then shrinking the taskbar will give you more space. Whenever you need to access the hidden taskbar, just run the mouse over that area or press the Windows key.