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How do I get a Windows program to always open maximized?

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Summary: Some folks like to run programs maximized; taking up the entire screen. If a program doesn't do that automatically, here are some steps that may help.

How do I make sure that when I open any windows application, it opens "full screen" (maximized) ? It would be a time saver if I didn't have to always hit the maximize button.

Indeed it would. And while there are a couple of caveats, there's actually a fairly simple way to make this happen for most programs.

Right click on the shortcut or menu item you use to start the program:

Right click on a program shortcut

Now, click on properties:

Properties of a program shortcut

Note the item labeled Run that's set to "Normal Window". Change that to "Maximized":

Properties of a program shortcut, with Run Maximize shown

Hit OK.

The program should now start up maximized.

Naturally, you could also select "minimized" to have the program start that way instead.

As I said, there are a couple of caveats:

  • Some programs override this. By that I mean that when they start, they explicitly decide whether they want to be minimized, maximized or "normal". The upshot is that they effectively ignore this setting. You'll need to check with that particular program if there's a way to alter this behavior.

  • This works on programs, and shortcuts to program, but not documents or other files. For example if you have a shortcut to a Microsoft Word document on your desktop you will not see the Run option. However if you have a shortcut to Microsoft Word itself, you will.

  • Shortcuts in your start menu count. By that I mean, if in your start menu you have a shortcut to an application, you can right click on that menu item and click on properties, just as if it were a shortcut on your desktop of somewhere else.

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Article C2910 - January 25, 2007

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Recent Comments
21 Comments

This does not work for all browsers shown, as soon as Vista closes, and restarts, any changes made are as they were when it restarts. The properties remain unchanged, the the actual results aren't there.

Besides, shouldn't Vista, by nature, "remember" the last view setting?

I don't use IE at all. I use Firefox, which this works for, as long as it is the default browser.

My original reason was to open all my folders and files views Maximized. This doesn't answer how to open anything in explorer.exe (not iexplorer) always maximized, which is a fair bigger problem for me! Isn't windows explorer considered an app too?

Posted by: Jim Grim at July 5, 2009 4:41 PM

You can download AUTOSIZER from here.... http://www.southbaypc.com/AutoSizer/

Posted by: masaloi at January 26, 2010 1:04 PM

Another simple way is to:
Oppen a Doc, broswer page or whatever.
Maximise it (apologies if you cannot)
Click on Cntrl AND then close it using the the Close (red cross) button at the top right of the screen.
When you open it, it has "remebers " to amximise.

Hope it helps.

Though I do use Autosizer on another laptop and like that too.

Posted by: singe at January 26, 2010 1:22 PM

I have been happy with a little start-up application (free!) called IE Windows Maximizer. See
http://www.jiisoft.com/iemaximizer/Default.aspx

Posted by: Steve Capps at January 26, 2010 3:40 PM

I'd wondered about that off and on also. Tonight I did what you said and it worked perfectly.

tks

Posted by: Terry at January 26, 2010 4:40 PM

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