how do I disable full screen apps in windows 8

Anonymous
2013-02-13T23:14:09+00:00

For instance - I read a PDF file, and it fills my 24 inch monitor with 1 file. I really only need it to fill about a third of my screen so I can see the pdf while I create the Word file I am working on. I also want several browser windows, a power point window, and an excel window, all in WINDOWS, not in full screen. I NEVER do anything in fullscreen since it is so limiting.

Start with something simple - like PDF reader? How do I make it NOT be full screen, since I NEVER want it to be fullscreen?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Email and communications

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Anonymous
2013-03-06T17:58:53+00:00

Windows 8 has a built-in MS PDF reader, which always defaults to fullscreen, and cannot be changed. The "issue" here comes from the MS implementation of the Windows 8 Tiled apps.

Download an external app, like Adobe Reader, and open the PDF with that app, and you can open the PDF in a window just fine.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-02-03T14:38:02+00:00

    But it can be fixed so easily. Have you never installed a 3rd party application because the Windows offering was too basic and didn't do the job that you wanted it to do?

    The PDF issue can be rectified with Foxit Reader which is a much better choice than either the Windows 8 app or Adobe Reader.

    What email client do you use? Windows Live Mail or Outlook? Or maybe one of the 3rd party clients like Thunderbird?

    How about media players? Do you like WMP or would you rather use VLC which will play anything without having to add 3rd party codecs from uncertain sources?

    Which anti-virus solution do you use? MSE or one of the other freebies, Avast, Avira , AVG etc..?

    The Windows 'winner' has always been the huge amount of software available, much of it free or priced for pockets of all depths..   

    But why this much effort is required? in this silly windows 8.1

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-03T14:29:58+00:00

    Windows 8 has a built-in MS PDF reader, which always defaults to fullscreen, and cannot be changed. The "issue" here comes from the MS implementation of the Windows 8 Tiled apps.

    Download an external app, like Adobe Reader, and open the PDF with that app, and you can open the PDF in a window just fine.

    But why have they created silly design

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-01-31T16:54:57+00:00

    Actually, I feel much better with the 8.1 upgrade.  I just set it to start on the desktop and pin my most frequently used windows applications to the taskbar.  For some other third party things that have windows 8 full screen apps you can often install the version they intended for windows 7 and use that instead.

    I am trialling Windows 10 and incredibly this still seems to be a problem with Mail and Calendar opening full screen. If there is an easy fix I cant find it. This really is the stupidest interface design ever. If small form factor tablet and phone users want to this as a configuration option fine but if it insnt addressed to allow users to multitask it will kill the PC as a windows device. Never considered Apple Mac before but may have to as full screen as a only interface just doesn't work!!

    If anyone has a fix for "modern apps" I would love to hear from them.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-11-13T16:31:16+00:00

    Agree 100%

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