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
    2013-07-13T17:29:38+00:00

    Full screen display is really a problem with metro apps. I have been asking this for a long time and MS seems not to understand that this discourages many from using Windows 8. Why should there not be the possibility to look at these apps in a window or full screen as before - seems to me they have forgotten what the name "Windows" really means to many of us.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-06-30T19:21:28+00:00

    After searching high and low this is the best advice I've gotten about switching out of the most annoying feature of adobe for Windows 8. I downloaded Start8 ($5). Most importantly, I set my files to be opened with Adobe Acrobat that opens in individual files (like in Windows 7). This way I avoid the annoying Adobe full screen **** that is only useful for touch screens!

    Thank you!

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-05-13T14:21:51+00:00

    Your solution seems to be different from the problem at hand Timmy. There is no solution for Metro apps. They are always fullscreen.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-05-10T13:16:39+00:00

    They open full screen because the apps are designed for small 'touch' screens.

    BUT, there is also a Windows 8 desktop for those who don't use 'info only' apps, have larger screens that the average tablet, and there is no rule which states that Windows 8 users have to make do with apps only.

    There is enough 3rd party desktop stuff available, including a classic Start Menu or two, such that nobody ever has to visit the tiles. Skype is available as a desktop app too. I use it in place of MSN/WL Messenger. Anybody upgrading from Windows 7 will know all about adding programs and utilities because Windows 7 was pretty much devoid of anything 'out of the box'.

    Re Windows 8, for many users who only ever email or Facebook, the IE10 tile is all that they need. Signing up for Protopage, a home page can be set up with links, news, cartoons etc.

    Add Libre Office, and now they can read, look at any attachment that might ever be sent to them.

    The biggest problem is knowing how to work the Windows 8 Modern UI from scratch. If Blue brings back the X to shut down the apps, that is as much as many will ever need.  I suspect that Blue will do this..

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