How do you turn off Fullscreen mode in Windows 8?

Anonymous
2013-01-25T16:30:06+00:00

Despite all of the annoyances of Windows 8, I must say, the random "switching to fullscreen mode" is the most aggravating. . I thought I turned off full screen mode, but it keeps doing that fullscreen.... thing. It's done it -at least- 5 times while I typed this.

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  1. @CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2013-11-19T22:57:43+00:00

    You can still have 40 separate applications working on Windows 8 across 3 monitors.  Windows 8 didn't take away anything (that's a big misconception).  Just go to the desktop and use it as if it was 7. Same programs, same windows (lowercase w) and same behavior.  You never have to use a full screen app -- you can even delete them if you want.

    The new full screen stuff is there if you have a tablet, but if you don't, you aren't forced to use it.

    I'm here in Redmond visiting Microsoft this week. As you might image, they are all using Windows 8.  And I've passed hundreds of cubicles of workers and they're all using the desktop, just like you said: lots of windows floating around.

    I don't know why everyone keeps thinking Windows 8 has removed that ability.  That's like saying Windows 7 took away the command prompt and "forced" you to use the desktop. The command prompt is not only still there, but many IT professionals use PowerShell daily for their tasks.  In the same way, Windows 8 has a new interface, but many people still use the desktop for their daily tasks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-26T05:46:45+00:00

    Navigate in regedit to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\Metro

    Change launch_mode to 1

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-26T05:50:53+00:00

    I would like a simple setting that would allow me to banish the "Modern" UI from view...forever.  If I were using a tablet I might want it, but I'm not.  So even though my laptop has a touch screen, I NEVER want to see those tiles on my work computer.

    (Yes, I have figure out how to banish the tablet UI, however it should be a simple on/off switch so that I can help other people turn it off without having to munge the registry.)

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-12-08T05:46:47+00:00

    Hey everyone!  I found a solution!  I just got a new laptop and its my first time using Windows 8.  Since there's no way to turn off the full screen gesture-function, I just laid my marker tape over the trackpad until it wouldn't recognize the gesture anymore.  Now I can happily work in Chrome!

    <Image removed for violation of CoC>

    PS.  I still need a few layers of tape, but Windows' gesture definitely became less responsive.  The gesture that I'm using is for whoever designed Windows 8.  Get your s*** together!

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-12-14T11:39:54+00:00

    I'm using an 11'' netbook - and this tendency to go to fullscreen at random infuriates me too.  And there really doesn't seem to be any way to multi-task even without that since it seems I have to go back via Start to get to another window.  But even within the browser, I can't go from tab to tab because of fullscreen without first having to get rid of fullscreen.  It's an absolute pain.  I just want to be able to turn it off,

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