How do I disable split screen for opening links?

Anonymous
2013-10-21T19:00:24+00:00

I am running Win 8.1 on a TABLET.  I have about 9 inches of screen real estate to work with.

If I click a link in, say, the Mail app, it will launch IE in 50/50 mode with the existing mail app (which then rearranges itself to only show the single message I was looking at).

This is not at all helpful.  This gives me a four inch web browser, which isn't big enough to see clearly at all.  The controls are all too close together to operate by touch, etc.  I am then forced to manually drag to expand the IE window to full screen.  Unfortunately, the control to do this is also rather small, and I usually miss the first two times.  It typically takes me about 10-15 seconds between clicking a link in email and being able to read the corresponding web page.

Windows 8 handled this correctly.  I would like to revert to the behavior of always opening apps in full screen mode.  How can I accomplish this?

I know it should be possible.  If I hold the tablet in portrait mode, the annoying split window thing does not happen.  (It's not natural for me to hold it this way all the time.)

Is there a registry setting or something for "Always open new apps in full screen mode"?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments

49 answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-12-11T17:57:33+00:00

    One year later, on Windows 10 and it is still a problem.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-01-09T19:16:31+00:00

    It's 2016. Still an annoying issue. Please make it optional when splitting windows. At least, when it is not in the tablet mode, auto show the keyboard when focus on an input box when there is no keyboard attached.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-01-09T19:36:55+00:00

    I would like to disable split screen especially in tablet mode.  There is no circumstance on my Windows 10 tablet that I would want split screen.

    Odd thing is I've noticed sometimes when I touch a link in the Mail app, it opens split screen, then automatically switches to full screen right away.  Sometimes it just stays split screen.  I can't really find a pattern to it.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-06-03T21:47:35+00:00

    Same problem here, this is annoying and a hassle on an 8 inch tablet.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-07-08T09:38:25+00:00

    I'm having this same issue. I'm wondering if its a bug or a huge oversight. I can only assume Microsoft doesn't like people using windows on smaller tablets but is still willing to take the money for the licenses, hoping some users will just give up and go buy a thousand dollar surface. This isn't the only feature not optimized for a smaller windows tablet. Not to mention I simply don't like split screen for email, even on my desktop with a 32" monitor id rather open links in a new fullscreen window, if I need to snap the new window to the side I can, its almost easier than making a window fullscreen anyways.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments