2 must-know Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts for PC gamers

By Jez Corden
published

Window management on PC can be a pain for games, but there are some handy Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts that make it easier.

Recently I was playing a Windows 10 game for the Microsoft Store, which typically run in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) windowed-mode containers, but I wanted a way to easily switch the game between a borderless fullscreen mode and a regular resizable window. Thankfully, there are a couple of keyboard shortcuts that can make the process a lot easier.

Note: These keyboard shortcuts work across any UWP game from the Microsoft Store, but various Win32 classic games from distributors like Steam won't always support them, particularly when it comes to dynamic display resolution scaling.

How to move a Windows game window between monitors

You can easily move a UWP game from one monitor to the other using the following key combination:

  • Hold down the Windows key and Shift, then press the Arrow keys.

Using these keys you can direct your window across to a second connected monitor, and if it's UWP, it will automatically scale to match the new display resolution. Sometimes you might have to use this key combo to circumvent issues that can arise when using a mouse to drag a game window to a second monitor.

Bear in mind that you might need to run the game in windowed mode to switch over to a second monitor using this method, which brings us to the next shortcut ...

How to switch between fullscreen and Window mode for games

Switching between fullscreen for a UWP game is useful for capturing footage using the Windows 10 Game DVR. Otherwise, the capture system will also capture the title bar and the borders of the window. Use the following command to easily switch between fullscreen and window mode.

  • Hold down the Windows key and Shift, then press the Enter key.

This method is handy when the game itself doesn't provide window sizing options, as seen with some UWP games. It works with some Win32 games, but not all.

More on Windows 10

If you have any more handy keyboard shortcut tips for gaming, let us know in the comments!

For more tips, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources.

Jez Corden
Jez Corden
Co-Managing Editor

Jez Corden a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by caffeine. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his Xbox Two podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

4 Comments
  • I avoid using keyboard shortcuts as much as possible--if I can't do it with voice or a mouse, it's usually not something I need. I can see how those two commands would help some folks. But, as a PC gamer, I can't say that I've ever run into a situation where I need to accomplish either of those specific tasks. I have all games run full screen, always, and I all my games run on my primary monitor.
  • Cool! I'd like to add that in many applications, ALT-Enter also toggles between windowed and full screen. 😊
  • I thought that to go fullscreen you had to press ALT+ENTER
  • Yeah that works too haha