We all know the games not going full-screen is an issue on Windows 10, however, in this scenario the Desktop is not in full-screen mode as well. If your monitor displays black bars on the desktop, it is probably going to display that while playing games as well. Nonetheless, this issue can be easily dealt with so don’t worry.

What Causes the Monitor not to Display Fullscreen on Windows 10?

There are not many roots to this problem. It is generally due to the following factors —

Note:

Please make sure you follow all the solutions to ensure a quick workaround. The cause of the issue can vary depending on your machine, therefore, you need to go through them all.

Solution 1: Change Display Settings

The most general cause of the black bars is your system’s Display Settings. Sometimes, your display settings can change due to a Windows update, etc. which results in the black bars on the side of the monitor. Therefore, to fix it, you will have to change your display settings. Here’s how: Also, if you are using a TV as your monitor, you can isolate your issue by changing the Aspect ratio of your TV to ‘Screen Fit’ or ‘Full 100%’ from the TV settings.

Solution 2: Reinstall Your Video Adapter Driver

In some cases, your video adapter driver can be the guilty party that is causing the issue. Therefore, to eliminate such a possibility, you will have to reinstall your video adapter driver. Here’s how to do it:

Solution 3: Manually Install Video Adapter Driver 

At times, your issue might not be isolated by installing the video adapter driver automatically. In such an event, you will have to install your driver manually. Here’s how to do it:

Solution 4: Changing Settings from Game/NVIDIA

Another reason why you might not be able to use fullscreen on specific applications is because the mode is either disabled or over-ridden by the game or program which you are trying to run in full-screen. This is a very common scenario and is also applicable for third-party graphics applications like NVIDIA Control Panel. Navigate to the application/game’s settings and make sure that the mode is no switched off. Also, if you have a dedicated graphics card, then check that graphics card’s settings. Note: If you are using a TV as a monitor, consider turning off the Overscan.

Solution 5: Disabling Game Modes

Game modes are scripts/programs which take control of your computer’s graphics hardware and essentially, the OS itself to maximize the performance of the game and improve the gameplay. However, there are instances where these ‘game modes’ disable the full-screen capability of the computer until they are activated. In this case, try to disable all currently running game modes or ‘optimizer’. You can also uninstall them using the application wizard. Restart the program which wasn’t running in full-screen and see if the issue is resolved. You can also check the task manager to see which applications are running (Windows + R and ‘taskmgr’).

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