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For a traditional desktop app, set the Run option on the shortcut you actually use to Maximized. This asks the app to open that way; it is not a system-wide rule, and some apps ignore the request or open a different window.
Set the shortcut to launch maximized
- Find the shortcut you use to start the program. It could be on the desktop, in the Start menu, pinned to the taskbar, or in the Startup folder. Changing one shortcut does not necessarily change the others.
- Right-click that shortcut and select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab. If there is a Run field, choose Maximized.
- Select Apply, then OK, and launch the app using that same shortcut.
This is a per-shortcut launch request, not a guarantee that every window from the app will be maximized. A Microsoft-hosted Q&A example describes a browser that did not honor the shortcut setting: Microsoft Q&A.
Why the window may still open normally
- You changed a different shortcut. The taskbar pin, Start menu entry, and desktop shortcut can be separate launch routes. Microsoft notes that selecting a taskbar app can switch to an already running instance rather than start a new one: Customize the taskbar in Windows.
- The app uses its own window behavior. It may restore a saved size, launch through another program, or create a separate window. Look in the app’s own startup or window preferences.
- The app does not provide a standard shortcut setting. If the shortcut’s Properties has no Run field, that method may not apply to the launch route you are using.
Check for an app-specific startup setting
Some apps document their own maximized startup option. Windows Terminal, for example, has startup settings that include launching maximized; follow its own instructions rather than assuming the shortcut option works identically for other apps: Windows Terminal startup settings.
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Use the right alternative for the situation
| Method | What it affects | Persistence and limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Shortcut Properties > Run > Maximized | Launches through that shortcut | Applies to that shortcut; the app may ignore the requested state or create a different window. |
| App’s startup or window preference | The specific app | Depends on whether the app provides the setting and how it behaves. |
| Windows key + Up arrow | The focused window | Maximizes the current window only; it does not change future launches. Microsoft lists this shortcut as a maximize action: Keyboard shortcuts in Windows. |
| Snap | Window placement and size on the current display | Useful for arranging windows, but Microsoft’s Snap guidance does not describe it as a persistent maximize-on-launch setting: Snap your windows. |
Windows 10 support context
These window-management instructions apply to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025; this is relevant to ongoing security and support, not to whether the shortcut setting works: Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025.
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