# Window size when opening a new Internet Explorer session **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034 "2006-01-29T02:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nosturn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@nosturn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nosturn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/1 "2006-01-29T02:17:30Z")
When I start a new session of Internet Explorer (IE), or hyperlink from an existing session, the window activated by the new session is small, requiring me to enlarge it for full screen view. How can I change the default so each new session of IE starts in a maximized window? Thank You Todd ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/2 "2006-01-29T02:21:51Z")
Close all but one window. Stretch the window to the maximum size, using the corner handles, **do not maximize it with the window icon in the upper right corner**. Right click on the corresponding button in the task bar, and select **Close**. The next window you open will open to full size. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/3 "2006-01-29T02:22:13Z")
Have you tried this: Close all but one IE windows Resize and place this remaining window as you’d like it Close it. ? I’ve seen what you’re describing before and in my case, it’s always been cured by the above; any resizing you do to open windows doesn’t seem to ‘take’ unless it’s the only window open for that app. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/4 "2006-01-29T02:23:07Z")
Here is a tiny utility you can download to make it always to that: [http://www.pcin.net/help/articles/maximizescreen.php](http://www.pcin.net/help/articles/maximizescreen.php) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/5 "2006-01-29T02:23:20Z")
Close all but one instance of IE. Size this last instance to the way you want it to default, then Select File \> Close or press ALT + F4. Don’t close it with the red “X”, since this won’t save settings. The next time you run IE, the windows will open to the size you set (unless active scripting on a web page forces a different size). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/6 "2006-01-29T02:26:18Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > Select File \> Close or press ALT + F4. Don’t close it with the red “X”, since this won’t save settings. I’ve never heard of this before (although, as a programmer, I understand there’s nothing preventing an application from being written that way); can you link to a reference describing this behaviour in IE? ---
**Author:** ![nosturn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@nosturn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nosturn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/7 "2006-01-29T02:26:21Z")
Awsome. Problem solved. Thanks much for the speedy help! Todd ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/8 "2006-01-29T03:06:36Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I’ve never heard of this before (although, as a programmer, I understand there’s nothing preventing an application from being written that way); can you link to a reference describing this behaviour in IE? I’ve read this here and also other places, though I’ll be damned if I can find it now. It’s possible this only applied to older versions of IE, applied to a browser other than IE or was simply incorrect altogether. A little experimentation with my current IE 6.0 seems to indicate it doesn’t matter how it’s closed. It’s also possible I hallucinated the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/9 "2006-01-29T04:40:32Z")
At work I use IE and I resized it to a funky size one time because of what I was doing at the time. Since then, despite resizing, saving, closing, etc. etc. etc. etc. I get the funky size about 5% of the time. There appears to be no discernable pattern, could be any page, could be one of the links I always go to, could be only after I get a few pages opened, it’s really bizarre. I’ll test the save method listed above, but I doubt it will fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/window-size-when-opening-a-new-internet-explorer-session/342034/10 "2006-01-29T18:16:21Z")
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