How to Play The Sims 2 in Windowed Mode GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Gaming > Game Play

The Sims 2 Windowed Mode Instructions

Change the shortcut's properties to disable full-screen mode

By Courtney Marchelletta Courtney Marchelletta Writer Courtney Marchelletta is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire. gaming enthusiast, and sim player who proves video games aren't just for guys. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 3, 2020 Tweet Share Email EA Tweet Share Email Game Play Consoles & PCs Gaming Services Game Play & Streaming Mobile Gaming The Sims 2 and its expansion packs normally run in full-screen mode. This means that when you play the game, the screen fills the entire display, hiding your desktop and other windows. If you'd rather not play in full-screen mode, there's a way to make the game appear within a window rather than over the whole screen. This "windowed mode" option leaves your desktop and other windows visible and easier to access, and it also keeps your Windows taskbar just a click away so you can switch to other programs or games, see the clock, etc. Enabling it requires tweaking the game's shortcut. We'll show you how. This guide is specifically for The Sims 2 on PC.

How to Enable Windowed Mode in The Sims 2

Follow these steps to get The Sims 2 to run in windowed mode: Locate the shortcut you use to start The Sims 2. It's most likely on your desktop, where it appears by default when the game is first installed. Right-click or tap-and-hold the shortcut, then pick Properties from the menu. In the Shortcut tab, next to the Target: field, go to the very end of the command and put a space followed by -window (or -w). Click or tap the OK button to save and exit. Open The Sims 2 to test the new windowed mode shortcut. If the game opens in full-screen again, return to Step 3 and make sure there's a space after the normal text, before the dash, but that there isn't a space between the dash and the word "window." This also works with lots of other games that run in full-screen mode. If a game doesn't have a windowed mode setting available in its graphics options, follow the steps above to see if it works.

Switching Back to Full-Screen Mode

If you decide you want to play The Sims 2 in full-screen mode again, repeat the same steps as described above but delete "-window" from the shortcut's command line to revert back to the previous settings. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Use Quick Settings in Windows 11 How to Disable Taskbar Button Grouping in Windows How to Activate Full-Screen Mode in Google Chrome How to Play Music in TeamSpeak 3 on a Computer How to Play Multiplayer on a Meta (Oculus) Quest 2 What Is the Windows Terminal & How Does It Work? Play a Computer Game in Windowed Mode The 8 Best Android Emulators for Windows 10 and Windows 11 The Best Windows Keyboard Shortcuts in 2022 How to Use Focus Assist in Windows 11 How to Delete Temporary Files in Windows How to Edit a Sim's Characteristics With SimPE 9 Best Websites for Playing Free Online Games How to Show the Menu Bar in Full-Screen Mode on Mac How to Connect Meta (Oculus) Quest 2 to a PC Wirelessly How to Use BlueStacks to Run Android Apps on Windows Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies