Published by

**Brink** · 25 Aug 2007

How to Change the Default Open Window Size for a Shortcut in Vista

Information

This will show you how change the default Open window size of a shortcut to normal (default), minimized, or maximized.

Tip

If you cannot get Vista to remember these settings, then try resetting the Folder View Settings completely in METHOD TWO here: How to Reset Windows Explorer Folder View Settings to Make Vista Remember

Here's How:

1. Right click on any shortcut.
NOTE: For a keyboard shortcut, right click on the shortcut that the keyboard shortcut is assigned to.

2. Click on Properties.

3. Click on the Shortcut tab. (See screenshot below)

4. In the Run drop down menu, select the window size you want the shortcut to open to.

Window Size	Description
Normal Window	This is the default setting in Vista that will open the shortcut in a window the way you left it when you closed it last.
Minimized	This will always open the shortcut in a window minimized to the taskbar. When you open the window from the taskbar, it will open like the Normal Window.
Maximized	This will always open the shortcut in a window maximized to full screen. You will notice that if you try to restore down (middle button) this window, it is still full screen. You will need to move the mouse pointer to a corner until it turns into a double arrow and then click and hold the left mouse button and drag the window to the size you want it to be.

5. Click on Apply.

6. Click on Continue in the Access Denied prompt. (See screenshot below)

7. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.

8. Click on OK.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**google_crawler** · 04 Dec 2008

yeee but how to change the default "normal size"?

**Brink** · 04 Dec 2008

Hello Google_Crawler, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Normally you would just drag the window to the size you want it, then close it. The next time you open that window from that location, it should open to the same size as it was last closed.

If Vista is not remembering this for you, then you can apply Method Two in the tutorial below and repeat the above.

Windows Explorer Folder View settings

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**google_crawler** · 04 Dec 2008

I tried that one but it doesn't work for all windows, you still have to adjust new windows size plus vista tends to forget the settings no matter how big is folder view cache.

**Brink** · 04 Dec 2008

Yeah, it's still a unfixed bug in Vista that's not always reliable yet.

**laubo** · 09 Jan 2009

Window Size Description

Normal Window:
This is the default setting in Vista that will open the shortcut in a window the way you left it when you closed it last.
Minimized:
This will always open the shortcut in a window minimized to the taskbar. When you open the window from the taskbar, it will open like the Normal Window.
Maximized:
This will always open the shortcut in a window maximized to full screen. You will notice that if you try to restore down (middle button) this window, it is still full screen. You will need to move the mouse pointer to a corner until it turns into a double arrow and then click and hold the left mouse button and drag the window to the size you want it to be.

Hey Shawn,

Nice tutorial, but how can you make Vista choose "Maximized" as its default setting for every single window you have and every shortcut you will make from then on.
For the "Normal window" you mention "This is the default setting in Vista", how can I get this sentence to apply to "Maximized" - if possible?

Thanks,
Laurens,

**Brink** · 09 Jan 2009

Hello Laurens,

The only methods I know to do set a window to open maximized is using this tutorial, or to manually maximize the window then close it. Vista remembers how a specific window is set for when it was last closed at the specific path location.

It's not the same, but I hope this helps some.

Shawn

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