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I want to configure my computer to launch Google Chrome Windows start up. It should start in full screen mode and open some web page.

I tried to run Chrome with the following command line: 

chrome.exe --start-fullscreen --app=https://google.com

However Chrome opens in windowed mode, not in full screen mode.

Is there any way to run chrome in full screen mode?

Rivera
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Vadym Fedorov
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  • This needs to be migrated to [su] – Xan Dec 25 '14 at 18:08
  • I agree, how I can migrate to Super User? – Vadym Fedorov Dec 25 '14 at 19:32
  • I don't think you can, but you can flag your own post for moderator attention and ask. – Xan Dec 25 '14 at 20:10
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    It seems that --start-fullscreen parameter should be added after the url to be opened, i.e. chrome.exe "https://google.com" --start-fullscreen (chrome.exe --start-fullscreen "https://google.com" will open it in window mode) – Vasilen Donchev Feb 28 '17 at 12:28
  • I also have a startup script for chrome, a line something like this: `start "" "path to chrome.exe" "url you want to load"` While I use a full path `"%programfiles(x86)%\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"` I was also able to run it just specifying `"chrome.exe"`. [List of chromium command line switches](https://peter.sh/experiments/chromium-command-line-switches/) – Drew Reese Mar 22 '18 at 23:08
  • It works after i closed all Chrome tabs – Marco G Mar 28 '22 at 12:40

6 Answers6

23

Update 03-Oct-19

new script that displays 10second countdown then launches chrome/chromiumn in fullscreen kiosk mode.

more updates to chrome required script update to allow autoplaying video with audio. Note --overscroll-history-navigation=0 isn't working currently will need to disable this flag by going to chrome://flags/#overscroll-history-navigation in your browser and setting to disabled.

@echo off
echo Countdown to application launch...
timeout /t 10
"C:\Program Files (x86)\chrome-win32\chrome.exe" --chrome --kiosk http://localhost/xxxx --incognito --disable-pinch --no-user-gesture-required --overscroll-history-navigation=0
exit

might need to set chrome://flags/#autoplay-policy if running an older version of chrome (60 below)

Update 11-May-16

There have been many updates to chrome since I posted this and have had to alter the script alot to keep it working as I needed.

Couple of issues with newer versions of chrome:

  • built in pinch to zoom
  • Chrome restore error always showing after forced shutdown
  • auto update popup

Because of the restore error switched out to incognito mode as this launches a clear version all the time and does not save what the user was viewing and so if it crashes there is nothing to restore. Also the auto up in newer versions of chrome being a pain to try and disable I switched out to use chromium as it does not auto update and still gives all the modern features of chrome. Note make sure you download the top version of chromium this comes with all audio and video codecs as the basic version of chromium does not support all codecs.

Chromium download link

@echo off

echo Step 1 of 2: Waiting a few seconds before starting the Kiosk...

"C:\windows\system32\ping" -n 5 -w 1000 127.0.0.1 >NUL

echo Step 2 of 5: Waiting a few more seconds before starting the browser...

"C:\windows\system32\ping" -n 5 -w 1000 127.0.0.1 >NUL

echo Final 'invisible' step: Starting the browser, Finally...

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chromium\chrome.exe" --chrome --kiosk http://127.0.0.1/xxxx --incognito --disable-pinch --overscroll-history-navigation=0

exit

Outdated

I use this for exhibitions to lock down screens. I think its what your looking for.

  • Start chrome and go to www.google.com drag and drop the url out onto the desktop
  • rename it to something handy for this example google_homepage
  • drop this now into your c directory, click on my computer c: and drop this file in there
  • start chrome again go to settings and under on start up select open a specific page and set your home page here.

Next part is the script that I use to start close and restart chrome again in kiosk mode. The locations is where I have chrome installed so it might be abit different for you depending on your install.

Open your text editor of choice or just notepad and past the below code in, make sure its in the same format/order as below. Save it to your desktop as what ever you like so for this example chrome_startup_script.txt next right click it and rename, remove the txt from the end and put in bat instead. double click this to launch the script to see if its working correctly.

A command line box should appear and run through the script, chrome will start and then close down the reason to do this is to remove any error reports such as if the pc crashed, when chrome starts again without this it would show the yellow error bar at the top saying chrome did not shut down properly would you like to restore it. After a few seconds chrome should start again and in kiosk mode and will point to what ever homepage you have set.

@echo off
echo Step 1 of 5: Waiting a few seconds before starting the Kiosk...
"C:\windows\system32\ping" -n 31 -w 1000 127.0.0.1 >NUL
echo Step 2 of 5: Starting browser as a pre-start to delete error messages...
"C:\google_homepage.url"
echo Step 3 of 5: Waiting a few seconds before killing the browser task...
"C:\windows\system32\ping" -n 11 -w 1000 127.0.0.1 >NUL
echo Step 4 of 5: Killing the browser task gracefully to avoid session restore...
Taskkill /IM chrome.exe
echo Step 5 of 5: Waiting a few seconds before restarting the browser...
"C:\windows\system32\ping" -n 11 -w 1000 127.0.0.1 >NUL
echo Final 'invisible' step: Starting the browser, Finally...
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk --overscroll-history-navigation=0"
exit

Note: The number after the -n of the ping is the amount of seconds (minus one second) to wait before starting the link (or application in the next line)

Finally if this is all working then you can drag and drop the .bat file into the startup folder in windows and this script will launch each time windows starts.

Update:

With recent versions of chrome they have really got into enabling touch gestures, this means that swiping left or right on a touchscreen will cause the browser to go forward or backward in history. To prevent this we need to disable the history navigation on the back and forward buttons to do that add the following --overscroll-history-navigation=0 to the end of the script.

Bosc
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  • how far does it get in the script or is just not displaying in kiosk mode? – Bosc Dec 29 '14 at 23:54
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    Per this thread: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/eX15CQ602UQ It appears you may need to set the flag: --user-data-dir=c:\path\that\exists or kiosk mode will not run. – whitey04 Mar 03 '15 at 23:25
  • Also... you can also use "TIMEOUT /T 10" instead of ping commands if you have cmd.exe extensions enabled – whitey04 Mar 03 '15 at 23:27
  • Quick update to the script incase anyone is using it. This update disables back and forward swipe gestures in recent versions of chrome. – Bosc Jun 10 '15 at 00:41
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It's very easy.

"your chrome path" -kiosk -fullscreen "your URL"

Example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -kiosk -fullscreen http://google.com

Close all Chrome sessions first !

To exit: Press ALT-TAB > hold ALT and press X in the windows task. (win10)

Antonio Maio
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  • Key was single dash -kiosk instead of --kiosk – frostymarvelous Feb 09 '16 at 12:17
  • "Close all Chrome sessions first!" is a bad solution! Having the --app= makes it spawn a new window regardless of other chrome windows being opened. – Martin Ingvar Kofoed Jensen Oct 04 '16 at 08:56
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    You need to close all running instances of Chrome before new flags will take effect since spawning new windows spawns from existing executable. Try creating two desktop shortcuts both pointing to the same executable, but flag one with '--kiosk'. If you start the non-kiosk mode link first, then start the kiosk mode link, it'll still open in non-kiosk mode. Then try it the other way around, start the kiosk mode link first, then the non-kiosk mode, and you'll find they are both in kiosk mode! Win10/Chrome64 – Drew Reese Mar 06 '18 at 17:11
  • Mega +1 @DrewReese just spent ages figuring out why kiosk mode wasn't working only to realise I had one window still open... – Stephen Oct 17 '18 at 10:59
  • When I tested this in 2018 the `-fullscreen` was not necessary, `-kiosk` sufficed. – Peter Wone Oct 29 '18 at 00:59
  • Please upvote Drew Reese's comment. This is probably the issue for many people, and difficult to find on your own. – dlsso Oct 08 '19 at 03:12
  • You can do this without closing other chrome windows first by specifying a separate `--user-data-dir`. – ichundes May 12 '23 at 06:35
11

I would like to share my way of starting chrome - specificaly youtube tv - in full screen mode automatically, without the need of pressing F11. kiosk/fullscreen options doesn't seem to work (Version 41.0.2272.89). It has some steps though...

  • Start chrome and navigate to page (www.youtube.com/tv)
  • Drag the address from the address bar (the lock icon) to the desktop. It will create a shortcut.
  • From chrome, open Apps (the icon with the multiple coloured dots)
  • From desktop, drag the shortcut into the Apps space
  • Right click on the new icon in Apps and select "Open fullscreen"
  • Right click again on the icon in Apps and select "Create shortcuts..."
  • Select for example Desktop and Create. A new shortcut will be created on desktop.

Now, whenever you click on this shortcut, chrome will start in fullscreen and at the page you defined. I guess you can put this shortcut in startup folder to run when windows starts, but I haven't tried it.

zerom
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  • Interesting. Would "More Tools > Create Application Shortcut" achieve the same without 2 drag&drops? – Xan Mar 18 '15 at 10:49
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    Excellent post. As a bonus, this doesn't lock down switching to other applications like the kiosk mode. For anyone having trouble getting to the apps page, it's chrome://apps. The only weird part is the little fullscreen icon at the top right. – cloneman Mar 25 '15 at 16:15
  • I'm using Chrome 46 and dragging the shortcut to the apps space didn't do anything. The existing apps didn't have an "Open fullscreen" option, either. – Sam Nov 02 '15 at 22:51
  • @Xan, I didn't find "Create Application Shortcut" in Chrome 46. Maybe it's been removed or moved somewhere else. – Sam Nov 02 '15 at 22:51
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    Kiosk mode (`--kiosk`) works fine for me in Windows 7 & Chrome 46. It only works when chrome is already closed when I run the command. – Sam Nov 02 '15 at 22:59
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    @Sam I think it's now "Add to taskbar" – Xan Nov 03 '15 at 01:15
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    It worked, for me it was "Open as window" instead of "Open fullscreen" Also you can skip steps 2 and 4. Just directly drag the address from the address bar to the Apps window – Jaad Chacra Feb 17 '17 at 19:17
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  • Right click the Google Chrome icon and select Properties.
  • Copy the value of Target, for example: "C:\Users\zero\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe".
  • Create a shortcut on your Desktop.

  • Paste the value into Location of the item, and append --kiosk <your url>:

    "C:\Users\zero\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --kiosk http://www.google.com

  • Press Apply, then OK.

  • To start Chrome at Windows startup, copy this shortcut and paste it into the Startup folder (Start -> Program -> Startup).
Helen
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Zero
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3

You can also add --disable-session-crashed-bubble to eliminate the errors that come up after a crash or improper shutdown.

nickrobes
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2

Running chrome.exe --start-fullscreen --app=https://google.com will not get you Chrome in fullscreen, but in kiosk mode.

However, running chrome --start-fullscreen --app=https://google.com (notice : it's chrome instead of chrome.exe) worked in my case.

Pierre
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    Undoubtedly unrelated to the core problem. You probably have two copies of Chrome installed, and one happens to be in the path. – Brad Jul 10 '18 at 15:50