Windowed and Fullscreen Mode in WoW 1.12.1

Section: Getting started & help 2 min read Vanilla 1.12.1 · x5 Updated 18.09.2026

Windowed mode is useful when you keep a guide, an auction tracker or a voice chat on a second screen. In fullscreen the WoW window 'grabs' the display and Alt+Tab can minimize the game with a delay. Windowed mode avoids that.

WindowWindowed

SettingsVideo

Alt+EnterSwitch

Contents

Three display modes
Method 1. In-game menu
Method 2. Alt+Enter hotkey
Method 3. Editing Config.wtf
Borderless windowed — the sweet spot
See also

Three display modes

Mode	What it does	Best for
Fullscreen	Game fills the screen, max FPS	Single monitor, top performance
Windowed	Game in a movable bordered window	Dual monitors, guide work
Windowed (Fullscreen)	Borderless window covering the screen	Fast Alt+Tab, no minimizing

Method 1. In-game menu

Open Esc → System → Video. Under Resolution find Windowed / Windowed (Fullscreen) and uncheck fullscreen. Apply — the game rebuilds without a restart.

Method 2. Alt+Enter hotkey

The fastest way is to press Alt+Enter in game. It instantly toggles fullscreen and windowed. Remember it — it works in most other games too.

Method 3. Editing Config.wtf

The advanced way is to open WTF\Config.wtf in the client folder and set values manually:

SET gxWindow '1' — enable windowed mode;
SET gxMaximize '1' — borderless windowed;
SET gxResolution '1920x1080' — window size.

Change one value at a time and launch to test. If something breaks, delete Config.wtf — the client rebuilds a default one.

Borderless windowed — the sweet spot

Windowed (Fullscreen) looks like fullscreen but is technically a window. It gives fast Alt+Tab without minimizing and barely loses FPS. On our x5 server it is the best choice for dual monitors.

FAQ

Which hotkey enables windowed mode in WoW?

Press Alt+Enter in game — it instantly toggles fullscreen and windowed mode, no client restart needed.

What is the difference between windowed and windowed fullscreen?

Plain windowed is a bordered, movable, resizable window. Windowed fullscreen looks like fullscreen but lets you Alt+Tab instantly without minimizing the game.

Does windowed mode reduce FPS?

Plain bordered windowed may drop a few frames. Windowed fullscreen has minimal loss and is the best option for dual monitors.