How to Exit Full Screen on Mac: Press Esc & Other Methods

Whether you are working on your 13-inch MacBook or you have connected an external monitor, accessing full-screen mode can truly transform the way you work on your computer. Even if applications have the largest displays, having applications in full-screen mode allows you to stay focused and remove any distractions. 

Now, if you want to know how to close or access full screen on your Mac, then this guide will tell you how you can do the same with ease. 

What is the full screen mode on macOS?

Full screen mode on Mac, kind of, just makes an app spread out to use the whole screen. It turns the display into a quieter, distraction-free zone, so you can focus on what’s happening. Once you turn it on, the top menu bar stays up, but the Dock basically hides on its own, which feels cleaner.  

If you’re in a browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.), full screen mode also removes the address bar and the tabs. So your content gets more room, and everything else fades out.

How can you enable full screen on macOS?   

Before you learn how to close full screen on Mac, you need to know how you can turn on this option. There are a couple of easy ways to activate it for most Mac applications:

  • Click the green full screen button in the upper-left corner of an app window.  
  • Keyboard shortcuts: Press Command + Control + F (this one works across basically all macOS versions), or Press Fn + F on macOS Monterey and later. 
  • Via the menu bar: choose View → Enter Full Screen.

Also in macOS Sequoia and Tahoe, there’s a pretty handy “tiling” option where you can show multiple apps at once, up to four in the same full screen space:  

1. Hover over the green icon on the top left of your window, so a pop-up appears.  

2. Pick a layout under Fill and Arrange.  

3. The active apps will snap into the chosen layout automatically.  

And if you want more than four areas on screen, or you just want to tune the window placement exactly how you like, you can use Mosaic.

How can you exit full screen mode on macOS?

The easiest way is to press Esc to exit full screen. Getting out is as simple as going in. However, these are the correct instructions that you can use. 

1. Click the green button again in the top-left corner (you may need to hover first to make it show).  

2. Use keyboard shortcuts:  

  •   Command + Control + F (all macOS versions)  
  •   Fn + F (macOS Monterey or later)  
  •   Escape key — Esc (works in many video players and some apps)  

3. Use the menu bar: View → Exit Full Screen  

One thing to remember: you can’t minimize a full-screen app directly. Your Mac treats each full-screen app like its own separate desktop space. You can also refer to the website Datarecovee to learn more about the full-screen mode on macOS and how it will benefit you. The website will make sure that you know all about the different features on a Mac. 


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