How to stop an app opening in full screen on a Mac

An app keeps opening in full screen, taking its own desktop every time. Why it remembers, the setting that makes it forget, and a one time way to open it fresh.

Guide · Updated 22 October 2026

Why does an app open in full screen?

Because it was in full screen when you last quit it, and macOS reopens apps with their windows as you left them. The app is not set to full screen; it is remembering.

How do I stop it?

  1. Open the app and press ⌃ ⌘ F, or fn F, to leave full screen.
  2. Size the window the way you want it.
  3. Quit the app with ⌘ Q. Next time it opens that way.

How do I open an app fresh, just once?

Hold ⇧ as you open it, from the Dock or Applications. It opens without restoring its previous windows. From Terminal, open -F -a "App Name" does the same.

How do I stop every app restoring its windows?

Turn on Close windows when quitting an application in System Settings, Desktop & Dock. Apps then start with fresh windows each time. Some apps keep their own setting for this; check theirs too.

The opposite problem: make apps open full screen. Full screen versus filling the screen: full screen versus maximise.

Checked on 22 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1) running macOS 27.0.1: Close windows when quitting an application was read from Desktop & Dock, and open -F is described by the system as launching the app fresh, without restoring windows.

Questions

Why does my Mac app always open in full screen?

It was full screen when you quit it, and macOS restores windows as you left them.

How do I open a Mac app without restoring windows?

Hold Shift while opening it.

How do I stop apps reopening old windows on Mac?

Turn on Close windows when quitting an application in Desktop & Dock.

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