Got stuck in windowed mode? Heres how you fix it.

[jamesmp98]

So, I accidentally got suck in windowed mode and can't get out. I keep un-checking it and changing my resolution in options, but it always resets after I click ok. Being a developer however, I used my intuitive developer snooping abilities and ran through all the xml config files and fixed it manually. I am going to share it here in case it helps anyone:

In your

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 \Documents\My Games\Age Of Empires 3

folder, go to the

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Users

folder and open

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NewUser.xml 

or whatever xml profile you see. You may want to do this with an editor that has syntax highlighting (I used Visual Studio Code) so you can read better. Next, find a line that looks like:

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<Setting Name="optiongrfxwindowmode">true</Setting>

and replace "true" with "false". Close the game and save, next time you run the game, your issue should be fixed.

[Jaeger]

Thanks! I've had this problem a couple of times before and it was super annoying. I've also had my resolution reset to something random and it just wouldn't change.

[DJ_Timothy]

Thanks man, that really helped me but if u wanna change it for TAD u have to select users3 instead of users1.

[britishmusketeer]

why would you not want windowed mode? You can just change the resolution so its still full screen

[DJ_Timothy]

i dont like playing in too high res

[britishmusketeer]

i dont like playing in too high res

you don't have to, you could change the resolution to any full screen ratio

[Kaiserklein]

i dont like playing in too high res

you don't have to, you could change the resolution to any full screen ratio

if you're in windowed mode while using the max resolution of your screen, it will look like a full screen. But if you don't use max resolution you will see the desktop and it's awkward for playing

[britishmusketeer]

i dont like playing in too high res

you don't have to, you could change the resolution to any full screen ratio

if you're in windowed mode while using the max resolution of your screen, it will look like a full screen. But if you don't use max resolution you will see the desktop and it's awkward for playing

ah ok i thought it stays full screen as long as you keep the ratio the same

[fightinfrenchman]

is there a fix for the sound issue that occurs randomly

[noissance]

Plz post fix to sound bug, its very annoying

[britishmusketeer]

there is the bug where the volume goes to max if you alt tab. You can fix this by setting the in game volume to max and adjusting the volume mixer accordingly. There is also the bug where you occasionally lose sound and have to restart to get it back for which i don't think there is a fix.

[momuuu]

there is the bug where the volume goes to max if you alt tab. You can fix this by setting the in game volume to max and adjusting the volume mixer accordingly. There is also the bug where you occasionally lose sound and have to restart to get it back for which i don't think there is a fix.

The sound bug is the worst because it gradually get worse and worse. I played a game a while ago where all the sounds had disappeared.. I was simply playing in pure silence.

[Papist]

Usually the sound bug only becomes an issue after hours of uninterrupted play. It makes sense that this would pop up in the basement games

It sometimes goes away if you tab in and out and mess with the sound options. The only surefire way of getting rid of it is to restart the game though.

[Jaeger]

Nice! Just noticed your name is orange now

[momuuu]

I need someone to finally explain me who were and are in charge right now. I quick history of why the esoc staff changes every 3 minutes.

[_H2O]

With the number of changes we just rolled out to the team I made a news post.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4404

[Garja]

windowed mode takes more resources from your pc

[pecelot]

@Garja

notification

how come?

[Metis]

Here is how to set the sound individually for the game so that tabbing out doesn't increase the volume:

Open the game.
Press Alt-Tab.
Right-click the volume icon on the taskbar.
Select "Open volume mixer."
Set the desired volume level for the game.

[Gendarme]

Doesn't Alt-Enter switch in and out of windowed-mode?

[pecelot]

Here is how to set the sound individually for the game so that tabbing out doesn't increase the volume:

Open the game.
Press Alt-Tab.
Right-click the volume icon on the taskbar.
Select "Open volume mixer."
Set the desired volume level for the game.

I know, but it doesn't seem to solve the entire problem. Of course it's helpful, but not as much as I'd like it to be...

@Gendarme

notification

, yes, indeed, look!

[Gendarme]

I am glad it worked out for you.

[agentyoyo]

Thanks had this problem 2/2017.
thanks again!

[KaiIsSleeping]

I went to the files and found the code he's talking about but it won't change to false, it stays as true. How do I change it??

[agentyoyo]

still having issue?