Playing League of Legends in Windowed Mode: A Comprehensive Guide

League of Legends, a titan in the MOBA genre, often demands intense focus and quick reflexes. While many players default to fullscreen mode for maximum immersion, playing in windowed mode offers several advantages that can significantly enhance your gameplay experience. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about playing League of Legends in windowed mode, from the basic settings to advanced troubleshooting tips. We’ll cover why you might choose windowed mode, the different types available, and detailed, step-by-step instructions to get you set up. Let’s dive in!

Why Choose Windowed Mode?

Before we get into the ‘how,’ let’s explore the ‘why.’ Windowed mode in League of Legends offers a range of benefits, making it a preferred choice for many players. Here are some key reasons to consider switching:

• Multitasking Made Easy: Perhaps the most significant advantage of windowed mode is its ability to facilitate seamless multitasking. You can quickly switch between League of Legends and other applications – such as web browsers, Discord, or streaming software – without experiencing the jarring black screens or delays that often accompany Alt-Tabbing out of fullscreen. This is particularly useful for players who stream, need to check guides, or communicate through external apps.
• Monitor Control: If you have multiple monitors, windowed mode lets you position the game on any screen. This can be incredibly convenient for having strategy guides, Twitch streams, or chat windows on a secondary monitor, allowing you to keep all your information readily available without constantly minimizing or switching programs.
• Improved Resource Management (Potentially): While it’s not a guarantee, in some cases, windowed mode can alleviate pressure on your system resources. Fullscreen mode often forces the graphics card to dedicate all its power to rendering the game, which might cause stuttering or lag on lower-end systems. Windowed mode, on the other hand, may allow the system to allocate resources more efficiently. However, this is highly dependent on your hardware and other running applications.
• Easier Screen Recording & Screenshots: Capturing gameplay footage or screenshots is generally simpler in windowed mode. Many third-party applications for screen recording function more consistently in windowed mode as they are not directly competing with the fullscreen application.
• Troubleshooting and Testing: When diagnosing performance issues or testing new settings, windowed mode provides a more stable environment. It reduces the chances of crashes associated with display changes.
• Reduced Input Lag (Potentially): In some specific hardware configurations, particularly where v-sync is causing conflicts, windowed mode can result in slightly lower input lag. However, this is not a guaranteed outcome and can vary significantly based on system components.

Understanding Different Types of Windowed Mode

League of Legends offers variations within windowed mode, each with its unique characteristics:

• Windowed Mode: This is the standard windowed mode. It displays the game within a resizable window, complete with borders and title bar. You can move it freely around your screen(s).
• Borderless Windowed Mode (or Fullscreen Windowed): This mode displays the game in a window that stretches across the entire screen, removing the title bar and borders, creating the illusion of fullscreen. However, unlike true fullscreen, it still operates as a window, allowing for smoother alt-tabbing and faster switching. This is generally considered the best windowed mode option for League.

The key difference between these two boils down to appearance and how the game interacts with the operating system. Borderless windowed mode provides the seamless transition of fullscreen while retaining the multitasking benefits of windowed mode. Most players will find borderless windowed mode to be the optimal choice.

Step-by-Step Instructions to Enable Windowed Mode

Now, let’s get to the practical part. Here’s a detailed guide on how to switch to windowed mode in League of Legends:

Method 1: Changing Display Mode from In-Game Settings

This is the simplest and most common way to switch to windowed mode. Here’s how:

1. Launch League of Legends: Start the League of Legends client and log into your account.
2. Enter a Game or Practice Tool: You can’t change display settings in the client itself. You’ll need to enter a game (even a practice tool or custom game will suffice).
3. Open the Settings Menu: Once in-game, press the Esc key to bring up the in-game menu.
4. Navigate to the Video Tab: Click on the “Video” tab in the settings menu. This is usually the third option from the top.
5. Locate the Display Mode Option: You’ll find a dropdown menu labeled “Display Mode.”
6. Choose Your Desired Windowed Mode: Click on the dropdown menu, and you’ll see the following options:
   • Fullscreen: This is the default setting.
   • Windowed: This will display the game in a bordered window.
   • Borderless: This will display the game in a borderless window that fills the entire screen.

   Select either “Windowed” or “Borderless” depending on your preference. For most players, **Borderless** is the recommended option.

7. Apply Changes: Click the “Apply” button located at the bottom of the settings menu. The screen will likely flicker or go black briefly as the display mode is adjusted.
8. Confirm Changes: You’ll be prompted to confirm that the new settings have worked correctly. Click the confirm button. If you fail to do so after a few seconds the game will revert to the previous settings.

That’s it! You should now be playing League of Legends in your chosen windowed mode.

Method 2: Using Configuration Files (Advanced)

While not as straightforward as the in-game settings, you can also change the display mode through League of Legends’ configuration files. This method can sometimes be helpful if in-game settings aren’t working properly or if you need to force a specific setting. Here’s how to do it:

1. Close League of Legends: Ensure the League of Legends client and any active game instances are completely closed.
2. Locate the Configuration Folder: Open File Explorer (or Finder on macOS) and navigate to the League of Legends configuration folder. This is usually located in the following directory:
   • Windows: `C:\Riot Games\League of Legends\Config`
   • macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Riot Games/League of Legends/Config` (Note: The Library folder is usually hidden. Press Cmd+Shift+G in Finder and paste the path to access it).
3. Find the `game.cfg` File: Look for a file named `game.cfg`. This file contains various in-game settings.
4. Open the `game.cfg` File with a Text Editor: Right-click the `game.cfg` file and open it with a text editor like Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (macOS).
5. Locate the `[General]` Section: In the file, find a section labeled `[General]`. If it’s not present add it at the end of the document.
6. Modify or Add the Display Mode Settings: Within the `[General]` section, add or modify the following lines to change to your desired window mode:
   • For Borderless Windowed Mode:

     WindowMode=2
     WindowedWidth=YourScreenWidth
     WindowedHeight=YourScreenHeight
     

   • For Standard Windowed Mode:

     WindowMode=1
     WindowedWidth=YourDesiredWindowWidth
     WindowedHeight=YourDesiredWindowHeight
     

     Replace `YourDesiredWindowWidth` and `YourDesiredWindowHeight` with the desired width and height values for your window (for instance 1280 and 720). For borderless it’s important that the values match your screen resolution to ensure the game covers the entire screen.

   • For Fullscreen Mode (To Revert to Fullscreen):

     WindowMode=0
     

   It’s possible that these parameters are already in the config. If so, adjust them according to the settings listed above. If they are not present add them under the general section.

7. Save the `game.cfg` File: Save the changes to the `game.cfg` file.
8. Launch League of Legends: Start the League of Legends client and the game should now launch in your specified windowed mode.

Important Notes About `game.cfg`:

• Making changes directly to the config file without prior knowledge can lead to unexpected behaviors or even game crashes, especially if syntax is incorrect. Always proceed with caution.
• After making changes to `game.cfg` the settings will take effect at the next launch of an actual match. Settings configured directly via the in-game menus have higher priority and will overwrite those from the configuration file on load of a match.
• It is recommended to close any actively running instance of the game client before modifying the configuration file.
• Make a backup copy of `game.cfg` before editing it so you have a copy to revert to in case anything goes wrong.

Troubleshooting Common Issues with Windowed Mode

Sometimes, you might encounter problems when trying to use windowed mode. Here are some common issues and how to fix them:

• Game Window is Too Small or Too Large:
  • Solution: If you’re using standard windowed mode, adjust the `WindowedWidth` and `WindowedHeight` values in the `game.cfg` file, as described above, to a resolution that suits your preferences. Also make sure to choose the proper screen resolution in game settings for borderless window mode.
• Game Window is Not Centered on Screen:
  • Solution: This is a common issue, and League of Legends doesn’t offer built-in settings to control window placement. A simple solution is to use the Windows key + Shift + Arrow keys combination to move your window between displays or to reposition it on the current display. Alternatively drag the game window around your screen using your mouse.
• The Game Doesn’t Switch to Borderless Windowed Mode:
  • Solution: Sometimes, the in-game settings might not apply correctly. Make sure the `WindowMode` value is set to 2 in the `game.cfg` file. Also, check to see if any third party software is interferring with the game settings. Additionally, check your windows display scaling settings in the display properties of the operating system. If it is set to a scaling other than 100% it might lead to issues.
• Game Stuttering or Lag in Windowed Mode:
  • Solution: While windowed mode might alleviate resource usage, it can also sometimes cause issues. Try closing unnecessary background applications to free up system resources. Additionally, verify the refresh rate in the game video settings, is matching that of your monitor. Also try experimenting with different in-game video settings, such as turning off shadows or lowering shader quality to reduce the load on your system. If the problem persists, consider updating your graphics drivers to the latest version.
• Screen Tearing in Windowed Mode:
  • Solution: If you experience screen tearing, try enabling V-Sync in the in-game video settings. If v-sync introduces input lag, consider using other methods to reduce tearing (like adaptive sync, G-sync or freesync if your display supports them). Also check that the refresh rate of the monitor is properly set both in the game settings as well as in the monitor display settings.
• Game Window is Unresponsive:
  • Solution: Try switching back to fullscreen mode and then back to windowed mode. It could also be a driver or a third-party application interference. Ensure that you have the latest graphics driver installed and that no other applications are conflicting with the game. In case of the latter, try closing unnecessary background applications and test if the issue persists.
• Game Crashes When Switching Modes:
  • Solution: This could be a compatibility issue. Try running the game as an administrator. Also, make sure your operating system is updated to the latest version. It may also be necessary to reinstall the game client if the issue persists.
• Cursor is Misaligned or Invisible in Windowed Mode:
  • Solution: This is a less frequent issue. Try restarting the game or switching to a different display mode and back. If it persists try to run the game in administrator mode.

Advanced Tips for Optimal Windowed Mode Gameplay

Here are some advanced tips to further optimize your windowed mode setup in League of Legends:

• Use Multiple Monitors Strategically: If you have multiple displays, dedicate one screen solely to League of Legends and use another for guides, streams, or chat. This setup allows you to stay focused on the game without constantly needing to switch windows.
• Customize Keyboard Shortcuts: Learn to use keyboard shortcuts for quickly accessing other applications. For example, use Alt + Tab to switch between windows quickly, and windows key + shift + arrow keys to change the position of active windows.
• Monitor Resource Usage: Keep an eye on your system’s resource usage (CPU, RAM, GPU) while playing in windowed mode. This will help you identify whether other applications or settings are impacting game performance.
• Experiment with different resolutions in windowed mode: In normal windowed mode, you can adjust the window dimensions by dragging the corners. Experiment with different resolutions that suits you best depending on your monitor and visual needs. This will affect the resource usage of your system.
• Try Different Recording Software: If you record your gameplay regularly, experiment with different recording software that works best in windowed mode and that provides a good balance between performance and recording quality.
• Adjust Discord Overlay Settings: If you use Discord and its in-game overlay, experiment with its settings to ensure that it is not causing performance issues. Also try running discord in administrator mode.

Conclusion

Playing League of Legends in windowed mode offers a versatile experience that can enhance your gameplay, especially when multitasking or using multiple monitors. Whether you prefer the bordered window or the seamless borderless mode, it’s essential to understand the different settings and troubleshooting steps to optimize your gaming experience. By following the instructions and tips outlined in this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to enjoy League of Legends in your preferred windowed setup. Experiment with the different options and adjust the settings according to your needs, find your favorite way to play in windowed mode, and conquer the Rift!