Resizing oversize window

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If you're having trouble resizing an oversized window:
(Using JavaScript to resize windows is forbidden in Firefox 7.0.1 and up [1]);

  • Enable JavaScript. (Firefox: Tools -> Options -> Content -> Enable JavaScript; Mozilla Suite: Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Scripts & Plug-ins -> Enable JavaScript for -> Navigator)
  • Make sure scripts can resize windows. (Firefox: Tools -> Options -> Content -> Advanced JavaScript settings. Mozilla Suite: Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Scripts & Plug-ins).
  • Type: javascript:top.resizeTo(screen.width*0.8,screen.height*0.8);self.moveTo(0,0); into the Location Bar and press Enter.

Other methods of resizing windows:

  • "F11" toggles in/out of Full Screen mode, make sure you are not in Full Screen mode in order to resize a window
  • Drag the edges of the window to resize, drag window by title bar to move
  • On Windows use "Alt+SpaceBar" to move and resize window, especially if the title bar is not accessible because the window is too high. Move allows you move window. Size (resize) allows you to resize in a vertical or a horizontal direction but not at the same time. You can use the mouse or the cursor keys with move or size.  Use "Enter" to release the grasp after dragging window or edges.
  • (Windows 7) use WinKey+right-cursor-key to move Window to right side of screen -- works across multiple monitors, and window can be resized afterwards by moving edges of the window. May also be used if Window gets lost on a monitor no longer connected -- use shortcut until window appears in position on current screen.
  • On Mac: see "How to resize a window on your Mac’s screen that’s too big to drag" (MacYourself)

Combining the two above topics
(Using JavaScript to resize windows is forbidden in Firefox 7.0.1 and up [#JavaScript_no_longer_allowed_to_resize_windows]);

  • Create a Bookmarklet with a keyword of "1024:"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(1024,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(screen.availWidth-1024,0);
  • Invoke the bookmark by typing 1024: into the location bar
  • The window will fill up the available height with a width of 1024 pixels, next steps allow you to move the window left or right by dragging the title bar, you could also resize by dragging borders. Another way of moving left and right without moving up and down accidentally.
    1. (Windows) "Alt+SpaceBar" > "M" (Move)
    2. (Windows) use left and right cursor keys to move window left or right, use "Esc" to end

If after following these steps, new windows still start up too big, you may have a corrupt localstore.rdf.

Some causes leading to problems of oversized Windows:

  • Extensions: 'Babylon Toolbar' 1.1.8,  'vshare' 1.21
  • Zooming and then moving the window.
  • Switching display between monitors
  • Dragging window between monitors

Causes external to Firefox

With larger screens and monitors and accessibility features the screen resolution or DPI may have been changed for a display screen, and this would affect all applications using a display (screen/monitor).  100% is normal, see if settings have been changed.

Windows 7

Display settings default is 100% but may have been inadvertently set to 125%, 150%, or 200%. See Change your screen resolution. You generally want to go with the recommended settings for your laptop or monitor.

  1. Control Panel (to get to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Display\ )
  2. Screen Resolution -- see link "Make text and other items larger or smaller")
  3. Display -- "Smaller 100% (default)" (custom DPI sizes on the left panel allow other sizes than shown)

JavaScript no longer allowed to resize windows through the Location Bar

Resizing with JavaScript has been made almost impossible beginning with Firefox 7.0.1 due to Bug 565541 – Web sites shouldn't be allowed to resize main window, which essentially renders the help provided on this page as useless and leaves users with problems without a simple circumvention to regain control so they can work on fixing problems. [2]

Resizing with JavaScript code is now possible but very convoluted because you must now submit the content of your bookmarklet through the Web Console (Firefox 19). Relegating your resize bookmarks to cataloging system that you cannot invoke directly.

New Steps needed to invoke a simple resize window keyword shortcut that you could once simply do from the Location Bar. (These are the steps in Firefox 29).

  1. Bring up the Bookmarks sidebar ("Ctrl+B"),
  2. Find your bookmarklet with the search at the top of the sidebar. The keyword itself is not searchable, but if you include your keyword anywhere in the title that would work and it is recommended that you keep your keyworded shortcut bookmarks together and actually place the keyword at the beginning of the bookmark title.
  3. Bring up properties for you chosen bookmarklet.
  4. Copy the bookmarklet code ("Ctrl+C")
  5. Bring up Tools > Web Developer > Web Console ("Ctrl+Shift+K")
  6. Paste ("Ctrl+V") into the Command area at the bottom of the Web Console and press "Enter".

Examples to Resize or Move windows: (See above steps to invoke these bookmarklets)

  • "1024:   Resize to a width of 1024"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(1024,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(screen.availWidth-1024,0);
  • "512:L   Resize and move to left side of screen as if 1/2 of 1024"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(512,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(-1,0);
  • "512:R"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(512,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(845,0);
  • "center:bottom"
    javascript:self.moveTo((screen.width-window.outerWidth)/2,screen.availHeight-window.outerHeight)
  • "center:center"
    javascript:self.moveTo((screen.availWidth-window.outerWidth)/2,(screen.availHeight-window.outerHeight)/2)
  • "center:max"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(window.outerWidth,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo((screen.width-window.outerWidth)/2,0)
  • "center:top"
    javascript:self.moveTo((screen.width-window.outerWidth)/2,0)
  • "iPOD:   simulate iPOD on larger screen"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(800,480);self.moveTo(0,0);
  • "max:height"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(window.outerWidth,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(window.screenX,0);
  • "max:width"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(screen.availWidth,window.outerHeight);self.moveTo(0,window.screenY);
  • "netbook:   Simulate 800x400 resolution on a larger screen" -- see http://kb.mozillazine.org/Netbooks"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(800,480);self.moveTo(0,0);
  • "resize:   to specified window width and available height"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(%S,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo((screen.availWidth-%S)/2+1,0)
  • "resize:L   simulate WinKey+left-cursor-key"
    javascript:self.resizeTo(screen.availWidth/2,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(0,0);
  • "resize:R"  
    javascript:self.resizeTo(screen.availWidth/2,screen.availHeight);self.moveTo(screen.availWidth/2+1,0);
  • "resize:reduce"
    javascript:top.resizeTo(screen.width*0.8,screen.height*0.8);self.moveTo(0,0);

Additional Resize/Move keyword shortcuts can be found in the "Resize" folder within k.html, use the "href:" keyword shortcut per directions to see the urls and bookmarklet coding. More information about Keyword Shortcuts. See this posted comment for additional details and comments.

See also