To understand the debate, we first have to understand what Windows is trying to do.
DirectX 12 and Vulkan games do not even support traditional "Exclusive Fullscreen". Disabling FSO for these titles is generally useless and can sometimes cause instability. fullscreen optimizations on or off
is Microsoft’s attempt to bridge this gap. When FSO is enabled (the default state), Windows tricks the game into thinking it is running in Exclusive Fullscreen mode, but behind the scenes, it runs it in a "borderless windowed" state. To understand the debate, we first have to
Important Note: Some modern launchers (like Battle.net or Steam) verify game files on launch, which can sometimes reset executable permissions, though this is rare for this specific setting. is Microsoft’s attempt to bridge this gap
Microsoft has improved Fullscreen Optimizations significantly. In 2024, leaving it ON is the safe default for 95% of gamers. Turning it OFF should be treated as a troubleshooting step or a competitive edge tactic, rather than a mandatory requirement.