Minecraft minimizing on your second monitor? How to stop it
On Java Edition 26.3 and later, turn Exclusive Fullscreen off in Video Settings and Minecraft stays put when you click your other monitor. On 1.21.11 and older, where most modpacks live, there is no such switch: fullscreen is exclusive and minimizes by design. Second Screen Gaming stops it on any version, with no mod: Minecraft fills the screen you pick and stays there while you use the other.
Stop Minecraft minimizing, on any version
Leave Minecraft's Fullscreen off, then turn on Second Screen Gaming's Run borderless on a chosen screen and pick the monitor. The frame is removed and Minecraft fills that screen at every launch, so clicking your other monitor no longer touches it. It works the same with the official launcher, modpack launchers and any version.
Would rather keep Minecraft in its own fullscreen? Versions before 26.3 minimize themselves the way Keep the game from minimising itself is built to stop. It loads a small helper into the game, so open the app with Minecraft running to see whether that version can take it.
Why Minecraft minimizes when you click another monitor
Until 26.3, Java Edition's fullscreen was exclusive: it takes over the display and gives it back the moment the window loses focus, so clicking anything on another screen minimizes the game. From 26.3, fullscreen is borderless unless Exclusive Fullscreen is turned on. The full version-by-version breakdown is in how to get Minecraft borderless windowed.
Other ways to stop it
Each has a cost:
- Play windowed. Turn Fullscreen off with F11. Minecraft stops minimizing, but keeps its title bar and does not fill the screen.
- A borderless mod. Cubes Without Borders (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge, Quilt) or Borderless Window (Forge, NeoForge) adds a Borderless choice, for the versions and loaders those mods support.
- Update to 26.3 or later. Fullscreen is borderless by default there, which modpacks on older versions cannot do.
Common questions
Does Minecraft also pause when I click away?
Yes, separately. Java Edition opens its pause menu when the window loses focus; F3+P turns that off. See how to stop Minecraft pausing when you alt-tab.
Does Bedrock Edition minimize too?
Minecraft for Windows has a single Fullscreen switch and no exclusive choice. Leave it off to play in a window, and fit that window to your screen with the borderless fit above.
How do I keep the mouse from sliding onto my other monitor?
In borderless or windowed mode, use Keep the mouse on this screen: see how to lock your mouse to one monitor.