Apple has been touting full-screen apps as a major feature in OS X Lion. By all accounts, it works very well to remove distractions and help users focus on the task at hand.

multiplemonitors
For multiple-monitor users, however, full-screen apps don't live up to the hype. When full-screen mode is turned on, Lion dims supplementary monitors (putting up the "linen" background) leaving extra screens as little more than expensive paperweights.

Don't worry, there's an easy solution: don't use full-screen mode.

Top Rated Comments

johncarync Avatar
johncarync
191 months ago
That's my room

I think that's a picture of my room in a parallel universe where I never got up the nerve to ask a girl out.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ImageWrangler Avatar
ImageWrangler
191 months ago
The guy had me at Asteroids on the ceiling but then lost me at the creepy huge Princess Leia.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
admanimal Avatar
admanimal
191 months ago
Full screen apps are going to be great for those of us with 11" MBAs.

I have been using the Lion previews on an 11" MBA and full screen apps are, in fact, great on it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sixtafoua Avatar
Sixtafoua
191 months ago
Well, this sucks.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bigdaddyguido Avatar
Bigdaddyguido
191 months ago
Well, if the point of fullscreen apps is to focus on the one task, it does seem like it would defeat the purpose to leave the other monitors busy.

Why do people keep saying lion isn't for power users? I can see that maybe this feature isn't, but things like server being a mere $50 upgrade, versioning, reader, resume and the upgraded file vault, and little things like clipboard sharing for screen sharing all seem like great features for power users. Sure, some of these features could be obtained with good third party software or terminal hacks, but doesn't the widespread nature and refining count for something?

I mean, almost anything apple does outside of a new file system or the elusive resolution independence would be stuff power users have come up with anterior methods of obtaining, no?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
strabes Avatar
strabes
191 months ago
Yup, I noticed this. Mind you, I've never liked the idea of full-screen apps on a computer. IPad and iPhone fine but not on a computer. When you've got a 30" ACD you get used to having many programs and many windows open at a time. Expose is awesome with that. Even on my MBP I never use full screen mode in any apps, I find it too limiting - so many things require me to reference or copy something from another app or folder anyway.

I'm not that happy about Lion so far, the focus on full screen apps I can work around but the modification of how Spaces works is irritating - it looks like you can only have a row of spaces, no columns meaning those of us that are now used to working with a grid of spaces are stuffed.

Full screen apps are going to be great for those of us with 11" MBAs.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

wwdc sans text feature

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Read Full Article
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Read Full Article • 148 comments
Finder Siri Feature

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...
Read Full Article • 154 comments
maxresdefault

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by
Apple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...
Read Full Article • 79 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Read Full Article • 37 comments