What is Staged?

Staged is a virtual display manager for Windows that creates customizable zones on your screen. It lets you run your game at a specific resolution (like 2K on a 4K screen) while keeping your apps visible in dedicated zones around it.

Think of it as having multiple monitors, but on a single display. Your game runs in a "Game Stage" at native performance, while Discord, YouTube, OBS, or any other app stays visible in zones around it.

Key Benefits

Use your entire display - No more black bars on 4K or ultrawide screens
Native performance - Native fullscreen FPS, 0.0% compositor overhead (measured)
Apps always visible - Discord, OBS, Twitch chat, all in sight

Why Use Staged?

The Problem

Modern displays are amazing. 4K OLEDs, 34" ultrawides, 55" living room TVs. But gaming on them often means:

Wasted screen space - Running a 16:9 game on a 21:9 ultrawide leaves black bars on the sides
Alt-Tab hell - Switching between your game and Discord/chat means losing focus constantly
Performance trade-offs - Running 4K means fewer frames, but you bought that display for a reason

The Solution

Staged creates a virtual display on your screen. Your game runs in this "stage" at whatever resolution you choose (even 2K on a 4K screen), while the rest of your screen shows your apps in organized zones.

Because the game stage is a real virtual display to Windows, you get:

Full native performance (no overlay, no capture, no forwarding)
Support for exclusive fullscreen mode
Up to 500Hz refresh rate
Proper HDR support
DirectX 11/12 and Vulkan compatibility

Quick Setup (5 Minutes)

Ready to try Staged? Here’s the fastest way to get started:

Download Staged

Get the latest version from the download page. It’s a single installer file.

Go to Download

Run the Installer

The installer will set up the virtual display driver (uses Microsoft’s IddCx framework - completely safe and reversible).

Create Your First Zone Layout

Open Staged and use the Zone Editor to create your layout. Drag to create zones, assign apps, and save as a preset.

Add a Game and Play

Add a game from your library (Steam, Epic, GOG, etc.), select your zone preset, and click Play. Everything launches and arranges automatically.

System Requirements

Staged is designed to work on most modern Windows gaming systems:

Minimum Requirements

OS: Windows 10 (1903+) or Windows 11
GPU: DirectX 11 capable (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel Arc)
RAM: 4GB
Display: Any resolution

Note on Anti-Cheat

Most games work perfectly with Staged, including VAC-protected titles. However, some aggressive kernel-level anti-cheat systems (like Vanguard) may not work with virtual displays. Check our troubleshooting guide for details.

Next Steps

Now that you understand what Staged is, you’re ready to dive deeper:

Installation Guide

Detailed installation instructions and driver setup.

Continue

Zone Editor Guide

Learn how to create and customize your zone layouts.