diff --git a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
index 7dd8ea9c..132b761b 100644
--- a/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/video_player_screen.dart
@@ -929,11 +929,18 @@ class VideoPlayerScreenState extends State<VideoPlayerScreen> with WidgetsBindin
     }
   }
 
-  /// Called when fullscreen state changes — restore display mode if exiting fullscreen.
+  /// Called when fullscreen state changes — apply or restore Windows display
+  /// matching. On Windows the player opens windowed by default, so the initial
+  /// attempt during `playbackRestart` is skipped by DisplayModeService's
+  /// fullscreen gate. Catching the enter-fullscreen transition here lets the
+  /// switch happen at the natural moment the user starts watching.
   void _onFullscreenChanged() {
-    if (!FullscreenStateManager().isFullscreen &&
-        _displayModeService != null &&
-        _displayModeService!.anyChangeApplied) {
+    if (_displayModeService == null) return;
+    if (FullscreenStateManager().isFullscreen) {
+      if (_hasFirstFrame.value && !_displayModeService!.anyChangeApplied) {
+        _applyWindowsDisplayMatching();
+      }
+    } else if (_displayModeService!.anyChangeApplied) {
       _restoreWindowsDisplayMode();
     }
   }
diff --git a/lib/services/display_mode_service.dart b/lib/services/display_mode_service.dart
index 8d1ef03d..00cfba85 100644
--- a/lib/services/display_mode_service.dart
+++ b/lib/services/display_mode_service.dart
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ class DisplayModeService {
     required double? sigPeak,
   }) async {
     if (!Platform.isWindows) return Duration.zero;
-    if (!_fullscreen.isFullscreen) return Duration.zero;
+    if (!_fullscreen.isFullscreen) {
+      appLogger.d('Display matching skipped: not in fullscreen');
+      return Duration.zero;
+    }
 
     bool anyChange = false;