How to Snap Windows Like a Pro

If you’re using Windows 11, you’ve got to learn how to snap windows like a pro.

Trust me, once you master these tips and tricks, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

According to a study by the University of Utah, using multiple monitors can increase productivity by up to 32%. And with Windows 11’s enhanced snap features, you can make the most of your screen real estate without the need for extra displays.

Windows has had window snapping for ages, but in Windows 11 it’s a whole new ballgame. If you’re not taking advantage of all the new ways to snap, you’re missing out big time.

Microsoft also claims to improve productivity by splitting apps in a single screen.

Here’s how to become a window snapping pro and take your multitasking to the next level.

The Basics: Snap Layouts

First up, the basics.

1. Hover your mouse over the maximize button.
   
2. You’ll see a slick new snap layout flyout showing all the ways you can snap that window – halves, thirds, quadrants, the works.
3. Just click the zone you want and your window snaps right into place.

Wanna quickly snap a window to the left or right half of the screen?

Just drag the title bar to either side until you see a translucent outline fill that half.

Let go and window snapped.

If you drag the window to the top of the screen, it’ll maximize.

When you have two windows snapped side by side, you can adjust the split by dragging the dividing line between them.

Just hover over the divider until your cursor turns into a double-headed arrow, then click and drag to resize the windows.

Perfect for when you need to see a bit more of one window without totally disrupting your layout.

But wait, there’s more! Windows 11 22H2 introduced a game-changer for snap layouts: the flyout.

This new flyout menu appears when you drag a window to the top of the screen, providing a visual interface to quickly select and apply different snap layout configurations.

Grab any window by the title bar and start dragging it top of the screen.

You’ll immediately see a small rectangular section appear, keep dragging your window towards that section.

The full Snap Layout flyout appears, showing you all the possible snap layouts you can choose from.

Snapping Multiple Apps

But wait, there’s more!

1. See those other zones in the layout? Hover over them.
2. Windows will show you thumbnails of your other open apps.
   
3. Click the one you want and it’ll snap right into that zone.

Now you’ve got multiple apps perfectly arrayed in mere seconds. Magical!

Unfortunately, some application like VSCode, Adobe apps, may not show a flyout. In that case, you need to drag the desired window to a dedicated area.

Also remember, there are some application that will not shrink below a certain size.

For example, I tried to snap Discord to a small vertical zone and did not work. But instead, it ruined other active snapped window.

Keyboard Shortcuts: The Pro Way

Of course, true pros use the keyboard. And Windows 11 has some killer new keyboard shortcuts for snapping:

1. Win + Z: Opens the snap layouts flyout for the focused window
   
   
2. Win + Left/Right Arrow: Snaps the window to the left or right half of the screen
3. Win + Up/Down: After snapping a window to half-screen, this snaps it into a quadrant
4. Win + Alt + Up/Down: Flip between half-screen and quadrant snap without losing your other snapped windows

Once you get these shortcuts into your muscle memory, you’ll be flying between snapped window layouts faster than you can say “productivity.”

Touch-Friendly Snapping

And if you’ve got one of those slick new tablets or 2-in-1s, Windows 11 has some touch-friendly snap gestures just for you.

1. Swipe a window to left or right part of the screen to snap an app.
2. Swipe it toward the corners to snap it to a quadrant.

It’s all so smooth and intuitive, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Snap Groups: The Ultimate Pro Feature

But maybe the coolest new snap feature, the one that’ll really make you feel like a power user, is snap groups.

1. Say you’ve got a perfect layout of 3 or 4 snapped apps that you use all the time.
2. With snap groups, you can hover over one of those apps in the taskbar, and all the other apps in that layout will pop up right next to it.
   
3. Click the group and your whole layout is back, exactly as you left it.

Snapping Across Monitors

Windows 11 also remembers your snap groups when you reconnect an external monitor.

Unplug from your workstation, take your laptop to the cafe, plug back in at home, and have all your snapped layouts reappear like magic.

It almost makes plugging and unplugging monitors fun. Almost.

But that’s not all! Check out these handy multi-monitor shortcuts:

1. Win + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the focused window to the left or right and expand it to fill the screen vertically
2. Win + Shift + Up/Down Arrow: Maximize or minimize the focused window
3. Win + Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow: Switch window to another virtual desktop

Supercharge Your Snapping with PowerToys FancyZones

If you really want to take your snapping game to the next level, check out FancyZones in Microsoft PowerToys. Here’s how to get started:

1. Download and install PowerToys.
   
2. Open PowerToys and navigate to the FancyZones settings.
   
3. Create your custom snap layouts by defining zones on a grid or with custom overlays.
   
4. Assign keyboard shortcuts to your custom layouts for lightning-fast snapping.

With FancyZones, you can create complex, personalized snap layouts that perfectly fit your workflow. It’s a must-have tool for any serious snapping pro.

But a word of caution: FancyZones really shines on larger, high-resolution screens. If you’re working on a smaller laptop display, simpler is often better.

Stick to 2-4 window snapping on small screens, and save the crazy layouts for your 27″+ 1440p monsters.

Also, some Windows dialog boxes (like Device Manager or Registry Editor) won’t snap with FancyZones by default. The fix? Just run PowerToys as an Administrator and you’re good to go.

Let’s Try Creating a Custom Template

Once you’ve gotten the hang of FancyZones, you might want to create your own custom templates. Here’s how:

1. Open the FancyZones editor by clicking the “Launch layout editor” button in the FancyZones settings.
2. Click on “Create new layout” and select a “grid” or “canvas” layout. Since this is a guide on snapping windows, go ahead and select the “grid layout.”
3. Customize your grid:
   • Hold Shift to split a layer vertically.
   • Click and drag your mouse across layers and select “Merge” to combine selected layers.
   • Adjust the padding value (it’s high by default) to change the spacing around your zones.
4. You can also use keyboard shortcuts to modify your layout.
5. Once you have all the basics down, snapping is a breeze and the sky is your limit.
6. If you’re confused about how to activate your new layout:
   • Hold down Shift while dragging a window to see your layout zones, then drop the window in place.
   • Or, use your custom keyboard shortcuts to look like a real pro.
7. Give your layout a name and click “Save and apply.”

Your new custom template will now appear in the FancyZones editor under “Custom.” You can select it anytime to apply it to your current monitor setup.

Bonus: You can also create templates for specific monitor setups!

1. Arrange your monitors how you want them in Windows display settings.
2. In the FancyZones Editor, click “Create new layout.”
3. Select a monitor and create your zones as usual and save.
4. Now, select second monitor and create your own zones like you did before.
5. You can now span zones across multiple monitors!

With custom templates, you can create the perfect layout for your specific needs and workspace. Experiment and find what works best for you!

FancyZones also adds some handy extras, like the ability to switch between multiple windows in the same zone with Win + PgUp/PgDn, or override Windows’ default snapping behavior.

Dive into the settings and make it your own!

FancyZones for Multitasking

But the snapping goodness doesn’t stop there.

1. You know how your important apps sometimes get buried behind other windows when you’re multitasking?
2. Well now you can snap them to your screen and they’ll stay on top, even when you click on your other apps.
3. Just press Windows + Ctrl + T on the active window to activate Always on top.

It’s a game-changer for keeping your most-used apps always at hand.

Find Your Own Snapping Flow

And that’s just the beginning.

1. Play around with the new snap features and you’re sure to find your own killer combos.
2. Maybe you’ll love snapping your email and calendar side-by-side.
3. Or perhaps you’re a coder who wants your IDE on one half of the screen and Stack Overflow on the other.

The possibilities are endless. Go forth and snap like you’ve never snapped before. Become the window management wizard you were always meant to be.

Wrapping Up

So there you have it folks, your guide to snapping windows like an absolute pro in Windows 11.

Give these tips a try and let us know in the comments how they’ve supercharged your workflow. And if you’ve got your own killer snap combos, share ’em below!