Blog, Microsoft

Snap your Windows in Windows 11

The Snap feature is a great way to improve your productivity by sharing many app windows in a single screen. Different layouts are available with many sizes to choose from, so you can get the most from your favorite apps when you are working on specific tasks.

Here are some ways to take advantage of Snap. Select any of the headers, and it will open to display more content:

Snap Layouts

The Snap feature in Windows has some predetermined layouts that you can choose from to snap all your open windows.

Using Snap with the mouse in Windows 11.

To open Snap layouts:

  • With your keyboard: In the window you would like to snap, press Windows Logo Key  + to launch the layout box.

  • With your mouse: In the window you would like to snap, hover over the Minimize or Maximize button to launch the layout box.

Note: Depending on the size of your display, you might see different predetermined layouts for your display size.

Snap Assist

The Snap Assist tool will automatically appear once you have snapped your first window. Snap Assist will display all other open windows as thumbnails so you can choose which windows you would like to add to the selected layout.

Using Snap Assist in Windows 11.

Snap Assist allows you to resize the layout boxes size by selecting and dragging the dividing lines. Resize a window on one side, and the adjoining window will resize itself to fit alongside so you don’t have any wasted screen space.

Resizing a Snap Assist layout in Windows 11.

Note: Snap Assist is only available for two app windows at a time on Windows 11 SE. Learn more

Snap Groups

Once you select a layout and Snap every space with selected windows, this automatically becomes a Snap group. This feature can be useful when you are working on a specific task using many apps. If you are interrupted and open a new app, you can easily come back to the Snap group by hovering over one of the group’s open apps to find the Snap group again.

Using Snap groups in the taskbar in Windows 11.

 

Snap with a mouse

There are several ways to use your mouse to Snap in Windows:

Hover over an app’s Minimize or Maximize button

  1. Hover over the Minimize or Maximize button in the app you’d like to Snap. The Snap layout box will display automatically.

  2.  Select the Snap layout you’d like to use from the layout box. 

    Using Snap with the mouse in Windows 11.

  3. Use Snap Assist to fill the layout with other apps you’d like to Snap together.

Drag and drop an app to either side of your screen 

  1. Select and drag the window or app you’d like to Snap to the side or edge of your screen. The Snap layout box will display automatically.

  2. Drop the app into the layout you want to use.

  3. Use Snap Assist to fill the layout with other windows or apps you’d like to Snap together.

    You can also drag an app to the middle right or middle left side of your screen to immediately create a side-by-side Snap.

    Open snap layouts using your mouse to drag your window to the side of your screen.

Drag and drop an app to the upper middle of your screen

  1. Select and drag the window or app you would like to Snap to the upper middle of your screen. The Snap layout box will display automatically.

  2. Drop the app into the layout you want to use.

    Open snap layouts using your mouse to drag your window to the top of your screen.

  3. Use Snap Assist to fill the layout with other apps you would like to Snap together. 

 

Snap with a keyboard

There are two ways to use your keyboard to Snap in Windows:

Use your keyboard to open the Snap layout box

  1. Press the Windows Logo Key  + to display the layout box.

  2. Enter the number of the layout you want to use, then enter the number where you want your window positioned in that layout.
    You can also use your mouse to select the preferred layout.

    Using Snap with the keyboard in Windows 11.

  3. Use Snap Assist to fill the layout with other windows or apps you’d like to Snap together on the same screen.

Use your keyboard arrows to open the Snap layout

  1. Press and hold the Windows Logo Key  + Arrow to Snap the app you are on. You can keep changing positions of the snap using your keyboard arrows.

    • Use the Left Arrow to position the app on the left side of your screen 

    • Use the Right Arrow to position the app on the right side of your screen

    • Use the Up Arrow to position the app on the upper side of your screen.

  2. When you’ve found the Snap location you want, release the Windows Logo Key  to position the Snap. 

  3. Use Snap Assist to fill the layout with other windows or apps you’d like to Snap together on the same screen.

 

 

 

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