System Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen in Windows 11


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snap_layouts_on_top_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable showing snap layouts when dragging a window to the top of the screen for your account in Windows 11.

The Snap windows feature in Windows allows you to automatically resize and arrange windows on your screen.

Windows 11 includes a Snap Layouts feature that allows you to select how to snap the current window.

Reference:

Starting with Windows 11 build 22557, Microsoft added a new way to snap windows into snap layouts that works wonderfully with both touch and mouse! To try it out, just drag a window to the top of the screen to reveal the snap layouts, drop the window on top of a zone to snap it, and use snap assist to finish building your layout.

Starting with Windows 11 build 25300, Microsoft is trying out different treatments for snap layouts with Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel. Microsoft is investigating ways to improve the discoverability and usage of the snap layouts such as decreasing the hover time required to invoke the flyout when you mouse over the maximum/restore button in an app’s title bar. In addition to a few other tweaks, you’ll notice some treatments will also pull in the icon of the app window you are working in and adding a descriptive title. If you see one of these treatments, give Microsoft feedback on what you think. As a reminder, it is normal for Microsoft to try out different concepts in the Dev Channel to get feedback.

snap-layout-treatment.png


Starting with Windows 11 build 22631.3374, Microsoft is trying out suggestions in Snap Layouts that help you instantly snap multiple app windows together. When hovering over the Minimize or Maximize button on an app (or WIN + Z) to launch the layout box, you will see app icons displayed in various layout options to help recommend the best layout option that works best. This experience is beginning to roll out so not all Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel will see it right away.

Suggestions in Snap Layouts.



Contents

  • Option One: Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen in Settings
  • Option Two: Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen using REG file


EXAMPLE: Show snap layouts when you drag a window to the top of the screen

SnapLayoutsWIP-resized.gif





Option One

Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen in Settings


1 Open Settings (Win+I).

2 Click/tap on System on the left side, and click/tap on Multitasking on the right side. (see screenshot below)

Open Multitasking settings

Snap_layouts-1.png

3 Click/tap on Snap windows on the right side to expand it open. (see screenshot below step 4)

4 Check (enable - default) or Uncheck (disable) Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen for what you want.

The Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen setting will be disabled and grayed out if Snap windows is not turned on.


Snap_layouts-2.png

5 You can now close Settings if you like.




Option Two

Enable or Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen using REG file


1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.

2 To Enable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Enable_show_snap_layouts_when_drag_window_to_top_of_screen.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
"WindowArrangementActive"="1"

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"EnableSnapBar"=dword:00000001

3 To Disable Snap Layouts on Top of Screen

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Disable_show_snap_layouts_when_drag_window_to_top_of_screen.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"EnableSnapBar"=dword:00000000

4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7 Either sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

Attachments

  • Snap.png
    Snap.png
    7.5 KB · Views: 151
  • Disable_show_snap_layouts_when_drag_window_to_top_of_screen.reg
    656 bytes · Views: 286
  • Enable_show_snap_layouts_when_drag_window_to_top_of_screen.reg
    800 bytes · Views: 309
Last edited:
Thanks, Shawn! Been waiting for this one!
 

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Thanks Brink, you saved me from stress!
 

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Thank you, again.

The tool pops up right were I'm used to dragging the cursor to snap a window to a certain monitor in maximized mode and interferes with what I'm trying to do and dragging to the top to pick the side creates an extra step when I can just drag it to the side I want directly.

Seeing only the 1/4 screen snap options when dragging to a top corner of the screen would be useful.
 

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  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
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    MSI
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-14900K Raptor Lake Refreshed 6.0 GHz FCLGA1700 (Gen 14)
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    MSI MAG Z790 Tomahawk WiFi
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    32GB (2x16) GSKILL Trident Z5 RGB Series (Intel XMP 3.0) DDR5 RAM 6700MT/s
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    MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060Ti 8GB
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    Onboard Realtek® ALC4080 Codec
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    Monitor #1 Samsung Odyssey G50A WQHD G-Sync HDR10 Monitor #2 Samsung TU7000 55" TV
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440 and 3840x2160
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 PRO SSD 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe Gen 4 Gaming M.2 (System)
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    Crucial CT1000MX500SSD1 1TB (More Games)
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    Rosewill Hive-750S
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