General Snap windows into Layouts in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you different ways to Snap windows into zone layouts for your account in Windows 11.

You can use Snap windows in Windows 11 to automatically resize and arrange all your open windows into zone layouts using the mouse (drag), keyboard, or the Snap Assist feature.

Snap layouts are tailored to the current screen size and orientation, including support for three side-by-side windows on large landscape screens and top/bottom stacked windows on portrait screens.

When you snap a window, Snap Assist will show what you can snap next to it. Snap Assist significantly speeds up the process of snapping windows side-by-side by offering you a choice of windows to snap by just clicking on a window to snap it.

Starting with Windows 11 build 22635.4371 (Beta), Microsoft is trying out a behind-the-scenes change to improve what apps are suggested for snapping in snap layouts. Try out snapping different apps and let Microsoft know if you see improvements in what apps you see suggested.

References:

To undo a snap, you can drag the snapped window by the title bar to restore it to how it was before snapped, and release.

1 Select the window you want to snap, and press the keys you want below:

You can press and hold the Win key and press the Arrow Keys to snap the current window to the layout you want, and release the Win key.

2 If you have Snap Assist turned on, you can click/tap on an open window you want to snap in available layouts next to this snapped windows from step 1. (see screenshot below)

Snap Assist appears after you’ve snapped a window but have a lot of available space on your screen. Any other open windows are displayed in that space as thumbnails.

To use Snap Assist, click the thumbnail of the window you want to open. If you have two windows displayed side-by-side, you can resize both windows simultaneously by selecting and dragging the dividing line. Resize the window on one side to the size you want it to be, and then release the mouse button. The other window will resize itself to fit alongside the first one, so you won't have any empty screen space.

If you do not want to use Snap Assist to snap other windows into layouts next to this snapped window from step 1, then click/tap on the snapped window from step 1 to close Snap Assist.

1 Select the title bar of the window you want to snap.

2 Drag the window by its title bar to the screen edge or corner you want.

3 An outline will show while dragging to indicate where the window will snap to when you drop it. (see screenshots below)


4 If you have Snap Assist turned on, you can click/tap on an open window you want to snap in available layouts next to this snapped windows from step 1. (see screenshot below)

Snap Assist appears after you’ve snapped a window but have a lot of available space on your screen. Any other open windows are displayed in that space as thumbnails.

To use Snap Assist, click the thumbnail of the window you want to open. If you have two windows displayed side-by-side, you can resize both windows simultaneously by selecting and dragging the dividing line. Resize the window on one side to the size you want it to be, and then release the mouse button. The other window will resize itself to fit alongside the first one, so you won't have any empty screen space.

If you do not want to use Snap Assist to snap other windows into layouts next to this snapped window from step 1, then click/tap on the snapped window from step 1 to close Snap Assist.

Displays that are larger than 24 inches and at 1920 effective pixels will see snap layouts with 3 columns of zones.

Displays smaller than 24 inches and at 1920 effective pixels will see snap layouts with 2 columns of zones.

1 Do step 2 (keyboard shortcut), step 3 (maximize button), or step 4 (top of screen) below for how you want to open the snap layouts flyout.

This step is only available starting with Windows 11 build 22557.

5 If you have Snap Assist turned on, you can click/tap on an open window you want to snap in available layouts next to this snapped windows from step 1. (see screenshot below)

Snap Assist appears after you’ve snapped a window but have a lot of available space on your screen. Any other open windows are displayed in that space as thumbnails.

To use Snap Assist, click the thumbnail of the window you want to open. If you have two windows displayed side-by-side, you can resize both windows simultaneously by selecting and dragging the dividing line. Resize the window on one side to the size you want it to be, and then release the mouse button. The other window will resize itself to fit alongside the first one, so you won't have any empty screen space.

If you do not want to use Snap Assist to snap other windows into layouts next to this snapped window from step 1, then click/tap on the snapped window from step 1 to close Snap Assist.

1 Open Task View (Win+Tab).

2 Right click or press and hold on a window you want to snap. (see screenshot below)

3 Click/tap on Snap left or Snap right for what you want.




That's it,
Shawn Brink