Title bar can no longer be moved off screen

dbny5000 · Feb 29, 2024

For 20 years I've kept many of my windows in Windows just slightly above the top edge of the screen, say by 3 or 5 or 10 pixels. This allows a user to rapidly flick the cursor to the top of that window, where it will automatically stop within the grabbable area of the title bar, and grab the title bar with his mouse without having to stall to hone in on said title bar before clicking. I despise wasting even a quarter of a second doing such "honing," which is why today's modern GUIs, which increasingly lack the keyboard functionality of the past, are so frustrating, but I digress. With one of the recent forced updates to Windows 11, though, I noticed that I can no longer move any windows off the top edge of the screen. If I try, the window snaps back so that when I flick my mouse up to the top of the screen, the sizing cursor appears, since the top edge of the window is now forcibly aligned with the top of the screen rather than the title bar. So then I have to drop the cursor a pixel or two and then move the window -- exactly the threading-the-needle movement I have for 20 years not wanted to waste time doing. Think of the absolute infuriation you'd feel if Microsoft prohibited you from moving your windows below the bottom edge or the left or right edges next! You wouldn't be able to sink a big window below the bottom edge to get it out of the way when desired. Is there any registry or other fix???????? This is another if-it-isn't-broken-don't-freaking-fix-it demonstration of stupidity by Microsoft. And what's even more frustrating is that all google searches for "stop window from moving off screen" generate results for people who are trying to retrieve windows that've entirely moved off screen! Useless, and we already knew the solution for that (ALT-Space, M, arrow keys).

PS Also, this new nuisance doesn't let one flick up to the top of the screen and double click to quickly maximize or restore!

Sir_George · Feb 29, 2024

dbny5000 said:
For 20 years I've kept many of my windows in Windows just slightly above the top edge of the screen, say by 3 or 5 or 10 pixels. This allows a user to rapidly flick the cursor to the top of that window, where it will automatically stop within the grabbable area of the title bar, and grab the title bar with his mouse without having to stall to hone in on said title bar before clicking. I despise wasting even a quarter of a second doing such "honing," which is why today's modern GUIs, which increasingly lack the keyboard functionality of the past, are so frustrating, but I digress. With one of the recent forced updates to Windows 11, though, I noticed that I can no longer move any windows off the top edge of the screen. If I try, the window snaps back so that when I flick my mouse up to the top of the screen, the sizing cursor appears, since the top edge of the window is now forcibly aligned with the top of the screen rather than the title bar. So then I have to drop the cursor a pixel or two and then move the window -- exactly the threading-the-needle movement I have for 20 years not wanted to waste time doing. Think of the absolute infuriation you'd feel if Microsoft prohibited you from moving your windows below the bottom edge or the left or right edges next! You wouldn't be able to sink a big window below the bottom edge to get it out of the way when desired. Is there any registry or other fix???????? This is another if-it-isn't-broken-don't-freaking-fix-it demonstration of stupidity by Microsoft. And what's even more frustrating is that all google searches for "stop window from moving off screen" generate results for people who are trying to retrieve windows that've entirely moved off screen! Useless, and we already knew the solution for that (ALT-Space, M, arrow keys).

PS Also, this new nuisance doesn't let one flick up to the top of the screen and double click to quickly maximize or restore!

View attachment 88735

New Windows Insider builds released to the Canary and Dev channels both roll their version numbers to "24H2," indicating that they're the earliest builds of what Microsoft will eventually release to all Windows users sometime this fall. The purpose of installing 24H2 at this time is to allow testing and report any issues. Personally, I don't like being a guinea pig and allow others to do the testing before I install new versions. You may be experiencing a bug, would be my best guess.

dbny5000 · Feb 29, 2024

I was going to mention the "insider" build angle but figured my comments on that would constitute a separate post! I installed it once under the assumption that I could withdraw. Then when I tried to withdraw, it appeared the only way to do so was to entirely reinstall "regular" Windows. So if that's the case I've been between a rock and a hard place. I hope the title-bar issue is a bug as you say!

antspants · Feb 29, 2024

To be honest, you’re using an insider build and have come across a “bug, error or unexpected issue” it would seem that to run an insider build is to expect these things happening.
By definition, the insider builds:

The Windows Insider Program is a community of millions of Windows' biggest fans who get to preview Windows features. While previewing Windows, Insiders can provide feedback and engage directly with Microsoft engineers to help shape the future of Windows.

Windows Insider build is still under testing and development and it comes with bugs and error and unexpected issues. That is why we discourage installing it on production device and only use it for testing. In the first step, make sure report these issues using the Feedback Hub