How To Configure Multitasking Snap Layouts For Multiple Windows In Windows 11

How to Access Snap Layouts with a Mouse

Accessing snap layouts with a mouse takes just a second when you use the maximize button hover menu. Hover your mouse pointer over the square maximize icon in the top-right corner of any open window to reveal the grid layout options, then click the exact spot where you want that app to sit on your screen.

1. Open the first application you want to arrange.
2. Move your mouse pointer over the Maximize button (the square icon located in the top-right corner of the window window frame next to the close and minimize icons).
3. Wait a moment for the pop-up menu of grid layouts to appear.
4. Click the specific zone within the layout where you want your current window to sit.
5. Click another open application from the Snap Assist (a feature that displays thumbnail previews of your other open apps) grid to fill the remaining empty zones.

How to Use Snap Layouts with Keyboard Shortcuts

Using snap layouts with keyboard shortcuts lets you arrange windows instantly without touching your mouse. Press and hold the Win along with your left or right arrow keys to snap the active window to either side of your screen, then use the up or down arrows to tuck it into a corner.

1. Click the window you want to move to make it active.
2. Press and hold the Win+← Arrow or Right Arrow to snap the window to either half of your screen.
3. Press the Win+↑ Arrow or Down Arrow to move the window into a screen quadrant after it is already snapped to a side.
4. Release the keys once the window occupies your desired zone.

How to Resize Snapped Windows Simultaneously

Resizing snapped windows simultaneously happens by dragging the dividing border that separates them on your desktop. Move your mouse pointer directly over the line between your snapped apps until the cursor turns into a double-sided arrow, then click and drag to adjust how much space each window takes up.

1. Move your mouse pointer directly over the dividing line or border separating your snapped windows.
2. Click and hold the left mouse button when the cursor changes into a double-sided arrow.
3. Drag the border to the left or right to resize both adjacent windows simultaneously.
4. Release the mouse button once you reach your preferred layout proportions.

Using Snap Assist to Fill Remaining Screen Space

Using Snap Assist to fill remaining screen space automatically populates your leftover desktop area with your other open apps right after you snap your first window. Once you dock an app to one side of your display, Windows shows thumbnail previews of your running programs on the opposite side so you can click one to fill the gap.

1. Snap your primary window to one side of the screen using either the mouse hover method or keyboard shortcuts.
2. Look at the opposite side of your display, where Windows shows thumbnail previews of all your other running apps.
3. Click any thumbnail in the grid to automatically fill the remaining blank zone on your screen.

Working with Snap Groups

Working with Snap Groups lets you minimize or restore an entire multi-window layout at the same time without rearranging individual applications. Snap Groups are collections of snapped apps bundled together in your Taskbar (the horizontal bar containing your pinned apps), allowing you to bring back a whole set of windows with a single click.

1. Set up a multi-window layout using Snap Layouts.
2. Move your mouse pointer over any of the open app icons currently docked in your Taskbar (the horizontal bar containing your pinned apps, usually at the bottom of the screen).
3. Hover over the combined preview showing your active Snap Group.
4. Click the thumbnail preview of the group to restore all windows in that specific layout together.

Configure Snap Settings

Configuring snap settings lets you customize how window layouts behave when you drag items around your desktop. Open Settings, click System, and select Multitasking to find the Snap windows section where you can check or uncheck boxes to turn specific layout features on or off.

1. Open Settings (the central application containing your Windows system configurations).

   

2. Click System in the left sidebar menu.
3. Click Multitasking on the right side of the window.

   

4. Click the dropdown arrow next to the Snap windows heading to reveal more options.
5. Check or uncheck boxes to enable or disable features like showing snap layouts when you hover over maximize buttons or showing snap layouts when you drag a window to the top of the screen.

   

What to do next

Now that your screen space is organized with custom multitasking grids, you can explore setting up virtual desktops to separate your work and personal applications. Test out different layouts to see which grid configuration matches your daily workflow best.