In order to make multitasking even easier, Windows went a step further and integrated each window with the Snap Layout on Windows 11. This feature lets you quickly organize all the windows you’re using in a single collage. To help you out whenever you want to use the feature, we are going to discuss how to use Snap Layouts in Windows 11 as well as a few other details you should know about the feature.
What is the Windows Snap Layout?
Snap Layout is a productivity feature available on Windows 11 for arranging windows on your screen and optimizing it for better multitasking. The feature was recently introduced for Windows 11 computers to make it easy for users to snap their opened windows on their screens effortlessly. It’s an additional feature for Snap Assist, previously available on older Windows OSes. There are up to 4 layouts for small screen sizes, and for larger screens, you can use up to 6 layouts. Also, for landscape screens, the snap windows are placed side-by-side while they are stacked top/bottom for portrait screens. In the next section of this article, we will discuss how to use the Snap Layouts feature on your computer. Read: How to Dual Boot Windows 11 with Windows 10
Use Snap Layout in Windows 11
To be sure that the Snap Layout feature is going to work on your computer, you have to first make sure it is enabled in Windows Settings. So we’ll go over how to enable the Snap Layout feature on Windows 11 computers and then discuss how to use Snap Layout in Windows 11.
How to Enable Snap Layout in Windows 11
To enable the Snap Layout feature in Windows 11:
- Press Windows + I to open Settings on your Windows computer.
- On the Settings window, select System on the vertical pane.
- Navigate to the Multitasking option and click on it.
- Toggle on the slider in front of the Snap windows option.
- After that, click on the Snap windows to expand the menu under it and check all the boxes. Note: Know that the “Show snap layouts when I hover over a window maximize button” option is the only thing that needs to be checked for you to be able to use the Snap Layout feature. Other options are just there to set preferences with using the feature. Each of the menus indicated under the Snap window means the following:
When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it – with this option enabled, whenever you use the Snap Layout option on a window, you’ll be prompted to add other windows to fill the other layouts with. Show snap layouts when I hover over a window’s screen – if this option is enabled, placing your cursor on the maximize icon will show snap layouts, which will be cool for easy access to the feature. But if you don’t need to use Snap Layout, you can simply uncheck this option. Show snap layouts that the app is part of when I hover over the taskbar buttons – if this option is checked, you’ll see your snap groups by hovering over the taskbar. When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging all the way to the screen edge – If this is enabled, you won’t have to drag a window to the edge of the screen to snap it. When I snap a window, automatically size it to fill available space – with this option enabled, it’ll prevent your other window from using the screen in full. When I resize a snapped window, simultaneously resize any adjacent snapped window – If this option is on, other snapped windows will equally be resized automatically whenever you resize one of the snapped windows.
With this setting enabled, you can easily use the Snap Layout feature on any window opened on your computer. But with the detail we’ve given above, you should be able to set up the snap layout based on what you want.
How to use Snap Layout in Windows 11
There are two direct ways to use the snap layout on Windows 11, and here are they:
1. Hover over the maximize icon on top of your Windows
The most direct way to use the Snap Layout in Windows 11 is by placing your cursor on the maximize icon on your opened window. Doing this will show the different layouts available for your PC; you just have to select the one you want to use. The window you are in will be placed on the layout you clicked on, and you can now choose other windows you want to snap into the other layouts.
2. Keyboard shortcut
You can place a window in the two snap layouts by pressing a couple of keys on your computer. To place your current window on the left-hand side of your screen, press the Windows + Right arrow keys on your keyboard. Then select the other window you want to place on the right-hand side of your screen. This same thing goes for other options; you simply have to press the Windows + the side key with the direction you want to place your current window, then pick the other window you want to place on the other side of the group. You can also use the drag and drop option to set up a snap layout on your screen; you simply have to drag the first window to a corner of your screen, press Esc and drag the other window(s) to the other corner of the your screen depending on the layout you want to use.
Can you save Snap groups on Windows 11?
After creating your Snap layout on Windows 11, the grouping gets saved as a Snap Group on your taskbar. This means that apart from the individual pick for each of the windows you added to the snap layout and other windows opened on your computer, a window for the snap group you are using will also be available on the taskbar until you close it.
How do I split a screen into two parts on Windows 11?
With the Snap Layout multitasking feature in Windows 11, you may split your screen into up to six different layouts. However, you must enable the feature in Windows settings as discussed in this article, before you can use it. Given that you only want to divide your screen into two parts, all you need to do is move your cursor over the maximize/minimize icon at the top of one of the windows you want to add to one side of the screen, then choose the other window you want to add and place it in the other layout.
How many Snap layouts are there in Windows 11?
We have six Snap layouts available in Windows 11, but some PCs only show 4. If your Windows 11 computer only shows 4 layouts, it’s because of the screen size.
How do I fix issues with Windows 11 Snap Layout?
If your Snap Layout is malfunctioning on your computer, you should simply restart it as the glitch may be due to a memory hog. Restarting your PC will help clear its memory and hopefully fix the issue you are facing with Snap Layout.
Final Words
The Windows Snap Layout feature is excellent for multitasking. The functionality must first be enabled in Windows settings before you can use one of the techniques described in the article to create the snap windows on your computer. Some of the other things you can do with the Windows Snap feature have also been discussed in the article. You can let us know if the feature interests you in the comment section below. Recommended Reads:
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