When working with multiple windows on your desktop, it can be useful to snap windows to different sides of the screen. This helps organize your workspace and quickly view different windows side-by-side. One common keyboard shortcut used for this on Windows is to snap a window to the left side of the screen. Knowing this shortcut can save you time compared to dragging windows around with your mouse. In this article, we’ll take a look at the keyboard shortcut to snap a window to the left on Windows and how you can use it to improve your productivity.
What Does “Snap a Window” Mean?
Snapping a window refers to docking it to the edge of your screen. On Windows 10 and 11, you have a few snapping options:
– Left: Snaps the window to the left side of the screen.
– Right: Snaps the window to the right side.
– Top: Maximizes the window to the top half of the screen.
– Bottom: Maximizes the window to the bottom half.
When you snap a window in place, it will resize to fill that half of the screen. This lets you quickly view two windows side-by-side, or one window on top and one on bottom. The snapping features streamline multi-tasking and comparing content between windows.
Benefits of Snapping Windows
Snapping windows has a few advantages:
– Lets you view multiple windows simultaneously for easy multi-tasking.
– Organizes open windows neatly on the desktop.
– Allows side-by-side or top-and-bottom comparisons.
– Quickly done with keyboard shortcuts instead of mouse dragging.
– Windows remain snapped until you unsnap them.
Overall, snapping makes managing many open windows much easier.
Keyboard Shortcut to Snap Left
To snap a window to the left side using just the keyboard, use this shortcut:
**Windows key + Left arrow**
For example:
1. Open two windows you want to view side-by-side.
2. Select one window and press the Windows logo key + Left arrow key.
3. The selected window will snap instantly to the left side of the screen.
4. You can now view both windows simultaneously.
This shortcut snaps the active window to occupy the left half of the monitor. It will resize the window width automatically based on the screen resolution.
The Windows key can be found between Ctrl and Alt on most keyboards. The left arrow key is in the bottom right section.
Snapping a Window to the Right
You can also snap a window to the right with a similar shortcut:
**Windows key + Right arrow**
Snapping one window left and another right lets you quickly view two windows side-by-side.
How to Use Snapping Effectively
Here are some tips to use the window snapping shortcuts effectively:
– Snap related windows to compare content side-by-side. For example, snap a web browser and document window left and right to view both simultaneously.
– Consider snapping windows instead of having many loose windows cluttering the desktop. Keep things organized.
– You can drag windows back and forth after snapping to adjust the width ratio if needed.
– Snap dialog boxes off to the side so you can view the content behind them.
– Snap a frequently used app like email or chat to one side for quick access while working in another window.
– Double press the shortcut to unsnap a window. The window will return to its previous size and position.
– Use the top/bottom snapping shortcuts to split the screen vertically too.
– Try snapping up to four windows in a grid layout to work across multiple at once.
Top Snapping Shortcut
Windows key + Up arrow maximizes the window to the top half of the monitor.
Bottom Snapping Shortcut
Windows key + Down arrow maximizes the window to the bottom half of the screen.
Example Scenarios
Here are some example scenarios where snapping windows left and right can help:
– **Writing Articles:** Snap your word processor left and web browser right to view research while writing.
– **Coding:** View your code editor on one side and the live preview on the other.
– **Comparing Documents:** Snap two Word docs side-by-side to compare differences.
– **Watching Video Tutorials:** Snap the tutorial video left and your app window right to follow along.
– **Reading Email:** Keep your email inbox snapped to the side for quick access.
– **Data Entry:** Entry form on one side, database/spreadsheet on the other.
Customizing Snap Layouts
You can customize the window snap areas in Windows Settings:
1. Open Settings and go to System > Multitasking.
2. Under “Snap windows,” click the dropdown to choose which layout zones you want.
3. The zones include:
– Corner zones for snapping to quadrants
– Show windows stacked on top of each other
– Show windows side-by-side on left and right
4. Disable any zones you do not want to use.
5. Close Settings when finished customizing the snap layouts.
Now when you use the window snapping shortcuts, it will follow your customized zones.
Resizing Snapped Windows
After snapping a window in place, you can adjust its width if needed:
– Hover over the edge between the two snapped windows.
– When the resize icon appears, drag left or right to adjust sizing.
– Release dragging when the size ratio you want is set.
This allows you to fine-tune the widths of any snapped windows.
Snapping on Multiple Monitors
The window snapping shortcuts work across multiple monitors too:
– The shortcuts will snap the window based on the monitor it’s currently on.
– You can snap up to two windows per display.
– Use the shortcuts to easily manage many windows across a multi-screen setup.
With large or multiple monitors, snapping keeps everything neatly organized.
Tips for Multi-Monitor Snapping
Here are some tips for snapping windows across multiple displays:
– Snap windows with related tasks onto the same monitor.
– Use one screen mainly for your primary work, snapping secondary windows to the other display.
– Take advantage of more screen space by spreading windows out over both monitors.
– Make sure the window you want to snap is selected and active before using the shortcuts.
– The shortcuts only apply to the monitor the window is currently on.
Other Snapping Methods
In addition to the keyboard shortcuts, there are a few other ways to snap windows:
– **Drag and snap** – Drag a window by the title bar to the edge of the screen until snapping indicators appear, then release.
– **Tablet mode** – In tablet mode, dragging a window to the edge will snap it automatically.
– **Windows shake** – Hold down the mouse on the title bar and shake the window quickly left/right to snap.
– **Win + Z shortcut** – Enters a zoomed-out layout to choose snap positions with the mouse.
However, using the dedicated keyboard shortcuts is the fastest way to snap in most cases.
Customizing Other Window Management Shortcuts
Along with snapping shortcuts, you can customize other keyboard shortcuts for window management in Settings:
1. Open Settings > System > Multitasking.
2. Under “Keyboard shortcuts,” click the shortcut you want to change.
3. Press the new key combination you want to assign.
4. Click Apply when finished customizing a shortcut.
For example, you could change Maximize window from Win + Up to a different key. Set shortcuts that feel natural for your workflow.
Common Window Management Shortcuts
Here are some other common shortcuts you can customize:
– Maximize window
– Minimize window
– Restore window
– New desktop
– Switch desktops
– Open Task view
Many of these shortcuts utilize the Windows key, Ctrl, and Alt. Assign key combinations you can easily perform.
Conclusion
Snapping windows with keyboard shortcuts is a very useful Windows skill that every PC user should know. Specifically, **Windows key + Left arrow** instantly snaps a window to the left side of your screen. This allows you to efficiently view and work across two windows side-by-side.
Some key takeaways:
– Snapping keeps windows organized and streamlines multi-tasking.
– Use the left/right shortcuts to view two windows simultaneously.
– Top and bottom snapping also available.
– Customize snap layouts to your preference.
– Resize snapped windows by dragging the edge after positioning.
– Applies across dual monitors and multiple displays.
With just a simple two-key shortcut, you have more power to manage your desktop windows exactly as needed. Keep the Windows key + Left arrow combo in mind whenever you want to snap a window over to the left side of your screen.