Window and Snap Layout Registry Locations in Windows

This article outlines the exact Windows Registry (Regedit) paths used by Windows to record user-specific window arrangements, Aero Snap configurations, and Snap Assist layout behaviors. It details the specific keys under the user profile hive that control docking, sizing, multi-window snapping preferences, and persistent window coordinates.

1. Snap Assist and Window Management Preferences

The core operational settings for Aero Snap and Snap Assist features are stored on a per-user basis under two main keys:

**HKEY_CURRENT_USERPanel*

This path contains low-level desktop window manager values that dictate how windows interact with screen edges: * WindowArrangementActive (String / REG_SZ): Set to 1 to enable window snapping; 0 disables Aero Snap entirely. * SnapSizing (String / REG_SZ): Controls whether dragging a window to the top edge maximizes the window. * DockMoving (String / REG_SZ): Determines whether dragging a window away from a snapped position automatically unsnaps/restores it.

**HKEY_CURRENT_USER*

Windows 10 and Windows 11 store modern Snap Assist, Snap Layouts, and Snap Group options under this key using standard DWORD (32-bit) values: * SnapAssist: 1 (Enabled) or 0 (Disabled). Controls whether the system displays available open windows to fill remaining empty space after snapping. * JointResize: Enables or disables adjacent resizing when two snapped windows share an edge. * EnableSnapBar: Controls the drop-down snap bar menu in Windows 11 when hovering over the maximize button or dragging a window to the top. * EnableSnapGroup: Controls the display of snap groups in the taskbar when hovering over an app that is part of a snap layout.

2. Saved Window Positions and Explorer Arrangements

Individual window coordinates, bounds, and layout states (such as normal, minimized, or maximized) for File Explorer and shell components are stored in binary format within the Shell Bags cache:

Within these paths, the subkeys numbered under Bags store binary streams containing the exact pixel coordinates, monitor affinity, and state history for individual File Explorer windows.

3. Application-Specific Window Positions

Non-system applications manage window geometry independently: * Standard Win32 applications store persistent coordinates inside their own application-specific keys located in: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\<Developer>\<Application> * UWP (Universal Windows Platform) and modern packaged applications store their layout states in their local app data repositories rather than a single unified registry key.