How to Configure Snap Assist in Windows 11

Windows 11 includes advanced multitasking tools, most notably Snap Assist, which allows you to quickly arrange open windows into organized layouts on your screen. This article provides a straightforward guide on how to enable, disable, and customize individual Snap Assist settings within Windows 11 to optimize your multitasking workflow.

How to Access Snap Assist Settings

1. Open the Start Menu and click on Settings (or press the keyboard shortcut Windows Key + I).
2. In the left sidebar, ensure System is selected.
3. Scroll down the right pane and click on Multitasking.

Enabling and Customizing Snap Assist

At the top of the Multitasking menu, you will find the Snap windows option.

• To Enable or Disable: Toggle the switch next to Snap windows to On or Off.
• To Configure Specific Behaviors: Click the drop-down arrow next to the Snap windows toggle to view and modify individual preferences.

You can check or uncheck the following options based on your preferences:

• When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it: Displays available open windows to fill the remaining screen space after snapping a window.
• Show snap layouts when I hover over a window’s maximize button: Displays layout grids when hovering your mouse cursor over the maximize button of any window.
• Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen: Pulls down a layout menu at the top of the display when dragging a window upward.
• Show my snapped windows when I hover over taskbar apps, in Task View, and when I press Alt+Tab: Groups snapped windows together so you can switch back to the entire layout simultaneously.
• When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging all the way to the screen edge: Allows snapping zones to activate slightly before reaching the physical edge of the display.

Helpful Keyboard Shortcuts for Snap Assist

• Windows Key + Z: Opens the Snap Layouts menu on the active window.
• Windows Key + Left/Right Arrow: Snaps the active window to the left or right half of the screen.
• Windows Key + Up/Down Arrow: Snaps the window to quadrants or maximizes/minimizes it.