One of Windows 11's fancyzones windows 10 advertised features is its upgraded support for window snapping and tiling. Still, even if it's a significant evolution of a pretty helpful feature, it doesn't hold a candle compared to what PowerToys' FancyZones brings to the table. Yes, that means you can have better window snapping and tiling on Windows wijdows without having to upgrade to Microsoft's new and much more demanding operating system.

So, let's see how you can use PowerToys' FancyZones to manage your windows and keep your desktop organized. Despite PowerToys being an official collection of utilities by Microsoft for their own Windows OS, fancyzones windows 10 are neither included in the operating system nor hosted at Microsoft's site. Instead, you will find their official home at GitHub. Fancyzone a visit to that page and read the available documentation to check for any windkws problems or quirks of the latest available version.

At the time of writing, it was 0. Follow the instructions there to download PowerToys, and install them on your computer windkws any other piece of software. Although they are a collection of various utilities, they fanyzones come in a single executable. However, for this guide, we will only use FancyZones. So, after PowerToys is installed, run it, and you will see its icon in the Windows tray.

Note that since the Windows tray only displays a limited number of icons, you might have to expand it to locate PowerToys. Our journey begins by right-clicking on this icon and choosing Settings from the menu that pops up. Although you can start using FancyZones with its default fancyzones windows 10, it becomes even better if you invest some time to customize it to your liking. First, ensure that it's active: choose FancyZones from the list on the left, and check fancyzones windows 10 Enable FancyZones is turned on.

While on this page, scroll down to the Zones windowss and ensure wijdows Hold Shift key to activate zones while dragging is enabled. This way, your windows fancyzonees snap to the zones you'll define in the following steps only when keeping the Shift key pressed. If using more than one monitor, enable Show zones on all monitors while dragging a wndows to have your windows snap to zones on all screens.

If you are using monitors with the same resolution, ratio, DPI scaling, arranged next to each other, you might also want to enable Allow zones to span across monitors.

This way, Windiws will treat all your monitors as one giant desktop, allowing you to define windowws that also span multiple screens. Enable most options under Window behavior to avoid having windows jump around when you close and reopen them, change screen resolutions, or swap zone layouts. Fancyzones windows 10 comes with multiple zone layouts. If you're using more than one monitor, you can even have a different layout active on each.

To enable snap-to-zone support for your monitors, wjndows up to the top of FancyZones' page, and click on Launch layout editor. You will see a new window with enumerated thumbnails for fancyzones windows 10 monitors at its top and previews of the available zone layouts directly underneath. Fancyzones windows 10, your primary monitor should be preselected.

Thus, fancyzones windows 10 enable snapping support on it, you only have to choose one of the zone layouts. If you want to do the opposite, to disable snapping support, you can either choose the Fancyzonds layout template or return to fancyzones windows 10 previous menu and disable FancyZones altogether. Do the same for the rest of your monitors if you have more than one, and remember that you can also choose a different layout for each monitor.

FancyZones proves useful for both multiple monitors and larger ones. However, there are alternatives that could be better suited for that purpose, as we saw in our article on virtual monitor apps to maximize your ultrawide monitor.

Windows 11 puts snap layouts fancyzones windows 10 and facnyzones, and we've already covered how to use snap fancyzones windows 10 in Windows Still, as you'll soon see, FancyZones offers you even more control, since it allows you to create your fanyczones zone layouts.

With a custom layout, you can have your windows snap where you want them instead of relying on what someone else believes fancyzones windows 10 best for you. What's even better is that you can have wnidows many custom zone layouts as you fancuzones and switch between them with a keypress.

To create your first custom zone payout, click on the aptly named Create new layout button at gancyzones bottom right of the window. Give fancyzones windows 10 name to your layout in their new windows that appears, and choose if you prefer a Grid or Canvas setup. FancyZones will show you a window with useful shortcuts that can assist while editing your wjndows, but the process is quite intuitive. When back in FancyZones' layout list, click on the little pencil icon on the top fancyzones windows 10 of its thumbnail to customize your layout further.

From the new window that appears, you can:. Is FancyZones active, with a zone layout enabled on your monitor? Press Shift on your keyboard before or after you start dragging a window around your monitor s. You will see a preview of the available zones, over which you can move your window and "drop it" to have it resized and snapped. Remember fancyzones windows 10 you can select a number for each FancyZones layout as a shortcut? If you have more than one monitor, click first on a spot of your desktop "inside" the monitor where you want to apply the layout.

Although there is no way to arrange your windows according to a layout automatically, FancyZones will try to restore them where fancyzones windows 10 last appeared. The only thing that PowerToys' FancyZones has missing compared to tiling and snapping in Windows 11 is the interactivity: you won't see previews of your layouts when you hover over a windows' maximize button.

Apart from that little nitpick, everything else is better. You have more options, more customizability, more versatility, all thanks to fanvyzones collection of free, open-source tools by Microsoft itself. There goes another reason to upgrade to Windows 11!

Install PowerToys | Microsoft Docs.

The first two Windows 10 PowerToys are now available for preview, but FancyZones requires significant configuration before it can be beneficial.

Microsoft announced in that it would renew the popular and sorely missed tradition of releasing specially developed PowerToys utilities, features, and tools for its Windows 10 fancyzones windows 10 system. A set of PowerToys fancyzones windows 10 been released for each Windows version since. PowerToys for Windows 10 will likely achieve fancyzones windows 10 same level of appreciation among current users as it did so many years ago. Users are consistently looking for ways to get their PCs to work the way they want them to.

As of Septemberthe first two Windows 10 Power Toys are available in preview form: FancyZones and the Windows key shortcut guide. However, FancyZones requires configuration before it can be truly useful. While PowerToys are designed for use fancyzones windows 10 Windows, they traditionally have been available as a download—not as an integral part of the Fancyzones windows 10.

PowerToys for Windows 10 takes a similar, but slightly different approach. This new set of PowerToys will be delivered as a separate application, with each utility or tool available as an add-on module. When the download and installation is complete, double-click the icon on fancyzones windows 10 desktop, taskbar, or start menu, depending on the choices you made during the installation process. FancyZones allows users to set up preconfigured windows on their Windows 10 desktop.

Once configured, users can drag and fancyzones windows 10 applications into a zone without having to resize windows. For example, a user could drag Twitter to a right-hand zone while reserving a larger working zone for other applications. FancyZones eliminates the need to resize windows as you want them for each session start—your preferred configuration is remembered permanently so you can get to work quicker. Once that it is done, fancyzones windows 10 the FancyZones item in fancyzones windows 10 left navigation bar to reveal the full set fancyzones windows 10 configuration settings Figure B.

Going down the page, Zone configuration allows you to pick a zone pattern from one of the pre-configured templates or to create one of your own. Click the Edit Zones button to see a substantial list of available templates Figure C. When you find or create the template you want, click the Apply button.

When editing zone sizes or locations, grab the edges with a click and hold and then move it to your desired location. The experience is similar to the crop function of an image editing app.

When you are satisfied with your choices, give the configuration a name, and fancyzones windows 10 click the Save and Apply button. If you leave this setting off, FancyZones will be active for every Windows movement, which could get frustrating, so leaving this set to On is recommended. Normally, when you use the Windows Key and the left or right arrow, the current application window will move from one half of the screen to the other.

With this configuration set to the On position, those key combinations will move between the windows you have configured with FancyZones. This setting allows you to see what your new layout looks like as you make changes to your FancyZones configuration.

This setting will lock in your FancyZones configuration regardless of display resolution. This setting will be handy for users who switch monitors frequently, say from laptop to monitor and then back again. This setting will allow you to make FancyZones layout changes without having to then rearrange your application locations. The application goes where the zone goes. This is an important setting if you use several desktops across more than one monitor. With this setting, you can designate a certain zone for a specific application regardless of which desktop is on which monitor.

With this FancyZones set to the On position, any new instances of an application created will automatically snap into their last known zone. This setting will help users get their desktop up fancyzones windows 10 running as they like, more quickly.

Turning this setting to the Off position will revert FancyZones to its original editor, which is not as easy to work with for multi-monitor situations. Unless you have a specific fancyzones windows 10 tor it, this setting should remain off.

Click the Save button at the top FancyZones configuration screen when you have finished. You can close out the configuration app, but it will reside in your system tray ready to apply your zone settings when called upon. Figure D shows how you can use FancyZones to do work and keep track fancyzones windows 10 social media at the same time.

TechRepublic Premium content helps you solve your toughest IT issues and jump-start your career or next project. Meta's new front-end, back-end, mobile and database development courses prepare entry-level professionals for development careers in less than eight months. With fancyzones windows 10 many project management software options to choose from, it can seem daunting to find the right one for your projects or company.

IDEs are essential tools for software development. Here is a list of the top IDEs for programming in fancyzones windows 10 Knowing the terminology associated with Web 3. This quick glossary will introduce and explain concepts and terms vital to understanding Web 3.

Customer engagement and retention requires a strategic plan that attempts to measure, quantify and ultimately create a complete satisfying user experience on fancyzones windows 10 an IIoT software assists manufacturers and fancyzones windows 10 industrial operations with configuring, managing and monitoring connected fancyzones windows 10.

A good IoT solution requires capabilities ranging from designing and delivering connected products to collecting and analyzing system data once in the field. Each IIoT use case has its own diverse set of requirements, but there are key capabilities and Figure A FancyZones allows users to set up preconfigured windows on their Windows 10 desktop.

Figure B Zone configuration Going down the page, Fancyzones windows 10 configuration allows you to pick a zone pattern from one of the pre-configured templates or to create one of your own. Figure C When editing zone sizes or locations, grab the edges with a click and hold and then move it to your desired location. Flash zones when the active FancyZones layout changes This setting allows you to see what your new layout looks like as you make changes to your FancyZones configuration.

Keep windows in their zones when the screen fancyzones windows 10 changes This setting will lock in your FancyZones configuration regardless of display resolution. Keep windows in their zones when the active FancyZones layout changes This setting will allow you to make FancyZones layout changes without having to then rearrange your application locations. Keep windows pinned to multiple desktops in the same zone when the active desktop changes This is an important setting if you use several desktops across more than one monitor.

Move newly created windows to their last known zone With this FancyZones set to the On position, any new instances of an application created will automatically snap into their last known zone.

Use new zone editing experience Preview Turning this setting to the Off position will revert FancyZones to its original editor, which is not as easy to work with for multi-monitor situations. You can use any color from the palette. Figure D. Microsoft Weekly Newsletter Be your company's Microsoft insider by reading these Windows and Office tips, tricks, and cheat fancyzones windows 10. Delivered Mondays and Wednesdays.

Sign up today. Your email has been sent. By Mark W. Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, gadgets, finance, accounting, and tech-life for more than 25 years. Most recently, he has been a regular contributor to BreakingModern. Kaelin Your message has been sent. All rights reserved.

PowerToys FancyZones utility for Windows | Microsoft Docs - How to Customize FancyZones

The first two Windows 10 PowerToys are now available for preview, but FancyZones requires significant configuration before it can be beneficial. Microsoft announced in that it would renew the popular and sorely missed tradition of releasing specially fancyzones windows 10 PowerToys utilities, features, and tools for its Fancyzones windows 10 10 operating system. A set of PowerToys has been released for each Windows version since. PowerToys for Windows 10 will likely achieve the same level of appreciation among current users as it did so many years ago.

Users are consistently looking fancyzones windows 10 ways to get their PCs to work the way they want them to. As of September fancyzones windows 10, the first two Windows 10 Power Toys are available in preview form: FancyZones and the Windows key shortcut guide. However, FancyZones requires configuration before it can be truly useful. While PowerToys are designed for tancyzones with Windows, winodws traditionally have been available as a download—not as an integral part fancyzones windows 10 the OS.

PowerToys for Windows 10 takes a similar, but slightly different approach. This new set of PowerToys will be delivered as a separate application, with each utility or tool available as an add-on module. When the download and installation is complete, double-click the icon on your desktop, taskbar, or start menu, depending on the choices you made during the installation process.

FancyZones allows users to set up preconfigured windows on their Windows 10 desktop. Once configured, users can drag and snap applications into a zone without having to resize windows. For cancyzones, a user could drag Twitter to a right-hand zone while reserving a larger working zone for other applications. FancyZones eliminates the need to resize windows as you want them for each session start—your preferred configuration is remembered permanently so you can get to work quicker.

Once fancyzones windows 10 it is done, click the FancyZones item in the left navigation bar to reveal the full set wlndows configuration settings Figure B. Going down the page, Zone configuration allows you to pick a zone pattern from one of the pre-configured templates or to create one of your own.

Click the Edit Zones button to see a substantial list of available templates Figure C. When you find or create the template you want, click the Apply button. When editing zone sizes or locations, grab the edges with a click and hold and then move it to your desired location. The experience is similar to the crop function of an image editing fancyzones windows 10. When you are satisfied with your choices, give fancyzones windows 10 configuration a name, and then click the Save and Apply button.

If you leave this setting off, FancyZones will fancyzones windows 10 active for every Windows movement, which could get frustrating, so winrows this set to On is recommended. Normally, when you use fancyzones windows 10 Windows Key and the left winrows right arrow, the current application window will move from one half of the screen to the other. With this configuration set to the On position, those key combinations will move between the windows you have configured with FancyZones.

Fancyzones windows 10 setting allows fancyzones windows 10 to see what your new layout looks like as fancyzones windows 10 make changes to your FancyZones configuration. This setting will lock fncyzones your FancyZones configuration regardless of display resolution. This setting will windoqs handy for users who switch fancyzones windows 10 frequently, say from laptop to monitor and then back again.

This setting will allow you to make FancyZones layout changes without having to then rearrange your application fancyzones windows 10.

The application goes where the fancyzones windows 10 goes. This is an important setting if you use several desktops across more than one monitor. With this setting, you can designate a faancyzones zone for a specific application regardless of which desktop is windoes which monitor.

With this FancyZones set to the On position, any new instances of an application created will automatically snap into widows last known zone. This setting will help users get their desktop up and running as they like, more quickly.

Turning this setting to the Off position will revert FancyZones to its original editor, which is not as easy to work fancyxones for multi-monitor situations. Unless you have a specific need tor it, this setting should remain off. Click the Save button at the top FancyZones windlws screen when you have finished.

You can close out the configuration app, but it will reside in your system tray ready to apply your zone settings when called upon. Figure D shows how you can use FancyZones to do work and keep track of social media at the same time. Be your company's Microsoft insider by reading these Windows and Office tips, tricks, and cheat sheets.

TechRepublic Premium content helps you solve your windowx IT issues and jump-start your career or next project. Looking for the best payroll software for your small business? Check out our top picks for and read our in-depth analysis.

Next year, cybercriminals will be as busy as ever. Fancyzones windows 10 IT departments ready? The company, which for several years has fanvyzones on a buying spree for best-of-breed products, is integrating platforms to generate synergies for speed, insights and collaboration. Organize fancyzones windows 10 number of different applicants using an ATS to cut down on the amount of unnecessary time spent finding the right candidate.

Whether you are a Microsoft Fancyzonse beginner or an advanced user, you'll benefit from these step-by-step tutorials. This System update policy from TechRepublic Premium provides guidelines for fancyzones windows 10 timely update of operating systems and other software used by the company.

It also offers guidance for devices not connected to a network. In order to maintain a consistent, predictable widnows supportable computing environment it is essential to establish a pre-defined set of software applications for use on workstations, laptops, mobile devices and servers. When employees install random or questionable software on their workstations or devices it can lead to clutter, malware infestations and lengthy support remediation. We may fancyzonew compensated by vendors who appear on this page through methods such as affiliate links or sponsored partnerships.

This may influence how and where their windods appear on our site, but vendors cannot pay to influence the content of fancyzones windows 10 windkws. For more info, visit our Terms of Use page. Figure A FancyZones allows users to set up preconfigured windows on their Fancyzones windows 10 10 desktop. Figure B Fancyzones windows 10 configuration Going widows the page, Zone configuration allows you to pick a zone pattern from one of the pre-configured templates or to create one of your own.

Figure C When editing zone sizes or fancyzones windows 10, grab the edges with a click and hold and then fancyzonnes it to your desired location. Flash zones when the active FancyZones layout changes This setting allows you to wndows what your new layout looks like as you make changes to your FancyZones configuration. Keep windows in their zones when the screen resolution changes This setting will lock in your FancyZones configuration regardless of display resolution.

Keep windows in their zones when the active FancyZones layout changes This fancyzones windows 10 will allow you to make FancyZones layout changes without having to then rearrange your application locations. Keep windows pinned to multiple desktops in the same zone when the active desktop changes This is fancyzones windows 10 important setting if you use several desktops across more than one monitor.

Move newly created windows to their last known zone 01 this FancyZones set to the On position, any new instances of an application created will automatically snap into their last known zone. Use new zone editing experience Preview Turning this setting to the Off position will revert FancyZones to its original editor, which is not as easy to work with for multi-monitor situations.

You can use any color from the palette. Figure D. Microsoft Weekly Newsletter Be your company's Microsoft insider fancyzones windows 10 reading these Windows and Office tips, tricks, and cheat sheets. Delivered Mondays and Wednesdays. Sign up windpws. Your 100 has been sent. By Mark W. Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, gadgets, finance, accounting, and tech-life for more than 25 years. Most recently, he has been a eindows contributor to BreakingModern.

Kaelin Your message has been sent. All rights reserved.

Bring One of Windows 11’s Best Features to Windows 10 With PowerToys FancyZones - Enable FancyZones

Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest winxows, security updates, and technical support. FancyZones is a window manager utility for arranging and snapping windows into efficient layouts to improve the speed of your workflow and restore layouts quickly.

FancyZones allows you to define a set of zone locations to be used as targets for windows on your desktop. When you drag a window into a zone, or enter the associated keyboard shortcut, the window is resized and repositioned to fill that zone. First, drag the window. By default, you will also need to press and hold the Shift key This setting fancyzlnes be disabled via Settings. You'll see the zones appear. As you move fancyzones windows 10 mouse, hovering over a zone will highlight that zone.

If two zones are adjacent, a window can be snapped to the sum of their area rounded to the minimum rectangle that contains both.

When the mouse cursor is near the common edge of two zones, fancyzones windows 10 zones are activated simultaneously, allowing you to fanctzones the window into both zones. You can drag the window until one zone is activated, then press and hold the Control key while dragging fancgzones window to select multiple zones.

However, you must first fncyzones Override Windows Snap to enabled in the FancyZones settings and select Move windows based on: Relative position.

If you have applications that are elevated such as Windows Terminal or Task Fancyzones windows 10 and want them snapped with FancyZones, run PowerToys in administrator mode. Read PowerToys and running as administrator for more information. FancyZones includes an editor to give you more control over your window layouts that can be accessed in the PowerToys Settings dashboard.

Previous to PowerToys v0. This was updated so that fancyzones windows 10 does not conflict with Windows Terminal Fancyzones windows 10 mode shortcut. When first launched, the zones editor presents a list of layouts that can be adjusted by how many windows are on the monitor. Selecting a layout shows a preview of that layout on the monitor. The selected layout is applied automatically.

Double-clicking a layout will apply it and fancyzones windows 10 close the editor. If multiple displays are in use, the editor will detect the available monitors and display them for you to choose between. The chosen wijdows will then be the target of the selected layout. The Show fancyzones windows 10 around zones setting enables you to determine what sort of margin will surround each FancyZone window.

The Space around zones field enables you to set a custom value for the width of the margin. With the Zones Editor open, change the Show space around zones after changing the values to see the new value applied.

The Distance to highlight adjacent zones enables you to set a custom value for the amount of space between zones until they snap together, or before both are highlighted enabling them to merge together.

The zones editor supports creating custom layouts. There are two ways to fancyzones windows 10 custom zone layouts: Grid layout and Canvas layout.

The Grid model starts with a three column grid and allows zones to be created by splitting and merging zones, resizing the gutter between fancyzones windows 10 as desired.

This is a fancyzones windows 10 layout and will resize with different screen sizes. The Canvas model starts with a blank layout and supports adding zones fancyzonws can be dragged and resized similar to windows. Canvas layouts are directly tied to DPI and resolution of the monitor. Canvas layout also has keyboard support for zone editing. A custom layout can be configured to have a user-defined hotkey to quickly apply it to the desired desktop. The hotkey can be set by opening the custom layout's edit menu.

The layout can also be applied by pressing the hotkey when dragging a window. In the demo below, we start with a default template applied to the screen and two custom layouts that we assign hotkeys for. Finally, we apply the second custom layout while dragging a window and snap the window to it. This file can be manually changed to tweak zones, and exported to share layouts across devices. Other json files in the same directory can be modified to alter settings for monitors, layout hotkeys, etc.

Be warned that fancyzones windows 10 these files is not recommended as it may cause other issues with FancyZones functionality. Skip to main content. This browser is no longer supported. Download Microsoft Edge More info. Table of contents Exit focus mode. Table of contents. Note Previous to PowerToys v0. Submit and view feedback for This wibdows This page. View all page feedback. In this article. To change the default hotkey, click on the textbox and fancyzones windows 10 press the desired key combination on your keyboard.

Toggles between auto-snap mode with the Shift key disabling snapping during a drag and winvows snap mode where pressing the Shift key during a drag enables snapping. By fancyzones windows 10, FancyZones shows only the zones available on the current monitor. This feature may have a performance impact when checked. Allow zones to span across monitors all monitors must have the same DPI scaling. Allows to treat all connected monitors as one large screen.

To work correctly, it requires wundows monitors to have the same DPI scaling factor. There might be unexpected effects when using monitors in different orientations. The color of a zone when it is the active drop target during the dragging of a window. Fancyzones windows 10 color of zones when they are not an active drop during the dragging of a window. The percentage of opacity of active and inactive zones. FancyZones will resize and reposition windows into the zones they were previously in after a screen resolution change.

FancyZones will resize and position windows into the new zone layout by maintaining the previous zone number location of each window. Automatically move a newly fancyzones windows 10 window into the last zone location that application was in.

Move newly created windows to the current active monitor [experimental]. When this option is checked, and Move newly created windows to the last known zone is unchecked or the application doesn't have a last known zone, it keeps the application on the current active monitor.

When the zones are activated, the window being dragged is made transparent to improve the fancyzones windows 10 visibility. Checked: it cycles the window through all the zones on all monitors.

Enables hotkeys to quickly changes layouts - see individual fancyzonee settings. Add an application's name, or part of the name, one per line e.