Turn Off/On Window Snap

Written by Eric Wyatt (last updated October 19, 2020)

Windows 8 introduced users to Snap, or Snap behavior. Snap allows for your windows to be organized on your screen, via either mouse, keyboard, or the Snap Assist feature, and have them "snap" to certain areas of your screen. This can be and was designed to be a help to users who want to display the content of their screen in a certain way.

While Snap can be helpful, at times it can be a bit annoying, such as when you specifically do not want the window to "snap" to a predefined size or position. This is the case with a Windows user who wrote that they were trying to position some windows and it would automatically snap to full screen because they had moved a window too close to the top edge. (This caused Windows, in an attempt to help, to assume that they wanted to snap the window to that size.) To turn Windows Snap behavior off, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Windows key and type (without quotes) "multitasking settings", then press Enter. This opens the Multitasking section of the Settings dialog box.
  2. Click on the switch under the "Snap Windows" heading. This turns off the Snap feature. (See Figure 1.)

    3. Figure 1. The Multitasking section of system settings.

  3. Close the Settings dialog box. Your change takes place immediately; no need to restart or anything.

Those simple steps allow you to turn the Snap windows setting on or off. You may find times that you do prefer to have the Snap setting turned on. If you repeat the steps above, in step 2 simply turn the setting back on.

 This tip (13791) applies to Windows 10.

Author Bio

Eric Wyatt

Eric Wyatt is a swell guy (or so his friends tell him). He is a formally trained designer and branding expert, bringing a wide range of skills to his Tips.Net articles. ...

MORE FROM ERIC

Ransomware Defense

Ransomware attacks can cause your system and data to become inaccessible. These dangerous and potentially costly attacks ...

Discover More

Displaying Seconds in the System Tray Clock

Time is more than hours and minutes. How do you get the taskbar clock to show seconds?

Discover More

Adjusting Your Monitor's Refresh Rate

Does your screen's motion appear choppy or less than smooth? You can improve the smoothness of motion on your screen by ...

Discover More
More WindowsTips

Quickly Deactivate Apps that Impact Startup

Windows will load apps at startup, which can impact performance. Quickly deactivate startup items that can affect the ...

Discover More

Changing How the Power Button Behaves

When you shut down your system, you normally use the Power button that is visible after you click the Start button. You ...

Discover More

A More Private Start Menu

If your computer is accessed by multiple people, you may be concerned about privacy. One area where you might want a bit ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is nine minus 1?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

Newest Tips
Links and Sharing
OUR COMPANY
OUR PRODUCTS
OUR SITES
 

Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.