You should be using FancyZones, Microsoft's killer multitasking app | PCWorld.Microsoft PowerToys | Microsoft Docs
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PowerToys FancyZones utility for Windows | Microsoft DocsFancyzones windows 10.www.makeuseof.com
FancyZones lets you drag and drop windows into customizable split-screen views so you can multitask more effectively. Just hold Shift while dragging a window, and you can instantly snap it to a pre-defined portion of the screen.
While FancyZones has been around since , when Microsoft first revived the PowerToys concept , I initially dismissed it as being too burdensome to set up. Only in recent weeks have I realized how powerful FancyZones can be once you get to know it.
On top is Hourglass , my favorite simple timer app, and at the bottom is an excellent ambient noise app called Ambie. This setup has been a boon for productivity. While I write, I can launch a focus timer that stays in view, and I and can quickly switch between background sounds or turn them off as needed.
Even the improved Snap function in Windows 11 would require a lot of fiddling to achieve this layout. FancyZones, however, lets me arrange all three windows in about three seconds.
To snap an app into one of the pre-defined zones, hold Shift while dragging a window. A few translucent panels should appear on the screen while you drag, and you can snap the window by dropping it over any panel. Now comes the fun part. You can only have one active layout at a time, so click on the one you want to assign to the Shift key. Give your layout a name, then choose between Grid which arranges windows in a tile view or Canvas which lets you snap free-floating windows into custom sizes.
This can be useful if you want to quickly resize a free-floating window to a preset size. You can even have multiple window size presets as part of the same layout. Although FancyZones only lets you have one active layout at a time, you can use keyboard shortcuts to juggle multiple layouts. One last thing: If you have multiple monitors, each one can have its own layout. Just click your monitor at the top of the Layout Editor, then choose the layout you want to assign.
FancyZones only clicked for me when I started using it to leave miniature apps up on the screen. But you can also use FancyZones in all kinds of other ways. You might, for instance, give yourself a dashboard for multiple messaging apps, or use it as a quick resize tool for floating windows. With a little experimentation, FancyZones could change the way you work as well.
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