Summary
I use Snap Layouts regularly because they organize my open windows so well. Even so, they fall short when I need to find a specific window that didn’t fit in my layout or keep an app always visible.
Also, having to arrange my apps in their usual places wastes more time than I like. Good thing I found four PowerToys features that do more than Snap Layouts, and one even puts my app windows back where I left them.
Window Hopper
See all the open windows of one app
Window Hopper is a useful tool when you need to find a specific window of an app without juggling other apps’ windows. For example, if you have several Chrome windows open and only want to focus on one, select a Chrome window and press the default Alt + backtick shortcut or one you’ve customized.
You should see a horizontal row of previews showing all the windows you have open for that app. Navigate through them, and when you let go of the keys, the selected window will come up. In my case, I added a custom Win + Alt + L shortcut, so I held Win + Alt and tapped L to open the window I wanted.
It only works if you have at least two separate windows of the same app open, not browser tabs.
To try it, open PowerToys Settings, search for Window Hopper, and choose Enable Window Hopper from the results. Then turn on the highlighted toggle. Once it’s on, you can customize the keyboard shortcuts and choose a combination you can easily remember.
Always On Top
The most important window stays in view
If you keep switching back to the same app, Always On Top saves you the hassle of bringing its window forward every time. Say you’re jotting down ideas in Word, but you also need to check notes in Notepad and look something up in your browser. You can pin Notepad so your notes stay visible while you switch between the other apps.
That’s especially useful on a laptop, where every inch of screen space counts. You can make Notepad smaller and move it to a corner, where it stays visible even when you maximize another app. PowerToys can also add a colored border around the pinned window and play a chime so you know it’s pinned. To try it, enable Always On Top in PowerToys settings, select the window you want to pin, and press Win + Ctrl + T. Press the same shortcut again to unpin it.
If you don’t want to use the keyboard shortcut, enable Show Always on Top in the title bar context menu in PowerToys settings. Then right-click a window’s title bar to pin or unpin it.
Workspaces
You can stop opening apps one by one
If you use the same apps every day, Workspaces can open them and place their windows where you want, so you don’t have to set everything up again. For example, if your morning routine is to open Chrome on one side of your screen and Slack on the other, you can launch your saved workspace and get right to work instead of opening both apps and moving their windows into place.
You can create one workspace for work and another for your personal projects. Each workspace can have its own name, so you can easily find the one you need. You can go back and edit a workspace at any time. Workspaces goes beyond Snap Layouts, which only let you arrange windows you’ve already opened.
If you want to try it, enable Workspaces in PowerToys and press Win + Ctrl + backtick to open the editor. Click Create workspace, arrange your apps, and select Capture. Give your new workspace a name and save it.
When you save a workspace, create a desktop shortcut so you can open it without the editor.
FancyZones
Arrange your windows the way you want
With FancyZones, you can choose from ready-made layouts or, even better, create your own. Turn on “Move newly created windows to the last known zone,” and when you reopen those apps, their windows return to the zones you left them in. This helps you multitask by saving you time. You don’t have to drag and resize every window again, so it takes less effort.
I’ve created a few custom layouts, including one I named MakeUseOf. It has three columns, with a wider middle section for the window I use most. I can use a different layout on each of my two monitors, depending on what I’m working on.
To try it yourself, enable FancyZones in PowerToys settings and press Win + Shift + backtick to open the layout editor. Select your monitor, choose a template, or click Create new layout to make your own. Then hold Shift while dragging a window to reveal the zones and drop it where you want.
Snap Layouts cover the basics, but PowerToys does the rest
I still use Snap Layouts when I just need to arrange a few windows. They’re good at that. But they don’t help when I need to find a buried window or keep my notes visible while working. That’s when I switch to PowerToys. You don’t have to use all four options at once, either. I’d start with the one that helps you the most.
Microsoft PowerToys
- OS
- Windows 10, 11
- Price model
- Free