Microsoft has continuously made changes to the Windows 10 to make it more multitask friendly and enhance productivity. If you are a Windows user, you know that you can open multiple app windows at the same time for working on multiple apps simultaneously.
To manage these apps’ windows, Microsoft had introduced some keyboard shortcuts in Windows 7. These keyboard shortcuts were never officially available for Windows 10, but they work well in it too.
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This post will list out all those hidden keyboard tricks for managing the app window in Windows 10.
Hidden Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for App Window Management
| Action | Keys Combination |
| Resize App Window |   |
| Maximize the Window |  |
| Restore the Window |  |
| Minimize the Normal Window | |
| Minimize the Maximized Window |  |
| Minimize all Windows except the Top one |  |
| Cascade the Window |  |
| Uncascade the Window |  |
| Stack the Window |  |
| Iterate Through Taskbar Thumbnails |  |
| Shift Window to the adjacent Monitor |  |
| Bring back Window from the adjacent monitor |  |
| Navigate Through Multiple Desktops and App Windows |  |
| Change the keyboard language |  |
Aero Snap for Side by Side Windows
Though Microsoft discontinued aero from Windows 8 onwards, one of its features, Aero Snap, is still available for Windows 10 and 8. The Snap lets you resize your current app window in half and place it on either side. This makes room for opening another app window on the other half.
To use the Aero Snap, press and hold the Windows Key and press the right or left arrow key as per your preference.
You can also perform this action using the mouse by clicking the app window title bar and dragging it to either side.
Maximize, Minimize, and Restore App Window using Keyboard
If you find it irritating to use the mouse repeatedly for maximizing, minimizing, and restoring any app window, then your keyboard is there for your rescue. You can simply conduct all those operations without touching the mouse.
- For maximizing the window, press the Windows key plus the up arrow key.
- To restore the maximize window, press the Windows key plus the down arrow key.
- To minimize the original window, press the Windows key plus the down arrow. For minimizing the maximized window, press the Windows key plus the down arrow keys twice.
Minimize All Windows except the Top
If you less distraction to complete your current task, you can minimize all the other opened windows right from your keyboard.
Press Windows key plus Home key to minimize all the app windows except the top one on which you are working.
You can perform this task by Aero Shaking too. Left-click and hold the title bar of the app window you are working on, then shake it around other opened app windows to minimize them.
Cascade, Stack, and Side by Side App Windows
This one is not a hidden option but quite an underused one. Cascading, Stacking, or keeping the app windows side by side can be great while working on multiple apps. You can efficiently perform these actions by right-clicking on the task manager and selecting your preference from the list.
However, there are also keyboard shortcuts for that.
- Cascading can be performed by right-clicking on the taskbar and pressing the D key. To un-cascade, right-click on the taskbar and press the U key.
- App windows can be stacked by right-clicking the Windows taskbar and pressing the E key.
- To keep the app windows side by side, use the Windows key plus right/left arrow keys
.
Iterate through Your Taskbar Icons
You can cycle through the icons of the Windows taskbar to open them using your keyboard.
Press and hold the Windows key, and then one by one, press the T key to navigate through the Windows taskbar thumbnails. Once you reach the app icon which you want to launch, press the space bar.
Change the Keyboard Language
To change the keyboard language right from your keyboard, press and hold the Windows key and then push the space bar to select your preferred language.
Shift your current Window to the Next Monitor
If you work on multiple monitors, you can use your keyboard to shift your current app window to the adjacent monitor.
- Press Windows key + Shift key + Right Arrow key to move your current app window to another monitor.
- Press Windows key + Shift key + Left Arrow key for bringing back the window to the previous monitor.
Navigate Through Multiple Desktops and App Windows
You can navigate through all the virtual desktops and the apps you are working on through the keyboard. Press the Windows key plus the Tab. Now either use the mouse or use the arrow keys to navigate through multiple desktops and opened apps.
Bottom Line
The keyboard shortcuts are the real treasure for any Windows user, especially when the mouse is troubling them. They help in maintaining the workflow, efficiency, and productivity while multitasking. The app windows can be easily managed using the keyboard shortcuts provided in this post, with minimal mouse use.
Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.
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