Tech Tip - Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts for window positioning

These two keyboard shortcuts were totally new in Windows 7. They let you take advantage of Windows 7’s side-by-side window-docking feature. Pressing the Window key and either the Right Arrow or Left Arrow key “docks” the current Window to the side of the screen.  Which side the window moves to corresponds with the direction of the arrow that was pressed.  It’s easiest to just give it a try:

1. Click in a window to make it “active.”  Outlook is a good choice for this example.
2. Hold the Window key and press (and release) the left arrow key.
3. Your Outlook window will become “docked” to the left side of the monitor where it was located.  It will take up exactly half of the screen.

More experimentation:

1.  Press Window-Right Arrow and watch what happens.
2.  Press Window-Right Arrow a few more times and watch what happens.
3.  Press Window-Left Arrow several times and watch what happens.

By now you should be getting a feel for what this feature does.  You can use it to arrange multiple windows (programs) to the edges of your monitors.  This is a great way to position programs side-by-side so that you can work in and compare data – or simply so that you can keep your computer desktop organized!

Craig Rhinehart
Director of Information Technology