A thing I love: Windows 7 Snap

Windows Snap If you’ve seen the TV ad you’ll no doubt already know about the invaluable ‘Snap’ feature in Windows 7 that helps you arrange windows by simply dragging them to the edge of the screen. Once you’ve used this feature, you never want to go back. I accidentally discovered a new twist on Windows Snap today: if you double click on the top or bottom border of a floating window, Windows 7 will instantly stretch that windows to the top and bottom of the screen without changing its horizontal position. Neat!

There are plenty more ways to use Windows Snap in a, er, snap, including these keyboard shortcuts:

Windows Key + Up: Maximise Current Window
Windows Key + Down: Restore Down / Minimise Current Window
Windows Key + Left: Tile Current Window to the Left
Windows Key + Right: Tile Current Windows to the Right (and continue pressing the Left and Right keys to rotate the window’s position around your screen)

The other impossible-to-live-without feature of Windows Snap is the new ability to ‘tear’ a maximised window from its locked position and drag it anywhere you like. No more faffing about having to ‘restore down’ a windows then drag it; just grab the top bar of a maximised windows and rip it away!

Oh, and I can’t ignore Snap’s little sister, Shake, the Windows 7 feature that everyone loves but few people remember to use. Give it a wiggle!