Learn the subtleties of Windows 7 Aero Snap

Aero Snap is the name of a new feature in Windows 7 that allows a simple gesture to anchor the windows on the edges of the screen. This feature is very useful when one wants to put together two windows. But it is also more subtle than it seems with a few gestures undocumented. And the user can also disable it if necessary.

With Windows 7, it has never been easier to reorder his office and the placement of windows. Including through a feature called Aero Snap.

This function has 4 basic gestures:

• Anchoring Left: Just drag the window by moving the mouse over the left edge of the screen. Window will automatically be resized to occupy the left half of the screen.
  
• Anchoring Right: Just drag the window by moving the mouse over the right edge of the screen. Window will automatically be resized to occupy the entire right half of the screen.
  
• Anchoring Top: Just drag the window by moving the mouse over the top edge of the screen. Window will automatically be resized to occupy the entire surface of the screen.
  
• Dis-anchor: When a window is anchored, just slightly move it to resume its size and position before anchoring operation.

In addition to these 4 basic gestures, Aero Snap offers other gestures much less known:

• Anchoring vertical from the top: Double-click the top border of the window (attention not on the bar that contains the name of the window but on the edge of the window when the mouse takes the form of scaling). The window shall extend vertically to cover the entire height of the office without altering its vertical size (very useful with the window of Windows Live Messenger for example).
  
• Anchoring vertical to the bottom: Double-click the bottom border of the window (attention not on the bar that contains the name of the window but on the edge of the window when the mouse takes the form of scaling). The window shall extend vertically to cover the entire height of the office without altering its vertical size (very useful with the window of Windows Live Messenger for example).
  
• Anchorage Quick double screen: The gestures "anchor at the top" has been designed to make using double screen. To place a large window on the second screen, move it just a quick mouse movement by bringing it anywhere on the top edge of the second screen.

Aero Snap functions are more convenient when used with the keyboard:

• [Windows] + [Cursor Right]: Place the active window on the right and the scales at mid-screen
  
• [Windows] + [Left Cursor]: Place the active window on the left and the scales at mid-screen
  
• [Windows] + [Cursor Up]: Place the active window so that it covers the entire area of the screen
  
• [Windows] + [Cursor Down]: Iconified the active window
  
• [Windows] + [Home]: Iconified all windows except the active window

To delete Aero Snap:

You can disable Aero Snap if this self-arrangement of windows too upset your habits:

• Open the Control Panel
• Go to Options Ergonomists
• Click Change the function of your mouse
• Check to Prevent the windows to be rearranged if they are automatically moved to the edge of the screen.
• Click Apply and OK to confirm.

Windows 7 Aero snap feature eliminates some of old problems of Windows. Previous versions of Windows made it awkward to minimize, maximize and size windows on your screen. If you have many windows open, it was also difficult to get a sense of what was in each window so you could pick the right one. This problem has been rectified and solved with Windows 7 Aero Snap.

How to disable Aero Snap Windows 7

• Open the Start menu by pressing [Windows] button
  
• In the search box, enter "REGEDIT" and push [Ctrl] + [Shift] + [Enter]
  
• In the left tree, deploy the key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
  
• In the right pane, double-click the value: WindowArrangementActive
  
• Enter "0" in the field provided and click OK to confirm.
  
• Close REGEDIT and restart the PC.

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Note: To reactivate Aero Snap back in "REGEDIT", change the value of "WindowArrangmentActive" to "1".

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