Aero Snap - Turn On or Off

How to Turn Aero Snap and Aero Shake On or Off in Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to turn Aero Snap and Aero Shake feature on or off in Windows 7.

• Dragging a window by the title bar to the left and right edge of the screen will fill that half the screen with that window when the mouse pointer reaches the edge of the screen. Dragging the window down a bit will restore the window back to how it was before.
• Placing the mouse pointer on the top or bottom border of a window until the mouse pointer turns into an up-down double arrow and left click and hold, then drag the top or bottom window border to the top or bottom edge of the screen. This will fill the top and bottom of the screen within the left and right borders of the window. Dragging the window down a bit, or double clicking in the window's title bar, will restore the window back to how it was before.
• Dragging a window by the title bar to the top edge of the screen will maximize the window to fill the desktop when the mouse pointer reaches the top edge of the screen. Dragging the window down a bit, or double clicking in the window's title bar, will restore the window back to how it was before.

   Note

Aero Snap is turned on by default in Windows 7 if your system meets the Aero requirements below.

   Warning

Aero Requirements to be Enabled in Windows 7



NOTE: While Aero Snap works in all available themes in Windows 7, if your system does need to meet the requirements for Aero for Aero Snap to be supported, then Aero Snap will not work even when turned on.

• Aero is not included in Windows 7 Home Basic or Windows 7 Starter editions.
• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• A graphics card with support for DirectX 9 graphics with at least 128 MB of memory.
• The graphics card must support Pixel Shader 2.0 and the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM).
• The computer display color depth must be set to 32 bits per pixel.
• Desktop composition needs to be enabled (checked) in Visual Effects.
• The Desktop Window Manager Session Manager and Themes Services need to be set as Started and Automatic.
• Refresh or update your WEI score. You will need an WEI score minimum of 2.0 in both Graphics & Gaming graphics in order for Aero to be activated.

EXAMPLE: Aero Snap to Fill a Screen Side with a Window




EXAMPLE: Aero Snap to Maximize a Window

OPTION ONE

Through the Ease Of Access Center

1. Open the Control Panel (All Items view), and click on the Ease of Access Center icon.

2. Click on either the Make the mouse easier to use, Make the Keyboard Easier To Use, or Make it easier to focus on tasks link. (See screenshot below)

3. To Turn On Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Uncheck the Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edged of the screen box. (See screenshots below step 5)

B) Go to step 5.
4. To Turn Off Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Check the Prevent windows from being automatically arranged when moved to the edged of the screen box. (See screenshots below step 5)
5. Click on OK. (See screenshots below)






6. Close the Ease of Access Center window. (See screenshot below step 2)

OPTION TWO

Using a REG File Download

1. To Enable Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Enabled_Aero_Snap.reg

Download


B) Go to step 3.
2. To Disable Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Click on the Download button below to download the file below.
Disabled_Aero_Snap.reg

Download


3. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

4. Right click on the downloaded .reg file, and click on Merge.

5. Click on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK when prompted.

6. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.

7. When done, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.

OPTION THREE

Manually in Registry Editor

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search boxand press Enter. (See screenshot below)

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop

4. In the right pane, right click on WindowArrangementActive, click on Modify, and do step 5 or 6 below. (See screenshot above)

5. To Enable Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Type in 1, click on OK, and go to step 7 below. (See screenshot below step 6A)
6. To Disable Aero Snap and Aero Shake
A) Type in 0 (number), click on OK, and go to step 7 below. (See screenshot below)

7. In the right pane, right click on DockMoving, click on Modify, and repeat step 5 or 6 above. (see screenshot below step 3)

8. Close regedit.

9. Log off and log on, or restart the computer.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Use Aero Snap to Snap a Window to Fill a Screen Side in Windows 7
• How to Use Aero Snap to Maximize and Restore Down a Window in Windows 7
• How to Clear the Desktop with Aero Shake in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Turn Aero Peek On or Off in Windows 7
• How to Enable Aero in Unsupported Editions of Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Aero Shake in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[horeen]

Thanks, Brink

 

[Robert II]

Only trick is...

The steps described above will indeed turn Aero Snap on and off.

Trick is, despite the really precise name for the tick box ...

"Prevent windows from being automatically arranged
when moved to the edge of the screen"

.... that same tick box actually also inhibits Aero Shake.

The name of the registry key is right: it doesn't just control Aero Snap, it controls both Aero Snap *and* Aero Shake.

So, a tick box with a fourteen-word label that actually does something quite different at the same time.

Nice one, guys...

Robert.

 

[skopske]

Some of Aero Snap Facilities does not work!

Thaks alot for all of these information about aero snap.
my problem has started after I used a program, called FixWin.
I had troubleshooted aero with control panel. All aero was death on my computer.
But still I have one minnor bug on this issue. when I drag any window with my mouse and brought on the corner. actualy it must show the option resize or maximize my window on the corner or on the top. It realy does not work. you can thing aero snap could be disabled. but I had checked everthing on registry as you teached. Everything looks alright. Also, all other aero actions are working properly.
and for example, i can move a window from the maximized size holding with mouse and dragging anywhere as I want with resized original size of window.
I am Realy waiting for your response...

 

[Litium]

I had the same problem with FixWin. I clicked on Fix Aero Shake (since it wasnt working for me) and then Snap stopped working (and Shake didnt worked either).

Anyone can help? I really was a havey user of snap.

 

[Brink]

Hello Skopske and Litium,

You might see if doing a system restore using a restore point dated before you installed FixWin may help. If not, then you can do a repair install.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[skopske]

Aero Snap

use troubleshoot and fix the aero option....
but I can not be sure it would work properly or not.
restore point is such a thing I never use in my life.
'cos of vista I had all the time closed this option. That is why I don't have chance to restore my system...

 

[Litium]

Nah, Snap it's not worth the repair installation. I mean, i had lots of data now.

Also, the WIN + arrow keys work fine, they move them full, left, rigth etc. When i resize a window only vetically, snap does works and snaps the windows to full resolution height. But it does not works when taking them to the edges.

 

[Brink]

Lithium,

You can also use this as a workaround.

Show Windows Stacked or Side by Side - Create Shortcuts - Vista Forums

 

[skopske]

Aero Trouble

I have exactly same problem...

 

[Coolness]

Hi, the tutorial says, that if you dont have aero on, it will not work. However, this poster http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/54012-happening-anyone-else.html
Says it will anyway. Whos right? And if he is, please fix it. Its confusing. =)

 

[Jonathan_King]

Hi, the tutorial says, that if you dont have aero on, it will not work. However, this poster http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/54012-happening-anyone-else.html
Says it will anyway. Whos right? And if he is, please fix it. Its confusing. =)

The poster in that link could be wrong about not having Aero on.

 

[Coolness]

Hi, the tutorial says, that if you dont have aero on, it will not work. However, this poster http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/54012-happening-anyone-else.html
Says it will anyway. Whos right? And if he is, please fix it. Its confusing. =)

The poster in that link could be wrong about not having Aero on.

Sure. But im just asking Brink, Maby test it out?

 

[Brink]

Hello Coolness,

You do not have to have a Aero theme selected for Aero Snap to work, but your system does need to meet the requirements for Aero for it to be supported. I updated the tutorial to help clarify this better though.

While Aero Snap works in all available themes in Windows 7, if your system does need to meet the requirements for Aero for Aero Snap to be supported, then Aero Snap will not work even when turned on.

 

[Coolness]

Hello Coolness,

You do not have to have a Aero theme selected for Aero Snap to work, but your system does need to meet the requirements for Aero for it to be supported. I updated the tutorial to help clarify this better though.

While Aero Snap works in all available themes in Windows 7, if your system does need to meet the requirements for Aero for Aero Snap to be supported, then Aero Snap will not work even when turned on.

Thanks! A lot better now. Hope you didnt mind my tone, english isnt my native, so i couldnt pick another set of works to describe the issue.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Coolness. I didn't notice any tone at all.

 

[apb]

Can the maximize feature be turned off without turning off the vertical stretch feature? I.e., I do not want the window to be maximized when I drag the title bar across the [e.g. vertical] boundary, but I DO want the window to be stretched to its maximal height when I drag the sizing margin across the [e.g. vertical] boundary. Seems like the two are all or none, but maybe not?

 

[Brink]

Hello apb,

Not that I'm aware of. It's an all or none setting.

 

[jonnyhotchkiss]

HOW TO - turn off snaptoedge (only disable drag)

The steps described above will indeed turn Aero Snap on and off.

Trick is, despite the really precise name for the tick box ...

"Prevent windows from being automatically arranged
when moved to the edge of the screen"

.... that same tick box actually also inhibits Aero Shake.

The name of the registry key is right: it doesn't just control Aero Snap, it controls both Aero Snap *and* Aero Shake.

So, a tick box with a fourteen-word label that actually does something quite different at the same time.

Nice one, guys...

Robert.

A few people I think are in the same boat as me, and seeing as Robert's message is one of the few I understand I'll quote this one.

I fixed this previously, and forgot how, just googling to try and find the forum I shared my solution in... nada grrr. BUT, I think I've spotted 'it', if you want to be able to use winkey+arrow to move, and especially shift+winkey+arrow to shift window to other monitor, but don't want stupid snapping every time you're manually dragging a window...

Booted back into build with working combo described ^^, WindowArrangementActive is 1 but the annoyance is not present, luckily I've just noticed (will post back with sad news after reboot if I'm palm and egg faced wrong...) surely this must be it, re nomenclature...

Setting HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\DockMoving to 0 will... well, guess.

This doesn't disable the shake... which I'm considering also turning off (unless I can reclaim winkey&d for something more useful)

 

[catalogue]

So Windows doesn't actually use the word "Aero" at all in reference to the functions that somehow have the name Aero Snap, correct? - likewise I think for other things like animations and transparency. i.e. there may be a theme called Aero but the settings controlling the snap functions use terms such as "desktop composition" and not the word "Aero", which doesn't appear in Control Panel or anywhere else in the OS in this context -? I'm asking because when you search in Control Panel for "Aero" the only results are (1) desktop themes and (2) an Aero troubleshooter.

 

[Brink]

So Windows doesn't actually use the word "Aero" at all in reference to the functions that somehow have the name Aero Snap, correct? - likewise I think for other things like animations and transparency. i.e. there may be a theme called Aero but the settings controlling the snap functions use terms such as "desktop composition" and not the word "Aero", which doesn't appear in Control Panel or anywhere else in the OS in this context -? I'm asking because when you search in Control Panel for "Aero" the only results are (1) desktop themes and (2) an Aero troubleshooter.

The "Aero Snap" feature will not be referenced by that by any specific setting. Instead, it's part of the "Aero" interface.

This below is about the only reference left I can find for "Aero Snap" in Windows 7.

Windows Aero - Wikipedia

Funny enough, it's just called "Snap" now in Windows 10.