How to move an off-screen window back into view using the keyboard in Windows
Multi monitor setups are great, but sometimes they can be really annoying, like when a window is stuck to an invisible second screen. Fortunately, there’s a quick fix.
I’m a desktop space nerd and I don’t hide it. My setup changes, evolves every few years.
Now I’m at two 32-inch screens and I can finally see there’s a limit to how much desktop space you really need. No, I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer.
The thing is, not everybody agrees with me that the biggest productivity hack is to use more than one monitor.
And that’s OK. Some people don’t have the physical desk space, some people only work on the go, while others just don’t work that much with their computers.
This means not a lot of people as a percentage use two or more monitors. The implication is that software developers don’t tend to code for the few. They code for the masses, and niche use cases are either ignored, or not implemented and tested properly.
You can see that even in Mac OS when you use multiple monitors. And that’s the Mac OS who everyone agrees it’s a much more polished experience than Windows. Everyone but me that is.
One of the most common issues I’ve found is that sometimes, when you remove one monitor, or just change the monitor layout, some open windows remain off screen. It happens because the operating system fails to adjust their position on the still connected screens.
It happens to me quite a lot when I’m constantly connecting my laptop, then disconnecting the monitors when I have to go. It’s quite easy to reproduce this with some programs, like Sumatra PDF reader.
It’s frustrating because there isn’t an intuitive way to bring back that window into view, without connecting the monitor again, or closing the app from the right-click menu, or by restarting Windows. That’s hardly convenient.
The simple solution to move the window back on screen
If you’re on Windows or Windows 11, you can use the Windows Snap feature, which lets you arrange windows easily using the keyboard or the mouse.
By the way, Snap got a major upgrade in Windows 11, but for this trick you don’t need that.
Are you ready?
First, select the window you want to move by clicking its name/icon on the taskbar.
Now just press Win + Left/Right or Up arrow keys. This forces the app to move to the left, the right side of the screen or maximize on the current monitor, thus bringing the app window back into view.
Simple, efficient and works with any application. You can see that in action in the short clip below.
It was possible before Windows 10, but it was more complicated. I won’t bother you with the details, but you can read all about that method if you’re still on Windows 8 or older.
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