How to save windows position on Windows 10
Anyone that has to sit at a computer to work for a small or extended time period will normally use two or more apps. In rare cases, a browser may be all you need to get work done but in others, users often end up switching between many different apps.
When it comes to app management, Windows 10 has the useful snapping feature that allows users to snap two windows side-by-side on any screen but you have to set it up yourself everytime.
Windows 10 has variations of how windows can be snapped e.g. you can snap four different windows to each quarter of the screen but it will never remember your windows arrangement.
Save windows position on Windows 10
To save your windows position in whatever layout you’ve set up, you need to use a third-party app. We recommend SmartWindows. It allows users to save windows positions as profiles. A profile can be ‘restored’ and it will restore the layout of your windows.
- Download and install SmartWindows.
- Run the app.
- Arrange your windows the way you like them to be set up when you’re working.
- Right-click the SmartWindows icon in the system tray and select Create Profile.
- Give the profile a name and it will be saved. DO NOT interact with the PC until the profile has been saved.
- To restore a profile, open all the apps that were arranged on the screen in that profile.
- Right-click the SmartWindows app icon in the system tray and select Restore profile.
- Select the profile you want to restore.
- Restoring takes a little time so be patient.
Limitations
SmartWindows isn’t an app launcher. If an app that is part of a profile you’re restoring isn’t open, SmartWindows will not open it for you and then arrange it on the screen.
SmartWindows has a free, and a paid version. The paid version is subscription-based at $19.99 per year. While it’s not much, paying that amount every year may not be worth it.
The free version gives you a 30 day free trial of all premium features.
The free version will only work on one monitor. If you want to save and restore window positions for apps across multiple profiles, you’re going to have to use the premium version.
The free version is also limited to 3 profiles.
Conclusion
Windows has always had better window arrangement features. Its ‘snapping’ feature is one that is loved even by Mac users but this feature hasn’t been improved on much. You may be able to find free or one-time purchase alternatives for SmartWindows but if you need something that works reliably on multiple monitors, this tool might be one of the few options that are available.
