Since Windows 7, Microsoft has offered a handy feature for re-sizing windows: snap and resize to the left or right side and top or bottom side of the screen or maximize by dragging and dropping. Windows 10 continues that tradition but improves the feature by letting you arrange up to four windows at the same time as well as display and open or close any window from a thumbnail view.

Let's say you have two windows on the screen, one in the foreground and one in the background, and you want to view them both fully at the same time.

Drag one window by the title bar to the left or right side of the screen until you see a transparent outline or boundary. Release the window, and it snaps to the side you chose, taking up exactly half the screen (below, left). The other window shrinks into a large thumbnail (right).

Snap the second window to the other side by clicking anywhere on it; it will take up the other half of the screen, and the two windows will appear side by side.

If you want to temporarily maximize the window on the left to see it full screen, grab it by the title bar and drag it to the top of the screen until it fills up all of your available screen real estate.

To arrange the same window so both windows are again side by side, drag the window by the title bar and move it back to the left side of the screen until you see the transparent outline. Release the window, and both windows again appear side by side.

Arrange 4 Windows

This maneuver is easier using keyboard shortcuts than using your mouse. Click on the window on left side and press Win Key + Up Arrow Key. The window appears in the upper-left corner.

Click on the window on the right side and press Win Key + Down Arrow Key. The new window appears in the lower-right corner.

Open a third app window and press Win Key + Right Arrow Key. Make sure the window is still selected and then press Win Key + Up Arrow Key. The new window appears in the upper-right corner.

Open a fourth window. Press Win Key + Left Arrow Key and then Win Key + Down Arrow Key. All four windows now appear at the same time in their own corner.

Play With the Size and Position

Click on the window in the upper-right corner. Press Win Key + Down Arrow Key so the window takes up the full right side of the screen. Press Win Key + Down Arrow Key again so the window takes up the lower right portion of the screen.

Press Win Key + Down Arrow Key so the window is minimized and no longer appears on the screen.

Drag and drop the window in the top left corner to the right side until it takes up half of the screen. You'll see the minimized window appear as a large thumbnail. Click on the X button to close it.

Select the window in the lower-left corner and press the Win Key + Up Arrow Key to display it side by side with the window on the right.