Solved: How do I fix Windows 11 Snap Layouts missing or not working problem?

Table of Contents

Problem Symptom
Content Summary
Potential Causes
Pre-check
Solution 1: Disable then Enable Snap Layouts
Solution 2: Use keyboard shortcuts
Solution 3: Enable Snap Layouts using Registry Editor
Solution 4: Enable the traditional window title bar in Mozilla Firefox
Solution 5: Enable the Use Native Window setting in Vivaldi browser
Solution 6: Download and install the latest Windows update
Reference

Problem Symptom

Windows 11 users reported being unable to access the predefined Windows Snap Layouts window either not appearing or missing after hovering the mouse cursor over the maximize button in an open window.

Solved: How do I fix Windows 11 Snap Layouts missing or not working problem?

This article outlines some effective workaround to fix the Snap Layouts not working problem in Windows 11. Follow the below solution steps to resolve the windows 11 Snap Layouts not working issue.

Content Summary

Potential Causes
Pre-check
Solution 1: Disable then Enable Snap Layouts
Solution 2: Use keyboard shortcuts
Solution 3: Enable Snap Layouts using Registry Editor
Solution 4: Enable the traditional window title bar in Mozilla Firefox
Solution 5: Enable to use native window in Vivaldi browser
Solution 6: Download and install the latest Windows update
Reference

Potential Causes

Windows 11’s Snap Layouts windows not appearing or missing may be due to several reasons:

Snap Layouts feature being disabled.
Mismatched registry value in the background.
Faulty background service.
Incompatible hardware requirement.
PC monitor or laptop display not fulfill system requirements to use Windows 11 Snap Layouts function such as the screen resolution less than the required 720p.
Third-party apps which manage layout on the Windows such as PowerToys, Divvy, AquaSnap, MaxTo, Display Fusion, etc. cause background interference.
The title bar on Firefox is not compatible with Snap Layouts due to the containers to manage window sizes failed to respond to the sudden layout change.
Some apps such as Spotify and iTunes use their own custom control box to manage window size within Windows 11 which may not compatible with Snap Layouts by design.

Pre-check

Restart the Windows
Make sure your device meets the minimum hardware requirement to install windows 11 such as Secure Boot and TPM 2.0.
Make sure you are using a monitor with full HD or a laptop with displays full HD (1080p) resolution
If this problem only happens to specific software or app, make sure you download and install the latest update.
Remove any third-party apps which manage layout on Windows.

Solution 1: Disable then Enable Snap Layouts

Snap Layouts option is enabled By default on the new installed or upgrade Windows, but a program or an update could have turned it off unintentionally. Follow the steps below to disable then enable back the Snap Layouts settings.

Step 1: Press the Window + I key together to open the Settings app.

Step 2: Click the System on the left sidebar.

Step 3: Scroll down and click on the Multitasking tab in the left pane.

Step 4: Make sure the Snap windows option is toggled On. You can try to toggle it Off and then On again.

Step 5: Click to expand the Snap windows settings to further customize the Snap Layouts settings.

Step 6: There are various options to enable or disable the Snap Layouts feature, we recommended checking the following options for the default Snap Layouts experience.

When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it
Show Snap Layouts when I hover over a window’s maximize button
Show Snap Layouts that the app is part of when I hover over the taskbar buttons
When I drag a window, let me snap it without dragging it all the way to the screen edge

You can also check to enable all if you need.

Step 8: Restart the Windows.

Step 9: Open the default browser and hover over the maximize button to check whether the predefined Windows Snap Layouts will display.

Solution 2: Use keyboard shortcuts

Note: Recommended to try this in one of the default apps or Microsoft Edge or Skitch to ensure that you are using a compatible app.

If the predefined Windows Snap Layouts window does not appear after hovering the mouse cursor over the maximize button, you can try to use Windows + Z keyboard shortcuts to open the Snap Layout options.

Alternatively, you can press the Windows key together with the arrow direction keys (Up, Down, Right, or Left direction) to snap the active window in the direction of the arrow key you’re pressing.

Solution 3: Enable Snap Layouts using Registry Editor

Note: As the Windows registry is an integral part of the Windows operating system, do follow the steps carefully and create a backup of registry files before proceeding the modification.

Step 1: Type regedit in the Search box on the taskbar.

Step 2: Select the Registry Editor in the App results, then select Yes if prompted by User Account Control.

Step 3: Locate and select the following registry folder:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

$Locate and select the following registry folder: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced$

Step 4: Double-click the DWORD key EnableSnapAssistFlyout in the right-hand pane.

If EnableSnapAssistFlyout registry key doesn’t exist, right-click and select the New option from the context menu. Select the DWORD (32-bit) value. Enter EnableSnapAssistFlyout as the name and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Step 5: Set the value from 0 to 1.

Step 6: Click on the OK button to save the change.

Step 7: Restart the Windows for the changes to take effect.

Step 8: Open the default browser and hover over the maximize button to check whether the predefined Windows Snap Layouts will display.

Solution 4: Enable the traditional window title bar in Mozilla Firefox

Step 1: Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.

Step 2: Click on the three lines under the right side of the title bar to display the menu.

Step 3: Click on the Help option.

Step 4: Click on the About Firefox option in the Firefox Help menu to check for updates automatically.

Step 5: Right-click on the toolbar, and click on the Customize toolbar … option from the context menu.

Step 6: Check the Title bar check box in the Customize Firefox window. You’ll notice that the traditional title bar appears immediately.

Step 7: Click on the Done button.

Step 8: Restart the Mozilla Firefox browser, and hover over the maximize button to check whether the predefined Windows Snap Layouts will display.

Solution 5: Enable the Use Native Window setting in Vivaldi browser

If the Snap Layouts problem only happens on the Vivaldi browser, you can enable the Use Native Window setting to integrate Vivaldi with Windows’s user interface.

Step 1: Open the Vivaldi browser.

Step 2: Go to Settings > Appearance > Window Appearance.

Step 3: Check for the Use Native Window option.