Snap Assist is a window management feature in Windows 11. When you drag a window to the edge of the screen to snap it into place (or hover over the maximize button), Snap Assist automatically displays thumbnails of all your other open applications in the remaining empty space, prompting you to choose one to fill the gap. While highly productive for power users with large monitors, Snap Assist can be frustrating on smaller laptop screens where it constantly interrupts workflow, or for users who prefer strict manual control over their window placement without the operating system constantly suggesting layouts.
This guide explains how to completely disable the Snap Assist feature system-wide using the Group Policy Editor in Windows 11, returning window snapping to its basic, unassisted behavior.
Disable Snap Assist via Group Policy
To enforce a strict block that disables the algorithmic UI suggestions when snapping a window, we must deploy an administrative template. Note that this requires Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education editions.
- Log into Windows 11 with an Administrator account.
- Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
- Type
gpedit.mscand press Enter to launch the Local Group Policy Editor. - In the left-hand navigation pane, strictly follow this exact path:
User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop - In the right-hand pane, locate the policy named Turn off Snap Assist.
- Double-click the policy to open its configuration window.
- Select the radio button next to Enabled. (Note: Enabling this policy successfully turns the feature off).
- Click Apply, then click OK.
Verify the UI Behavior
To enforce the change immediately across the system, open an elevated Command Prompt and execute gpupdate /force. Note that because this is a User Configuration policy, it applies to the user sessions on that machine. A restart of explorer.exe or a quick log off/log on may be required for the window manager to fully adopt the change.
To verify the restriction is active, open any application (like Notepad) and drag its title bar aggressively to the left edge of your screen until it snaps to fill exactly half the monitor. Instead of presenting a grid of your other open applications on the right side of the screen, the right side will remain exactly as it was, showing your desktop or whatever window happened to be there. You have successfully disabled the automated layout suggestions, restoring absolute manual control over your desktop environment.