The Multitasking Interruption
Windows 11 features an excellent window management tool called Snap. If you drag a web browser to the extreme right edge of your screen, the operating system instantly resizes it to take up exactly half the monitor. However, Windows immediately follows this up with a highly intrusive feature called “Snap Assist.” The moment the browser snaps into place, the other half of your screen fills with massive thumbnails of every other application you have open, demanding that you choose a program to fill the empty space. If you simply wanted to move the browser out of the way to look at your desktop wallpaper, this forced multitasking pop-up is incredibly annoying. You must disable the assistant.
How to Turn Off Snap Assist
You can disable the aggressive suggestion thumbnails without breaking the core window snapping functionality.
- Click the Start Menu and type Settings, or press the Windows Key + I.
- In the left-hand sidebar, click on System.
- In the main window, click on Multitasking.
- Ensure the master toggle switch labeled Snap windows is turned On. (If you turn this off, snapping breaks entirely).
- Click the small downward-facing arrow next to the switch to expand the advanced options.
- Look for the specific checkbox labeled “When I snap a window, suggest what I can snap next to it.”
- Click the checkbox to completely remove the checkmark.
The Clean Snap
The change is immediate. Grab a window and slam it into the right edge of your monitor. The window will snap perfectly into place, taking up 50% of the screen. However, the other half of your monitor will remain completely untouched. Microsoft will no longer forcefully pop up a grid of thumbnails, allowing you to manage your desktop space exactly the way you want.