A window is out of reach, stuck on the wrong screen, or simply in your way. Keyboard shortcuts let you move it freely, snap it into place, or send it to another display. Start with Windows 11 below, or jump to the Mac, iPad, and Chromebook instructions.
Move a Windows window with the arrow keys
Press Alt+Tab to activate the window you want to move, then press Alt+Space to open its system menu. If the window is maximized, choose Restore first. Press Alt+Space again if you restored the window.
Use the arrow keys to select Move, then press Enter. In an English system menu, M selects Move. Next, use the arrow keys to reposition the window, then press Enter to finish. Tip: This also works for an off-screen window that still accepts keyboard focus.
Snap a Windows window into place
Activate the window you want to arrange. Press Windows+Left or Windows+Right to snap it to that side of the screen. Snapping changes both its position and size.
For a corner, keep holding Windows after pressing Left or Right, then press Up or Down. Release Windows when the window is positioned.
For the top half, press Windows+Alt+Up. For the bottom half, press Windows+Alt+Down.
Press Windows+Z to open Snap Layouts. Choose a layout and window position from the displayed interface. Available layouts depend on display space and app compatibility.
Send a window to another monitor or desktop
Use these shortcuts when the window belongs on another screen or virtual desktop. Those are separate moves, with different shortcuts.
Activate the window you want to transfer. For another monitor, press Windows+Shift+Left or Windows+Shift+Right to move it to the display in that direction.
For another virtual desktop, press Windows+Tab to open Task View. Another desktop must be available as the destination. Use the keyboard to navigate to the window’s thumbnail, then press Shift+F10 to open its context menu.
Choose Move to. Select the destination desktop.
Restore a Windows window that will not move
A maximized window needs to be restored before the standard Move command works. Press Alt+Space to open the system menu, then choose Restore. Press Alt+Space to reopen the menu.
Select Move and press Enter. Reposition the window with the arrow keys, then press Enter to finish. For an off-screen window, use Alt+Tab to activate it before starting this sequence.
If snapping is the problem, open Settings > System > Multitasking. Turn on Snap windows, then retry the snapping shortcut. Apps that restrict movement or do not support snapping will not respond to the corresponding commands.
Arrange windows on a Mac
Activate the window you want to reposition. Native tiling is available in macOS Sequoia 15, Tahoe 26, and macOS 27, with compatible windows and a keyboard that provides Fn or Globe input.
Press Fn+Control+Left, Right, Up, or Down to place the window in the corresponding half of the desktop. For a centered position, press Fn+Control+C. To fill the desktop, press Fn+Control+F. To return a tiled window to its previous size, press Fn+Control+R.
For layouts without a default shortcut, press Control+F2, or Fn+Control+F2, to focus the menu bar. Use the arrow keys and Return to reach Window > Move & Resize. This route requires an app that exposes those commands.
Select a half, quarter, or arrangement. Tip: Press Fn+Control+Shift+an arrow to arrange two compatible windows in opposite halves, with the active window in the indicated half.
Enable window tiling on an iPad
Without a windowing mode enabled, your iPad is not set up for window-tiling shortcuts. On a compatible iPad running iPadOS 26 or later, open Settings > Multitasking & Gestures. Select Windowed Apps.
For iPadOS 27 tiling shortcuts, use an external keyboard with Globe input. Press Control+Globe+an arrow to tile the active window into that half of the screen. Press Control+Globe+Shift+an arrow to arrange the active window and your most recently used window in opposite halves. Press Globe+F to enter or exit full screen.
Shift Chromebook windows between screens and desks
Activate the window you want to move. These shortcuts assume a standard US English QWERTY keyboard. Press Alt+[ to snap it left, or Alt+] to snap it right. With a vertical window layout, those shortcuts place it at the top or bottom instead.
To send the active window to another connected screen, press Search+Alt+M or Launcher+Alt+M. For an adjacent desk, press Shift+Search+[ or Shift+Search+]. Launcher can replace Search in these combinations.
To check or customize a window shortcut, open the Shortcuts app. Select Windows and desks to find the assigned combination. Select Edit for an editable action. Locked shortcuts cannot be changed.
Choose Add shortcut, then press and release your chosen modifier-plus-key combination. Select Done. If your custom shortcut fails, try selecting Restore defaults for that action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Alt+Tab move a window?
No. Alt+Tab changes which window has focus; it does not change the window’s position. Command+Tab on a Mac also changes focus rather than moving a window.
Can I move a Mac window freely instead of tiling it?
Yes. With VoiceOver enabled, navigate to the window and press VO+grave accent. Use the arrow keys to move it. Press Escape or Fn+Tab to finish. VO means Control+Option or Caps Lock by default.
Do browser windows need their own movement shortcuts?
Browser windows generally use the host operating system’s movement commands. Use the keyboard methods above for your operating system.
How do I move a window with the keyboard on Linux?
On GNOME with default shortcuts, focus the window and press Alt+F7. Move it with the arrow keys. Press Enter to accept or Escape to restore its original position. Xfce also uses Alt+F7 for movement and Escape to cancel. Linux distributions can override these defaults.