How to move a window with a keyboard

While you can easily move windows on your computer screen using a mouse, not many users know that you can do it with a keyboard. Many know how to switch from one window to another using keyboard shortcuts, but there are also shortcuts for moving windows. You can do this if your mouse is not working properly or just out of curiosity.

We will cover methods for moving windows using the keyboard on Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu. Read on for details.

Move window with the keyboard on a Mac

Macs didn’t have a real way to move windows until macOS Catalina. In the past, the only way was to tile the windows, making two windows side by side. Catalina’s new motion option allows users to replicate previous Windows motion motions.

Today, users can set custom keyboard shortcuts to move windows without using the mouse. Here are the steps.

1. Go to System Preferences on your Mac.
   
2. Find “Keyboard” and “Shortcuts.”
   
3. Click “Application Shortcuts.”
   
4. Select the plus sign to add new shortcuts.
   
5. Choose “All Apps.”
   
6. You will see “Move window to left side of screen” and “Move window to right side of screen”.
   
7. Add new shortcuts for both options.

You can only move windows this way if they are not maximized, as there is no space on the screen to move a maximized window. Unfortunately, Mac window management is not as good as what Windows offers. However, you can use a third-party application called mother.

1. Download and install Moom.
   
2. Click “Keyboard.”
   
3. Set the shortcut to move the window.
4. Save your settings and test.

Moom also has shortcuts to send windows from one screen to another or even switch from half screen to full screen. The default command to move a window within a screen is Option + Left or Right key. You can switch to a different shortcut if it interferes with other functions on your Mac.

Move window with keyboard in Windows 11

As with Mac, Windows 11 users can move windows incrementally with keyboard presses. However, this is an inherent feature that is already enabled. You don’t need to download any app or make any new settings to take advantage of it.

Here’s how to do this.

1. Right click on a window that is not maximized.
   
2. Click on the “Move” option.
   
3. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to start moving the window.
   
4. Press Enter to stop moving the window.
   

The above steps can be done even without the mouse.

1. Press Alt + Tab to switch between windows.
   
2. Press Alt + Space and open the menu.
   
3. After pressing M, use the arrow keys to move the window to where you want.
   
4. To end window movement mode, press Enter.
   

Here’s an explanation of what each shortcut here does.

Alt + Tab is the shortcut that many people use to quickly switch from one window to another. You’re probably familiar with it.

Alt + Space is the command that opens the window menu for any currently active program in Windows. To enable the ability to move it with the arrow keys, press M after (M being the first letter of the word “Move”).

The arrow keys can be used to select or move objects in the direction of the key you select.

There is also a way to place windows in one of the four quarters of the screen.

While holding down the Windows key, you can press the arrow keys and move a small window to the corners. It even works on multiple monitors and can send a window from the corner of one monitor to the adjacent room of another monitor.

For example, here’s how to use the steps above.

1. Make sure a window is not maximized.
   
2. Hold down the Windows key and press a directional arrow.
   
3. Press in another direction to send the window to a corner.
   
4. If you have another screen, you can press left or right to send the window to the nearest corner.
5. Release the keys if you want to stop.

The shortcut to move windows between screens is Windows Key + Shift + Left or Right Key. It is instant and does not require a restored window.

Move window with keyboard in Windows 10

Windows 10 users can use the same method above to move windows using just a keyboard. The shortcuts are also identical.

1. Right click on any window that you have not maximized.
   
2. Select “Move.”
   
3. Press the arrow keys to move the window in any of four directions.
   
4. Press Enter to stop moving the window.
   

For the keyboard-only version, follow these steps.

1. Switch to a window using Alt + Tab if necessary.
   
2. Open the menu with Alt + Space.
   
3. Press M and use the arrow keys to move the window.
   
4. To stop it, press Enter.
   

You can also move windows from corner to corner with the Windows key + arrow keys. The same commands can also minimize or maximize windows, so you need to take the position of the window into account to get the proper placement.

1. Minimize a window.
   
2. Hold down the Windows key and move the window to a corner using the arrow keys.
   
3. Release the keys when you want to stop moving the window.

While not as precise, this method is great if you want to send windows into a corner right away.

Users can also send windows to other screens using Windows key + Shift + arrow key.

Move window with keyboard in Ubuntu

Ubuntu users can rejoice because there is also a way to move windows with just the keyboard on your system. The shortcut is Alt + F7.

1. Select a window in Ubuntu or use Alt + Tab to switch applications.
   
2. Press Alt + F7.
   
3. Use the arrow keys to move the window.
   
4. Press Enter to stop moving windows.
   

The process is remarkably similar to using Windows.

Additional FAQs

Can you move a window off the screen?

Windows only allows you to move active windows, so you need to press Alt + Tab to find the window you want to move. Once you do, you can move it using the mouse or keyboard. This is also possible on Ubuntu and macOS, as using the Alt + Tab keys is a staple on many operating systems.

How do you reset the position of a window?

Just right-click on any Windows window and select “Restore.” Alternatively, press Alt + Space to open the menu and then R if you only want to use the keyboard. Restores your window to the original size before maximizing or minimizing it.

Most applications allow you to resize windows manually, and restoring will allow you to quickly return to the most recent window size. The new settings are saved.

What does “Cascading Windows” do?

This feature allows users to stack windows in front of each other. To avoid inaccessible windows, all new windows move slightly to the right to show you how many are currently cascading. You can quickly gather all the windows together this way.

Keyboard manipulation

Keyboards are not only useful for typing, they are also an alternative for moving windows if the mouse fails. Knowing these shortcuts and commands will also help you control your computer quickly. You won’t regret memorizing them as they may come in handy.