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If Windows 11 keeps showing a “sorting” or “arrangement” UI when you move or maximize a window, you’re usually seeing Snap layouts (the grid that appears near the top of the screen or when hovering the maximize button) and related Snap Assist suggestions. These features are part of Windows 11’s Multitasking settings and can be turned off entirely or tuned so the overlay stops appearing while basic snapping still works.
What the “window sorting” feature usually is
Windows 11 includes several related features that can feel like “automatic sorting”:
- Snap layouts: a layout chooser that appears when you hover over a window’s maximize button, press Win + Z, or drag a window toward the top of the screen.
- Snap Assist suggestions: prompts that appear after you snap one window, suggesting what to snap next.
- Edge/corner snapping: dragging a window to the left/right edge or corners to fill half/quarter of the screen.
Windows 11 settings labels can vary slightly by version and update channel. If your screen looks a little different, search Settings for “Multitasking” or “Snap windows” and you should land on the same controls.
Quick fix: turn off Snap windows
This is the simplest way to stop most snapping overlays and suggestions.
- Open Settings (press Win + I).
- Go to System → Multitasking.
- Find Snap windows and toggle it Off.
What you give up: turning this off generally disables most snapping conveniences (layouts, suggestions, and quick snapping behaviors). If you still like snapping windows but hate the “pop-up sorter,” use the fine-tuning options below instead.
Fine-tune: keep snapping but remove the pop-ups
Windows 11 lets you keep core snapping while disabling the most annoying prompts. In the same place (Settings → System → Multitasking), expand Snap windows to see sub-options. The exact wording can differ, but the intent is consistent.
| What you want | What to change | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Stop the maximize-button layout grid | Turn off the option like “Show snap layouts when I hover over a window’s maximize button” | The maximize hover menu won’t appear, but other snapping may remain |
| Stop the top-of-screen “drop zone” UI | Turn off the option like “Show snap layouts when I drag a window to the top of my screen” | No layout overlay when you drag toward the top edge |
| Stop suggestions after snapping | Turn off the option like “When I snap a window, show what I can snap next to it” | No follow-up recommendations panel |
| Keep snapping but reduce automation | Disable auto-resize/auto-fill options (wording varies) | Snapping stays, but Windows interferes less |
If your complaint is specifically “Windows keeps trying to reorganize my windows,” the most effective combination is usually: leave Snap windows on but turn off the layout overlays and suggestions.
Keyboard and mouse behaviors that can trigger it
Even after you tune settings, it helps to know what actions summon the UI:
- Win + Z opens Snap layouts (if enabled).
- Dragging a window to the top edge may open a layout selector (if enabled).
- Hovering over maximize may show layout choices (if enabled).
- Dragging to left/right edges snaps a window (depending on Snap settings).
If your goal is “no overlays,” disable the options related to hover and top-of-screen layouts first.
Advanced options: policy and registry notes
For managed PCs (work/school) or when Settings toggles don’t “stick,” administrators sometimes control snapping behavior via policy. The exact method depends on your Windows edition and organizational rules.
Practical guidance:
- On managed devices, your organization may enforce multitasking defaults. In that case, Settings might revert after a restart or update.
- On Home edition, you typically rely on Settings options; on editions with policy tools, admins may use Group Policy or MDM policies.
- Registry edits can exist for snapping behaviors, but they vary by version and are easy to misapply. If you go this route, treat it as an “advanced” change and document what you modify so you can revert it later.
If the feature is only mildly annoying, prefer the built-in toggles in Settings. They’re less likely to break after updates and easier to undo.
If it still shows up: troubleshooting checklist
- Restart after changing Snap settings (some UI behaviors update immediately, but a restart removes edge cases).
- Double-check that you changed the correct profile if you use multiple Windows accounts.
- Look for “snap,” “multitasking,” and “layouts” in Settings search to ensure you found the right panel.
- If an overlay appears even when Snap windows is off, consider whether a third-party window manager tool is running (tiling utilities can mimic snapping overlays).
- Make sure Windows is updated; behavior and option names can shift across feature updates.
Official references
If you want Microsoft’s terminology and a map of the available toggles, these pages are useful:
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