Use ALT to move windows in Windows like in Linux

In most Linux window managers, one can use the Alt key while clicking and dragging to rearrange windows. This is one of my favorite features of Linux window managers.

Is there a way to do this in Windows 7?

Solution 1:

Get AltMove - it does exactly that and a lot more.

AltMove screenshot

AltMove is freeware and portable.

Solution 2:

Win-X-Move

This program makes window manipulation (moving/resizing) under MS-Windows, much easier. You can now move and resize by alt-dragging on any point of the window with the left and right mouse button respectively, as it's done on most X11 window managers.

http://winxmove.sourceforge.net/

With the app running, you can move windows simply by left clicking anywhere within them while holding down the Alt key on your keyboard. To resize windows, you hold down the Alt and Ctrl key while right clicking anywhere in the window and moving the mouse pointer in the direction you want the window to be resized.

Win-X-Move: Move Or Resize App Windows By Clicking Anywhere Within Them

AltDrag

AltDrag gives you the ability to move and resize windows in a new way. After starting AltDrag, you can simply hold down the Alt key and then click and drag any window.

This behavior already exists in Linux and other operating systems, and AltDrag was made with the mission to copy that behavior to the Windows platform, and then to further expand it with new intuitive functionality.

https://stefansundin.github.io/altdrag/

It's much more configurable and has more features than the previous one: snap windows, change transparency, change volume, multi-monitor support...

The original AltDrag (linked above) now seems largely abandoned. However, this fork is still actively maintained and updated.

Update: The above AltDrag fork has been renamed to AltSnap

Both the above applications are portable and just need to download, extract then run

Solution 3:

Use this autohotkey script:

works PERFECTLY on windows 10
easy to install
can be compiled into a standalone app

source: https://autohotkey.com/docs/scripts/EasyWindowDrag_(KDE).htm

; Easy Window Dragging -- KDE style (requires XP/2k/NT) -- by Jonny
; http://www.autohotkey.com
; This script makes it much easier to move or resize a window: 1) Hold down
; the ALT key and LEFT-click anywhere inside a window to drag it to a new
; location; 2) Hold down ALT and RIGHT-click-drag anywhere inside a window
; to easily resize it; 3) Press ALT twice, but before releasing it the second
; time, left-click to minimize the window under the mouse cursor, right-click
; to maximize it, or middle-click to close it.

; This script was inspired by and built on many like it
; in the forum. Thanks go out to ck, thinkstorm, Chris,
; and aurelian for a job well done.

; Change history:
; November 07, 2006: Optimized resizing code in !RButton, courtesy of bluedawn.
; February 05, 2006: Fixed double-alt (the ~Alt hotkey) to work with latest versions of AHK.

; The Double-Alt modifier is activated by pressing
; Alt twice, much like a double-click. Hold the second
; press down until you click.
;
; The shortcuts:
;  Alt + Left Button  : Drag to move a window.
;  Alt + Right Button : Drag to resize a window.
;  Double-Alt + Left Button   : Minimize a window.
;  Double-Alt + Right Button  : Maximize/Restore a window.
;  Double-Alt + Middle Button : Close a window.
;
; You can optionally release Alt after the first
; click rather than holding it down the whole time.

If (A_AhkVersion < "1.0.39.00")
{
    MsgBox,20,,This script may not work properly with your version of AutoHotkey. Continue?
    IfMsgBox,No
    ExitApp
}


; This is the setting that runs smoothest on my
; system. Depending on your video card and cpu
; power, you may want to raise or lower this value.
SetWinDelay,2

CoordMode,Mouse
return

!LButton::
If DoubleAlt
{
    MouseGetPos,,,KDE_id
    ; This message is mostly equivalent to WinMinimize,
    ; but it avoids a bug with PSPad.
    PostMessage,0x112,0xf020,,,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    DoubleAlt := false
    return
}
; Get the initial mouse position and window id, and
; abort if the window is maximized.
MouseGetPos,KDE_X1,KDE_Y1,KDE_id
WinGet,KDE_Win,MinMax,ahk_id %KDE_id%
If KDE_Win
    return
; Get the initial window position.
WinGetPos,KDE_WinX1,KDE_WinY1,,,ahk_id %KDE_id%
Loop
{
    GetKeyState,KDE_Button,LButton,P ; Break if button has been released.
    If KDE_Button = U
        break
    MouseGetPos,KDE_X2,KDE_Y2 ; Get the current mouse position.
    KDE_X2 -= KDE_X1 ; Obtain an offset from the initial mouse position.
    KDE_Y2 -= KDE_Y1
    KDE_WinX2 := (KDE_WinX1 + KDE_X2) ; Apply this offset to the window position.
    KDE_WinY2 := (KDE_WinY1 + KDE_Y2)
    WinMove,ahk_id %KDE_id%,,%KDE_WinX2%,%KDE_WinY2% ; Move the window to the new position.
}
return

!RButton::
If DoubleAlt
{
    MouseGetPos,,,KDE_id
    ; Toggle between maximized and restored state.
    WinGet,KDE_Win,MinMax,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    If KDE_Win
        WinRestore,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    Else
        WinMaximize,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    DoubleAlt := false
    return
}
; Get the initial mouse position and window id, and
; abort if the window is maximized.
MouseGetPos,KDE_X1,KDE_Y1,KDE_id
WinGet,KDE_Win,MinMax,ahk_id %KDE_id%
If KDE_Win
    return
; Get the initial window position and size.
WinGetPos,KDE_WinX1,KDE_WinY1,KDE_WinW,KDE_WinH,ahk_id %KDE_id%
; Define the window region the mouse is currently in.
; The four regions are Up and Left, Up and Right, Down and Left, Down and Right.
If (KDE_X1 < KDE_WinX1 + KDE_WinW / 2)
    KDE_WinLeft := 1
Else
    KDE_WinLeft := -1
If (KDE_Y1 < KDE_WinY1 + KDE_WinH / 2)
    KDE_WinUp := 1
Else
    KDE_WinUp := -1
Loop
{
    GetKeyState,KDE_Button,RButton,P ; Break if button has been released.
    If KDE_Button = U
        break
    MouseGetPos,KDE_X2,KDE_Y2 ; Get the current mouse position.
    ; Get the current window position and size.
    WinGetPos,KDE_WinX1,KDE_WinY1,KDE_WinW,KDE_WinH,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    KDE_X2 -= KDE_X1 ; Obtain an offset from the initial mouse position.
    KDE_Y2 -= KDE_Y1
    ; Then, act according to the defined region.
    WinMove,ahk_id %KDE_id%,, KDE_WinX1 + (KDE_WinLeft+1)/2*KDE_X2  ; X of resized window
                            , KDE_WinY1 +   (KDE_WinUp+1)/2*KDE_Y2  ; Y of resized window
                            , KDE_WinW  -     KDE_WinLeft  *KDE_X2  ; W of resized window
                            , KDE_WinH  -       KDE_WinUp  *KDE_Y2  ; H of resized window
    KDE_X1 := (KDE_X2 + KDE_X1) ; Reset the initial position for the next iteration.
    KDE_Y1 := (KDE_Y2 + KDE_Y1)
}
return

; "Alt + MButton" may be simpler, but I
; like an extra measure of security for
; an operation like this.
!MButton::
If DoubleAlt
{
    MouseGetPos,,,KDE_id
    WinClose,ahk_id %KDE_id%
    DoubleAlt := false
    return
}
return

; This detects "double-clicks" of the alt key.
~Alt::
DoubleAlt := A_PriorHotkey = "~Alt" AND A_TimeSincePriorHotkey < 400
Sleep 0
KeyWait Alt  ; This prevents the keyboard's auto-repeat feature from interfering.
return