Making window resizing easier

oobleck · 28 Feb 2020

Is there any way to change how close the mouse pointer has to be to a window border in order to resize it? On my system (running version 1909) the pointer has to be within a few pixels of the border in order to get it to turn into the double-ended arrow, which can be kind of difficult at times. How can I make it more forgiving?
Thanks.
-- oobleck

dalchina · 29 Feb 2020

Hi, could I offer an alternative approach which may be of interest?

With this free utility you can press and hold a key of your choice, click and hold somewhere in the target window, and drag to resize the window.

For example, if you click like that near the top left corner and drag, you resize diagonally.
Click near the top and drag, and you resize vertically.

Lots of configuration options and other functions too. Claims to resize some otherwise unsizable windows.

AltMove windows and mouse manager

Smoother in use when dragging than Altdrag. You can change the amount by which each resize occurs to give a smoother experience- lots of options.

There are more such programs, but many tend to be quite old.

Online help from program:
AltMove windows and mouse manager. Using the AltMove.

though with so many settings I'm not sure all are explained.

Here's a much simpler one:
Download Window Manipulator 1.5

Click anywhere in window, then key + mouse buttons offer 4 features:
resize, drag, centre window, restore to as was.

You can choose the keys used.
I think this is implemented in Autohotkey as the key conventions look like the ones that uses.

mngerhold · 29 Feb 2020

see here https://www.howtogeek.com/130138/how-to-change-the-window-border-size-in-windows-8/

I played with the borderwidth setting a lot during the W10 insider program, before release, but gave up as things kept changing (and not for the better). It seems my width is set to -15 and the padded width to -60, which work for me, and may now be the defaults.

dalchina · 29 Feb 2020

Consider using the Aerolite theme if more prominent borders help:

Install Aerolite Theme in Windows 10

Bree · 29 Feb 2020

oobleck said:

Is there any way to change how close the mouse pointer has to be to a window border in order to resize it? On my system (running version 1909) the pointer has to be within a few pixels of the border in order to get it to turn into the double-ended arrow, which can be kind of difficult at times. How can I make it more forgiving?

Did you know you can resize a window from the keyboard without the aid of any third-party apps?

Press Alt+Space then select Size from the menu. The arrow keys can select an edge or corner to move, and pressing them again moves it. An added bonus is that once selected, the mouse can also be used to change the size.

oobleck · 29 Feb 2020

Bree said:

Did you know you can resize a window from the keyboard without the aid of any third-party apps?

Press Alt+Space then select Size from the menu. The arrow keys can select an edge or corner to move, and pressing them again moves it. An added bonus is that once selected, the mouse can also be used to change the size.

Thanks for reminding me of this. I'd used it before when windows came up with the title bar off screen. But it's more intuitive to use the mouse.

-- oobleck

- - - Updated - - -

mngerhold said:

see here https://www.howtogeek.com/130138/how-to-change-the-window-border-size-in-windows-8/

I played with the borderwidth setting a lot during the W10 insider program, before release, but gave up as things kept changing (and not for the better). It seems my width is set to -15 and the padded width to -60, which work for me, and may now be the defaults.

I tried changing those settings, but they only affect the titlebar, not the rest of the borders. -15 and -60 were the default values on my system (version 1909). I guess I'll need to go to a different theme that has real borders.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions; I'll check them out.

-- oobleck

mngerhold · 29 Feb 2020

oobleck said:

I tried changing those settings, but they only affect the titlebar, not the rest of the borders.

Well, the borderwidth has no effect for me (perhaps that's why I gave up), but the padded width does have the effect of increasing the 'active' area outside a window, ie the area within which the mouse pointer changes to the width (or height) double arrow, allowing the edge to be dragged. You do have to log out and in again for this (editing the registry) to have effect, so try again?

margrave55 · 01 Mar 2020

I tried that Alt Move program and I like it.
I changed the settings to remove all of its actions except for the two that I want: move and size.
And I changed the mouse settings on those to use right mouse button instead of left (to reduce commonality with other mouse functions.)
All good.

Pacman23 · 01 Mar 2020

Bree said:

Did you know you can resize a window from the keyboard without the aid of any third-party apps?

Press Alt+Space then select Size from the menu. The arrow keys can select an edge or corner to move, and pressing them again moves it. An added bonus is that once selected, the mouse can also be used to change the size.

Thanks for that, Bree - I was totally unaware of the Alt+Space option to Resize but it's just what I needed!

oobleck · 09 Mar 2020

mngerhold said:

Well, the borderwidth has no effect for me (perhaps that's why I gave up), but the padded width does have the effect of increasing the 'active' area outside a window, ie the area within which the mouse pointer changes to the width (or height) double arrow, allowing the edge to be dragged. You do have to log out and in again for this (editing the registry) to have effect, so try again?

That did the trick! I think my mistake was changing users rather than logging out. Many thanks for the help!

--
oobleck