I used Snap Assist for years because it was quick and easy to use. I would place the cursor over the maximize icon and choose a layout. But once I started using various apps in a specific order, things stopped working the way I needed because I couldn’t place them where I wanted. I found myself manually rearranging windows, especially when I needed three or four apps open at the same time. I regularly use Slack, WhatsApp, Asana, and a few other apps, and I kept trying to juggle how to fit them all on the screen.

Even with the second monitor, I often wasted time trying to find the app I wanted. Snap Assist is fine for basic layouts, but after a while, it didn’t give me what I was looking for. I could only choose from preset layouts such as quarters, halves, or thirds, and there was no way to create my own. That’s when I decided to give FancyZones a try and realized it let me create various custom layouts that sped up my workflow.

3 Custom layouts

The extra options sped up my workflow

What I like about FancyZones is that it gives me more layout options than Snap Assist. I was able to switch less by having more apps on the screen at once. Even though the windows were smaller, I could still see them and get what I needed without switching any of them around. One of my preferred setups is the three-horizontal layout. With this setup, I can keep a browser like Chrome in the top row, Google Docs in the middle, and WhatsApp Web at the bottom. Snap Assist only offers three vertical columns. It’s fine if you like that layout, but I preferred a different design.

That’s where Snap Assist fell short of my expectations. With Snap Assist, I was stuck with the same presets, which didn’t really match my workflow. I often had to resize windows manually, which was frustrating, especially when I was in a hurry to meet a deadline. With FancyZones, I could create something that made more sense for my daily tasks.

2 Exclude app

Snapping isn't great for every app

FancyZones lets me block specific apps from snapping into zones. I find that helpful because sometimes I click on the wrong app, like Spotify, and it ends up in the layout. Then I had to take it out and redo everything, which was frustrating because it broke my concentration. I like that I can add apps to a list, so the tool ignores them. Even if I misclick, nothing breaks.

Snap Assist doesn’t have that option. Whatever app I click on, it gets snapped in, whether I like it or not. For me, it’s one of those features that may seem small, but it keeps everything running the way I want it to. I find this feature especially helpful when I'm tired and can easily confuse app icons.

1 Launch the editor on the display

No more pop-ups on the wrong screen

When I discovered that I could control where it opened, I knew this tool was a keeper because I got to choose where it opened. FancyZones has a useful setting that lets you decide whether the layout editor launches based on your mouse position or the active window. That kind of control is exactly what I was looking for. I liked having full control over where it appeared and being able to change it up wherever I wanted. It’s great when a tool gives you that level of control.

Windows doesn't always handle window placement well, and I've run into that more than once. There were plenty of times when I unplugged a second monitor and opened an app on my laptop, only to realize it was nowhere to be seen. After a few seconds, I realized that Windows had opened on the monitor that I had disconnected.

Why I'm sticking with FancyZones

Snap Assist is a good solution if you only need simple layouts. I’ve used it for years, but when I started using more apps at the same time, I needed an upgrade. I knew I couldn’t continue with Snap Assist and have all the apps I needed on my screen at the same time. I was constantly moving things around, closing one window to make room for another, or forgetting where I had something open. It got in the way more than it helped.

The extra options I got with FancyZones were a relief and gave me more control. It was nice to build a layout that fit my workflow and saved me time instead of wasting it rearranging everything. That’s what I was looking for in a tool, and that’s why FancyZones is here to stay for me.