If this sounds like something you would like to include in your toolbox of customization utilities, download reSizer:

Upon running the installation, you will need to close all applications. Save any data from applications and then close them. There is a destination folder set by default, but you are offered the option to change the destination folder to one that can be easily located according to your standards. There will be no desktop shortcut or Toolbar shortcut and there is no interface for the utility and you cannot configure any settings either. You can find the icon in the system tray. Right-clicking this icon presents the options to either enable or disable reSizer. The option to set the utility to start on Windows 7 startup is also included.

Once you enable reSizer, the following list details the hotkey commands:

To change windows locations:

• Win + Arrows : Move window.
• Win + Shift + Arrows : Move window (per pixel).
• Win + NumPad 1 : Move window to lower-left corner.
• Win + NumPad 2 : Move window to lower-center.
• Win + NumPad 3 : Move window to lower-right corner.
• Win + NumPad 4 : Move window to middle-left side.
• Win + NumPad 5 : Center window on screen.
• Win + NumPad 6 : Move window to middle-right side.
• Win + NumPad 7 : Move window to upper-left corner.
• Win + NumPad 8 : Move window to upper-center.
• Win + NumPad 9 : Move window to upper-right corner.
• Win + NumPad 0 : Maximize / Restore active window.
• Win + NumPad . : Minimize active window.
• Win + Backspace : Move window to the next monitor (if you are working with more than one).

To change window size:

• Win + Ctrl + Arrows : Resize window.
• Win + Ctrl + Shift + Arrows : Resize window (per pixel).
• Win + Ctrl + (2-keypad number sequence) : This resizes a window to fit a specific area of the screen. The first number will set the start point while the second sets the end point. For example, Win + Ctrl + 24 will resize the window you are currently using to fit the lower left corner of the screen.

To change the properties of a window:

• Win + NumPad * : Toggle Always on Top.
• Win + NumPad / : Toggle Opacity.

To switch to other windows:

• Win + NumPad + : Switch to next visible application.
• Win + NumPad – : Switch to previous visible application.
• Win + Shift + NumPad + : Switch to next application.
• Win + Shift + NumPad – : Switch to previous application.
• Win + Ctrl + NumKey (0-9) : Store application type at selected index.
• Win + NumKey (0-9) : Next application of the same type at selected index.
• Win + Shift + NumKey (0-9) : Previous application of the same type at selected index.

Once you learn all of the shortcut keys, you can adjust window sizes, opacity and other properties of active windows without using the mouse. If you like to use shortcut hotkeys and need quick window alterations, reSizer is an excellent choice.

WinMaximunize is an application for Windows that can be of use to some users. The program basically offers to expand the active window so that it expands over all unused desktop space.

The program works directly after it has been started on the system. The hotkey Ctrl-F1 is set as the default hotkey. Once it is pressed the active window will be resized to use all of the remaining space on the desktop that is currently not being used by another window.

It is possible to change the default hotkey and whether overlaps should be ignored in the program options.

The program has a few issues that need to be addressed. It does not work properly if the window is already in a maximized state. It is for instance possible on Windows 7 to move a window to the left or right border of the screen to make it use half of the available screen. Such a window cannot be maximized with WinMaxinumize even if the remaining screen space is blank.

I also had to configure the application to ignore overlaps so that all free space would be filled with the selected window. Without the setting, a small border at the bottom of the screen would remain blank as well.

It is possible that these two issues are only affecting Windows 7 users.

WinMaximunize is an interesting application, and it would actually be nice if Microsoft would add the feature to its upcoming operating system Windows 8.

The software requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, downloads are provided at the developer website.

AutoSizer is a lightweight application that can automatically resize windows that are opened so that they are always displayed in the correct size the user wants them to be.

Configuring windows is not difficulty at all. The program displays a list of all open windows in the upper part of its interface. A click on the AutoSize button after selecting a window from that list opens the configuration menu.

The configuration window is divided into the action that is performed when the window is opened and the identification method that is used to identify it.

Available actions are to maximize, minimize, restore or resize and position the window. The resize and position window is the most advanced option that makes it possible to place the window in an exact location on the computer screen. It is furthermore possible to set the window to be always on top of others.

The identification uses the class name of the window by default. This can be changed to using the Window title instead.

The windows that have been configured this way will always be opened in the selected state. The windows will however not be repositioned or resized if they are already open.

A keyboard shortcut can be configured to activate the resize functionality whenever the shortcut key is pressed.

Autosizer is compatible with multi-monitor systems and all Microsoft operating systems from Windows 98 on. The program can be downloaded from the developer’s website. (via Shell Extension City)

Their small computer screen and the touchpad navigation make it sometimes necessary to be able to resize windows. Netbooks have a maximum resolution of 1024×600 which means that it can happen that some elements of a window are not visible on the screen.

Move Me adds a simple keyboard shortcut to the computer system which can be used to resize the active window. Pressing [Windows Shift Arrow Key] will resize the window in that direction. That’s however not the only functionality of Move Me.

It provides additional shortcuts to scroll and center windows and hide the task bar (which is something you should probably do permanently when working with netbooks)

A computer mouse can also be used to scroll windows to all four directions. Best of all, the software program is portable and uses only 2 Megabytes of computer memory while running. Probably one of the best and easiest ways to resize windows.

Winsize2 is a Open Source software program that can automatically store information about a windows location and size. The information will be applied to the window whenever it is opened in Windows.

The program has been developed with AutoHotkey which is identified as malicious by some antivirus applications. Please note that those are false positives.

Usage has been simplified. There is only one hotkey that is used to save the window size and location of the active window, to delete the information and to set the options in WinSize2. You can configure exact X/Y coordinates and widths / heights for the windows or to set them to be always on top.

Pressing the hotkey [CTRL ALT Z] (Y instead of Z on some systems) once will save the information while pressing it twice or thrice will delete them again or load the options for that window.

Winsize2 is excellent to place specific windows and applications automatically on the monitor screen without having to resize or move them whenever they are started.

The numpad keys 7,9,1 and 3 are used to move the active window to a corner of the screen without resizing it and the 5 centers the active window on the screen. Each of the five keys needs the Windows key as well. Another function is provided by the + and – keys on the numeric pad which, when pressed with the Windows key, change the size of the active window to the resolutions 640 x 480, 800 x 600, 1024 x 768, 1152 x 864 and 1280 x 1024 which is nice if you want to test a application in a specific resolution.

Last but not least the enter key on the numpad will maximize the active window or reduce the size of a maximized window to its normal size and the 0 key on the numpad will minimize the active window.

An alternate set of keys are available for laptop users who normally do not have access to the numpad. Freesnap is compatible to Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Vista and simply runs in the background once started.