Win Layout adds 33 new keyboard shortcuts to the Windows operating system that can be used to manipulate open windows easily. Most of the keyboard shortcuts make use of a combination of the Windows, Alt and CTRL keys plus the numpad.

Pressing the Windows key plus the numpad keys 1-9 will move the active window into the corner of the windows desktop. Adding the alt key to that combination will move the active window and resize it at the same time. Resizing will either change the size of the window in half or a fourth depending on the numpad key that is pressed.

Using CTRL instead of ALT with Windows and the numpad keys between 1 to 9 will snap the window to a corner of the computer desktop. The difference between resizing and snapping is the fact that the resizing shortcut will always result in the same window size while snapping windows will not.

The remaining keyboard shortcuts make it possible to increase or resize the window size and to move the active window one pixel into a specific direction.

Win Layout uses roughly 6 Megabytes of computer memory while running. Not really lightweight but acceptable for users who use the software program extensively.

The software developer lists a total of 18 features that the application is providing of which 16 are working on all supported operating systems and 2 exclusively on Windows 2000. Here is a short overview of some of the interesting features of the software program:

• Scrolling in inactive windows
• Changing window transparency
• Roll up windows
• Set top most status of windows with right-click
• Alt Right-Click mouse only alternative

You find a complete list of features in the readme provided by the author. The most impressive aspect of the software is the low memory footprint of just 2.5 Megabytes and the fact that every feature can be turned on or off.

Update: DeskAngel has been in development ever since our first review. The program has been updated many times in the past years with new features and improvements.

The feature set now includes additional features, from locking windows over turning off the monitor to simulating the Windows key and auto scrolling documents under the cursor even if the document window is not active.

The developers have added visual effects to the program as well. It now features an edge snap feature which is very similar to the Aero Snap feature of the Windows 7 operating system.

Lastly, an assortment of miscellaneous features has been added, from creating screenshots by drawing a rectangle on the screen over translation of text to automatically connecting to remote PCs in a local area network.

Interested users can download DeskAngel from the developer website. The portable software is compatible with all recent versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.