FancyZoneGen

With the constantly increasing processing power of modern-day computers, consumers are not only able to run unprecedentedly advanced programs, but they also have the option of running more programs than ever at once, thus augmenting their workflows and getting tasks done at a faster pace.

In an attempt to live up to its name, the latest iteration of Microsoft’s flagship operating system enhanced the window-snapping system to include layout presets when dragging apps to the top of the screen for more convenient multitasking capabilities, which can be automated to a higher level through PowerToys and a neat tool known as FancyZoneGen.

While the aforementioned snapping layouts suffice for most users, those seeking more granularity have at their disposal Microsoft PowerToys’ FancyZones module, an excellent alternative that sets custom window placements for each of your setup’s monitors. Despite the wide range of options that can be explored throughout its menus, the module lacks an important feature, namely — the ability to export window layouts for use on other systems, which is where FancyZoneGen comes into play.

Sometimes the operating system needs to be re-installed due to a corrupted update process, virus infection or hard drive failure, making it difficult for users who want to maintain their layouts after a fresh Windows installation. Instead of having to take screenshots of the custom window arrangements and re-apply them manually at a later date, users can simply create and save a new template before running the executable of the program at hand to instantly apply it.

By default, the app changes a custom FancyZones canvas layout’s overlapping areas to run four programs side-by-side, with two on the right in a square-like shape and the rest filling the remaining space in a rectangular format. However, given its openly available source code, users with programming knowledge can alter these values to fit their needs and have a ready-to-implement backup of their favorite window layout.

Whether you happen to be an IT specialist tasked with deploying a series of utilities on a large variety of devices that includes PowerToys’ FancyZones, or you simply want to ensure you have a backup of the window placements that fit your workflow for quickly reverting to it when making productivity-breaking changes, FancyZoneGen’s portable form factor and open-source nature make it the right tool for the job.