At one point or another, you lot're bound to see this pesky issue: you can come across an application open up in the taskbar, but tin can't see the window on your desktop. A number of things can cause this, such every bit disconnecting your laptop from a secondary display before dragging the windows back to the primary desktop. It can likewise occur when you open a program that alters your resolution, among a few others.

Restarting your PC may not exist viable, considering the inaccessible programme window could contain unsaved data -- not to mention that information technology's never fun to reboot without a practiced reason. There are a couple of tricks to get your devious window dorsum on screen...

For Windows x

From the taskbar select the application you lot're having problems with. The plan's window will be "active" just out of view for now.

Leverage Windows 10'south Snap Aid capabilities by using one of these 2 keyboard shortcuts:

  • Snap a window left / correct: Windows key + Pointer central left / correct
  • Snap a window to a quadrant: Windows key + Up or Down (subsequently moving left or right)

You tin also select a different awarding's window, snap information technology left or correct (first shortcut above), which will trigger Snap Assist's app split screen view, letting yous select a second window to be snapped on the second half of the screen. You can select the stray window there, and bring information technology dorsum to life in two keystrokes.

Every bit you tin see on the screenshot beneath, I have snapped Opera browser on the right, and the rest of my open up windows are shown on the left.

If that doesn't work. Apply the screen resolution trick:

Right-click on the desktop, cull "Brandish settings." Whorl down to the resolution setting, and change your brandish'due south resolution to a lower value temporarily. That will force a window rearrange and the lost window should be back on display. Earlier changing the resolution back to its previous setting, dispense the window (maximize or resize), then go back to normal.

Get it back on Windows 7/8

Bring the troubled window to focus past clicking on it in the taskbar (or Alt+Tab). Now you tin simply hold the Windows primal on your keyboard and tap the pointer keys. With whatsoever luck, your missing window will snap back into view.

If that doesn't piece of work, y'all can use another keyboard flim-flam: Select the application window by clicking on it in the taskbar, then tap Alt + Space, which volition open a carte on the missing window. Obviously you lot won't be able to see the menu, but can still interact with it. Tap "M" on your keyboard to select "Move" on the menu, and then use the keyboard pointer keys to reposition the window back to your desktop.

If all else fails, right-click on your taskbar and select "Cascade windows".

For earlier versions of Windows (Vista, XP)

Correct-click on the programme in your taskbar and choose "Move". Now utilize the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the window. Yous can too right-click on your taskbar and choose "Cascade windows", which will automatically stack your windows in an overlapping pile.

Accept another method of bringing a lost window dorsum into view? Share it in the comments.

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