Personal Computer Fundamentals

Minimizing and Maximizing Windows

In this lesson, you will learn:

• Maximizing and Minimizing Open Windows
• Resizing a Window

Maximize and Minimize the Window

The Minimize, Maximize and/or Close buttons are located in the top right corner of almost every window. Use these buttons to quickly resize a window to fill the entire desktop, to hide a window on the Taskbar or to close the window.

When the window is maximized, the 'Restore' Button replaces the 'Maximize' Button. When the Window is maximized, the Restore Button has two windows offset inside the Icon. When the Window is not maximized, there is only one window inside the center Restore Icon.

Follow these steps to experiment with these buttons:

1. Click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > Paint.
2. Open two instances of the Paint program. You should now have two Paint windows open.
3. Make the first Paint Window active by clicking on its button on the Taskbar or clicking its window. The title bar should be in color.
4. Click the Maximize Button so the window fills the screen.

When the window is maximized, the 'Restore' Button replaces the 'Maximize' Button and it's Icon Changes, as described above. When you click this middle button, the window is restored to its original size from where it was first opened. You can manually change the size of the window, and when you click 'Restore', the window reverts to the size you changed it to. You cannot resize a maximized window, so if you try to resize and find you can't, click the middle 'Restore' button, or double click the Title Bar and then resize the window. Sometimes it is at the very edge, or sometimes completely off of the screen!

5. Click the 'Restore' Button to restore the Paint window. The Restore Button Icon changes
6. Click the 'Minimize' Button for both open windows.

Although this step removes the windows from the desktop, keep in mind that the programs are still running in the computers' memory. You can click a program on the Taskbar to bring it back onto the desktop.

7. Close the two Paint windows to free up memory on the computer

Click the button on the Taskbar for each open Program, or Right click the Taskbar button and select'Close'. You’ll use the Maximize and Minimize tasks extensively when working in windows.

Resizing a Window

Windows can be resized so you can see more of the desktop, see underlying windows, or see more or less of the contents of a window.

Try resizing this window:

1. Double Click on the Title Bar above, or click on the middle 'Resize' Button on the upper Right.
2. Point to the window border or corner with the mouse. The mouse pointer turns into a double-headed arrow.
3. Left click and drag inward to reduce the size of the window or outward to increase its size.
4. Release the mouse when the window is the right size.

Note: To maintain the proportions, use the move handles located in the corners, or hold the Control key while resizing. This resizes the window in both directions.

Notice that dragging a border only moves the one border. After you resize the open windows, you can move them around to get a better view of underlying objects. If you have two windows open, you can move them side by side to compare contents or move information between them.