List of Freeware to Get Windows 7 Aero Snap, Aero Shake and Aero Peek Features in Windows XP and Vista

We told you recently that Windows 7 comes with 3 new and useful Aero features which are Aero Snap, Aero Shake and Aero Peek.

Aero Snap” feature lets you minimize, maximize or resize programs windows by dragging-n-dropping them to the screen corners e.g. you can maximize a window by dragging-n-dropping it to the top of screen.

Aero Shake” feature lets you minimize all running windows except the one which you are currently working on using a simple mouse shake.

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Aero Peek” feature has replaced the old “Show Desktop” button. It can be found as a small rectangle present at the end of Windows 7 taskbar. When you hover the mouse cursor over it, it allows you to peek behind all open windows by hiding all windows and showing only outlines of all windows.

We also shared 3 exclusive tutorials to disable these new features if you don’t need them:

If you are not using Windows 7 but want to get similar Aero features in Windows XP or Windows Vista, this topic will definitely help you.

There are several freeware to get these cool features in Windows XP and Vista. Today in this topic, we are going to put them together so that you don’t miss any of them and can find the best for you.

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Following is a list of all free tools available to get Windows 7’s Aero Snap, Aero Shake and Aero Peek features in Windows XP and Vista:

WinSplit Revolution

“WinSplit Revolution” is a small and free utility which allows you to easily organize your open windows by tiling, resizing and positioning them to make the best use of your desktop real estate. WinSplit is especially useful for high-end LCD screens with high resolutions because it helps you to efficiently manage many active windows. The advantages of using WinSplit is that it saves you from having to drag and drop windows by allowing you to snap windows into specific tiled configurations using simple keyboard hotkeys.

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It supports Windows 2000, XP and Vista 32-bit and 64-bit versions. You can download it using following link:

Download Link

Acer Gridvista

This application makes more effective use of large monitors by dividing them into sections where you can place your windows. “Acer Gridvista” divides your screen into two, three or four sections in which you can drag & drop windows. The windows will then be automatically resized. You can also set a window to be always on top or semi-transparent.

You can download it using following link:

Download Link

AquaSnap

“AquaSnap” is a great replacement for the Aero Snap and Aero Shake features of Windows 7 and is compatible with every Windows version including XP and Vista.

AquaSnap makes the window management much more ergonomic. Drag a window to the border of your desktop, and this window will be snapped and resized to fit one half of the screen. Drag this window to a corner, it will be snapped to fit one quarter. Shake a window, and this window will stay always on top.

Download Link

WinShake

“WinShake” is a small and free software which can bring Windows 7’s “Aero Shake”, “Aero Peek” and “Show Desktop” features to Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista.

Its size is 600KB and it doesn’t take much resources. The new version 2.02 finally adds true Windows 7 Aero Taskbar Peek, making it possible to Peek at a window, just by hovering over its Taskbar Button. You can even Peek at minimized windows. This new function, plus all the other ones, can now also be used with your mouse.

You can download it using following link:

Download Link

Give them a try and let us know which one do you like the most and why? If you know about any other free tool, please share it in your comment…

Published in: Software, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP

About the author: Vishal Gupta (also known as VG) has been awarded with Microsoft MVP (Most Valuable Professional) award. He holds Masters degree in Computer Applications (MCA). He has written several tech articles for popular newspapers and magazines and has also appeared in tech shows on various TV channels.

Comments

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  1. You don’t need Windows 7 to enjoy it’s features in earlier Windows OS versions! 😛

    I personally like AquaSnap the best. All it needs is the AeroPeek feature and it’s the perfect 3-in-1 3rd party Aero experience (AeroSnap, AeroShake, and AeroPeek).

  2. I’m using AquaSnap on Windows 8.1 and I must admit that i’m now addicted to it. I tested a many window managers before (AllSnap, Divvy, WindowSpace, …), but AquaSnap is definitely the best!

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