WS Display Settings

© 2023 by WizardSoft

Press ALT + SPACE to open the application menu

WS Display Settings is a utility to save and apply Windows display settings (monitor positioning, resolution, refresh rate, display extension mode) to and from file as well as adjust the monitor brightness/contrast/colour settings itself. It can also save and restore the window arrangement across displays (position, size and state) and has handy window management features. Finally it can save and load common desktop icon file types and its desktop layout so you can arrange and restore your desktop icons with the click of a button.

The menu of WS Display Settings is accessible through the Windows System Tray (the area left to the clock) and gives quick access to display and window management. The shortcut for it is ALT + SPACE. If the icon is hidden behind the ‘Show hidden icons’-arrow, you can simply drag it to a visible part of the systray.

By default, newly opened windows will be moved to the monitor that contains the mouse pointer for convenience (unlike default Windows behaviour, which can still be used by holding ALT while opening a window).

Be sure to check out the Preferences file (menu/Quick Access/Preferences…) to enable/disable certain program features to your liking. To apply changed settings, simply save the preferences file (CTRL+S).

Shortcuts

ALT is frequently used as part of a shortcut. To type a ‘normal’ ALT, you can use the ALT key on the right side of the keyboard

Shortcut	Action
ALT + R	Resize active window to preset dimensions and move it to make it completely visible if needed (640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1600x1200, 1920x1080, original size)
ALT + T	Toggle between window always-on-top, always-on-top + transparent, normal
ALT + MOUSEMOVE	Instantly move window at mouse pointer
ALT + DOUBLECLICK	Maximize/restore window
ALT + WIN + MOUSEMOVE	Resize window
WIN + MOUSEMOVE	Scroll window contents
SHIFT + MOUSEWHEEL	Activate next/previous window (cycle)
ALT + Q/W/A/S	Move window to top-left/top-right/bottom-left/bottom-right display corner
ALT + 1/2/3/4	Resize window to full, 2/3, 1/2, 1/4 part of display size
WIN + 1..9	Switch to virtual desktop 1…9; create if it does not exist yet
ALT + WIN + 1..9	Move window to virtual desktop 1…9
ALT + TAB	Show Windows Task Switcher on the display that contains the mouse pointer
WIN + F6 / WIN + SHIFT + F6	Active next/previous window (cycle)
ALT + E	Move focused window to next display

Menu items

• Quick Access
  Customizable list of utilities (example entry in Preferences file: Remote Desktop = mstsc.exe /v:[Computer])
  • Restart Explorer
  • (Force) Close Program
  • Preferences… (opens editable configuration file)
• Open Display Settings
• Show Storage Folder
• Save Display Settings
• Save Window Positions
• Save Desktop Icons
• Toggle Display Fading (WIN + F5)
  Fades/reveals the monitor that contains the mouse pointer
• Activate Window (WIN + F7)
  Activate selected window or, if using shortcut, window below mouse pointer and/or move it to make it completely visible
• Move Window to Pointer Display
  Move selected window to the monitor that contains the mouse pointer
• Minimize Others (display) (WIN + F3)
  Minimizes all windows except the selected or active one on the active monitor
• Minimize Others (all) (WIN + F4)
  Minimizes all windows except the selected or active one
• Display Controls
  • Brightness
  • Contrast
  • Color
  • Reset
  • Standby
• Clone Display
• Extend across Displays
• External Display only
• Internal Display only
• About/Help…
• Quit
• Followed by a list of all .dis files (display configuration) in the storage folder
• Followed by a list of all .pos files (window positions) in the storage folder
• Followed by a list of all .des files (desktop positions) in the storage folder