Public overview - Microsoft Learn
The Crop and Lock module in PowerToys allows users to crop a current application into a smaller window or create a thumbnail. This utility enhances productivity by enabling users to focus on specific parts of an application window.
Creates a window showing the selected area of the original window. Changes in the original window are reflected in the thumbnail.
Creates a window that replaces the original window, showing only the selected area. The application is controlled through the cropped window.
Creates a window showing a freezed snapshot of the original window.
The Crop and Lock module is part of the PowerToys solution. All the logic-related settings are in the main.cpp. The main implementations are in ThumbnailCropAndLockWindow and ReparentCropAndLockWindow. ChildWindow and OverlayWindow distinguish the two different modes of windows implementations.
- ThumbnailCropAndLockWindow.cpp: Defines the UI for the thumbnail mode.
- OverlayWindow.cpp: Thumbnail module type's window concrete implementation.
- ReparentCropAndLockWindow.cpp: Defines the UI for the reparent mode.
- ChildWindow.cpp: Reparent module type's window concrete implementation.
- ScreenshotCropAndLockWindow.cpp: Defines the UI for the screenshot mode.
- Cropping maximized or full-screen windows in "Reparent" mode might not work properly.
- Some UWP apps may not respond well to being cropped in "Reparent" mode.
- Applications with sub-windows or tabs can have compatibility issues in "Reparent" mode.

