A window may refer to any of the following:

  1. A rectangular section of the computer’s display in a GUI that shows the program currently being used. For example, the browser window you’re using to view this web page is a window. Windows allow a user to work with multiple programs or view multiple programs at once. Almost all windows allow you to minimize and maximize them, allowing you to hide and view a program temporarily. Below is what a window may look like in Microsoft Windows and each of its major features known as the window elements.

Below are links to each of the window elements shown in the picture above. Clicking on any of these links gives you further information about that section of the window.

If a window is not fullscreen (maximized), it’s considered to be in window mode. In this mode, the window can be moved around the screen.

  • File menu bar
  • Title bar
  • Minimize
  • Maximize / Resize
  • Close
  • Toolbar
  • Vertical scroll bar
  • Resize corner
  • Horizontal scroll bar
  • Status bar
  1. When plural, Windows may refer to more than one open window and can also refer to the Microsoft Windows operating system.
  • How to resize a window.
  • How to move a window.
  • How to quickly change between open programs on Mac and PC.
  • View two windows side-by-side using Smart Window.
  • Keep any window on top of others.
  • How to close a browser window with HTML.

Active window, Cascade, Close, File menu bar, Full-screen, GUI, Horizontal Scroll bar, Inactive window, Maximize, MDI, Minimize, Modal window, Motif, Operating system terms, Restore, Restore down, Sizing handle, Status bar, Tiling, Title bar, Toolbar, Vertical scroll bar, Windoid, Windowed mode