Quick Start

Quick Start

This guide takes a new setup from install to a tested one-button restore.

1. Install And Open

Install WindowAutoLayout for the current Windows user, then open it once. The app can stay resident in the system tray and does not need administrator rights for ordinary windows.

If a target app is running as administrator, Windows may require WindowAutoLayout to run at the same integrity level before it can move that window.

2. Create Or Choose A Profile

Open Profiles, choose an existing profile or create one, and give it a short practical name such as Streaming or Work.

A profile contains:

• a profile target monitor
• the app/window entries to restore
• a saved rectangle and state for each entry
• optional app-specific monitor overrides

3. Capture The Current Monitor

1. Open and arrange the windows you want.
2. Go to Dashboard.
3. Choose the physical monitor under Capture monitor.
4. Press Capture current layout.
5. Review the captured entries on Apps and Layout.

Capture stores process identity, executable path when Windows exposes it, title/class rules when needed, target monitor, physical rectangle, window state, display resolution, work area, and scale.

The capture button replaces the current app list in that profile with the visible non-minimized windows centered on the selected monitor. WindowAutoLayout itself is excluded.

4. Test Restore

1. Move the captured windows away from their saved locations.
2. Press Restore now in the top-right app toolbar.
3. Confirm the header reports Restore finished: Success.
4. Open Logs and review the newest entries at the top.

The same explicit restore is available as Restore windows now on Dashboard and in the tray menu.

5. Configure Closed And Tray Apps

In Settings, turn on Launch apps that are closed when explicit/startup restores should start missing apps. Turning it off does not stop WindowAutoLayout from recovering an app that is already running but minimized or hidden in its tray.

For an app that normally lives in the tray, keep these app settings on:

• Restore if minimized
• Pull hidden/tray windows
• Wake running tray apps

6. Configure The Tray

Choose what a normal tray left-click does:

• Open WindowAutoLayout for regular editing
• Restore layout for the shortest one-click recovery path

Right-click always exposes restore, automatic status, open, logs, and exit commands.

7. Optional Startup

Settings involved:

Setting	Meaning
Start with Windows	Registers the current installed exe in the current user's Run key
Start minimized to tray	Avoids opening the interface at login
Restore on launch	Runs the default profile after the startup delay
Startup delay	Gives displays and other startup apps time to settle
Launch apps that are closed	Allows manual/startup restore to start missing apps

The startup command is:

"<installed WindowAutoLayout.exe>" --startup-restore

8. Optional Automatic Restore

Use the Automatic restore control in the app header, Dashboard, or tray menu. Enabling it first runs an explicit restore; it arms only when that restore is not failed, paused by a game, or missing its required monitor.

Settings can independently enable:

• recovery after Show Desktop
• recovery after leaving a game/fullscreen app

Automatic restore only works with already-running windows and stays idle until Windows reports a relevant shell event.