Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of providing universal back navigation for multiple windows. Universal back navigation allows universal back functionality to transition between operating in an in-application context and a cross-application context. In the in-application context, operation of the universal back functionality is restricted to functionality of an application (e.g., a single application) to which user instructions are to be currently directed by default. In the cross-application context, operation of the universal back functionality is not restricted to functionality of the application to which user instructions are to be currently directed by default.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that are capable of containing an application in an immersive non-windowed environment. For instance, the application may be configured for use in a windowed environment. Containing the application in the immersive non-windowed environment may involve selectively implementing functionality that is associated with the application based at least in part on whether the functionality is applicable to the immersive non-windowed environment. For example, when a request to implement functionality that is not applicable to the immersive non-windowed environment is received, functionality that is applicable to the immersive non-windowed environment may be implemented in lieu of the functionality that is not applicable to the immersive non-windowed environment. In another example, no action may be taken with regard to the request.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for efficiently and reliably interacting with a nonconforming application component in a windowing environment. The nonconforming application component corresponds to a type of application (such as, but not limited to, an immersive-type full-screen application) that was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment, or was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment of a certain type. In some implementations, the computer-implemented technique generates a composite window by: creating a system-owned frame; receiving an application-owned window; and creating the composite window by combining the frame and the application-owned window. The technique can thereafter control the composite window by performing operations on the composite window via its system-owned frame.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to maintaining a tiled arrangement of application windows as a user inserts application windows into a managed display region. A tiled arrangement is an arrangement where windows do not overlap each other and substantially maximize window occupation of the display region. Generally, when a user inserts an application window the tiled arrangement is maintained by resizing any previously present application windows. Where to insert a window, which displayed windows to resize and to what extent can be determined based on factors such as user input, any prior manual adjustment of the tiled arrangement, and/or minimum window sizes. Whether tile arranging is performed in a managed or curated fashion (e.g., by sharing space equally among windows) or in a semi-curated fashion may be determined by taking into account any of the aforementioned factors.

Abstract: Customizable bladed applications are described herein. A device platform is configured to provide a simultask mode that enables combined user access to multiple applications of the platform via respective chrome portions. When simultask mode is active, arrangement of chrome elements within a user interface is controlled to generate a bladed view that provides a compact representation for one application in conjunction with an expanded view that provides principal chrome for a different application. The platform makes the bladed view available for any displayable application of the platform. The bladed view may also include application-specific elements that are populated using customizations designated via metadata of the application, or using default information for applications in the absence of designated customizations.

Abstract: Techniques for configuring a user interface based on an experience mode transition are described. Generally, an experience mode refers to a visual and functional arrangement that is presented to a user of a device. Different experience modes present different visual and functional arrangements to a user. According to various embodiments, a computing device is configured to operate in multiple experience modes and may transition between different experience modes and based on a variety of different triggering events. Generally, a transition between different experience modes causes a visual and/or functional reconfiguration of a user experience on a device.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling heterogeneous application tabs. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable grouping, sizing, and/or positioning of heterogeneous application tabs to provide an optimized layout of application content.

Abstract: A multi-finger touchpad gesture refers to a movement of multiple fingers in a particular pattern across a touchpad. The touchpad senses the multiple fingers, and based on the sensed finger locations and finger movements, one of multiple multi-finger touchpad gestures is detected. A user interface being presented on a display is altered as appropriate in response to the detected multi-finger touchpad gesture. Various different multi-finger touchpad gestures can be detected. The multi-finger touchpad gestures can include a gesture that traverses different hierarchical views of the operating system user interface, a gesture that switches between two recent windows, a gesture that traverses a back stack of windows, a gesture that displays a window selection view and selects a particular window, and a gesture that moves a window to a different location (including snapping a window to an edge or corner of the display).

Abstract: Systems, methods, computer storage media, and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are provided for combined switching and placement of windows based on a single action. The single action may be moving an element to a hot spot or a snap portion of a display area. In response to the single action, an element is automatically launched, repositioned according to a snap portion or a hot spot that recognized the element, and opened, and a view is automatically switched to a view of at least the element.

Abstract: Application launcher sizing techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a likely usage context is determined, by a computing device, of a user in interacting with the computing device. An application launcher is dynamically sized within a display area of the user interface by the computing device based on the determined likely usage context of the user. The application launcher is configured for output responsive to an input received from a user and includes a plurality of representations of applications that are selectable to navigate to a user interface corresponding with a respective said application.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling assisted presentation of application windows. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable sizing and positioning of application windows to provide an optimized layout of application windows.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling dynamic joint dividers for application windows. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable sizing and positioning of application windows to provide an optimized layout of application windows.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling adaptive sizing and positioning of application windows. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable sizing and positioning of application windows to provide an optimized layout of application windows.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses enabling region-based sizing and positioning of application windows. In some embodiments, these techniques and apparatuses enable sizing and positioning of application windows to provide an optimized layout of application windows.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to maintaining a tiled arrangement of application windows as a user inserts application windows into a managed display region. A tiled arrangement is an arrangement where windows do not overlap each other and substantially maximize window occupation of the display region. Generally, when a user inserts an application window the tiled arrangement is maintained by resizing any previously present application windows. Where to insert a window, which displayed windows to resize and to what extent can be determined based on factors such as user input, any prior manual adjustment of the tiled arrangement, and/or minimum window sizes. Whether tile arranging is performed in a managed or curated fashion (e.g., by sharing space equally among windows) or in a semi-curated fashion may be determined by taking into account any of the aforementioned factors.

Abstract: A user can select content on an interface screen and provide an associated directional placement instruction to launch a new application window that displays the selected content or information associated with the selected content. The directional placement instruction may indicate an area of the screen where the user prefers to display the new application window. Responsive to the initiation of the directional placement instruction, a conversion module converts the selected content into a placeable representation of the new application. Responsive to receipt of the directional placement instruction, a window management system presents the new application window in the user interface in a location based on the directional placement instruction.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for automatically forming groups of application windows. The techniques may be performed with a computing device executing a windowing system, the windowing system having a user interface element that can be interacted with by a user to manage applications executing on the computing device. Each application may correspond to a separate process and application window. It may be determined that an operation has occurred that will evict the application windows of target applications from the display, and in response an application group may be automatically formed. The application group may have indicia of the evicted target applications. The application group may be provided to the user interface element, and when the user interface element is interacted with by the user the user interface element displays user-selectable graphic application indicators for both the application group and applications other than the target applications.