> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/microsoft/powertoys/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Crop and Lock

> Crop a window to show only a specific region and lock it as an independent window

## Overview

Crop and Lock allows you to crop any window to display only a specific region of its content. The cropped area becomes an independent, always-visible window that updates in real-time with the source window, perfect for monitoring specific UI elements or data while working in other applications.

<Info>
  Cropped windows remain synchronized with their source windows, updating in real-time as the source content changes.
</Info>

## Activation

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enable Crop and Lock">
    Open PowerToys Settings and enable **Crop and Lock**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Window to Crop">
    Focus the window you want to crop
  </Step>

  <Step title="Trigger Crop Mode">
    Press the activation shortcut (default: `Win+Ctrl+Shift+T`) to enter crop mode
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Region">
    Click and drag to select the area you want to crop
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Selection">
    Release mouse button to create the cropped window
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Key Features

### Window Cropping

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Interactive Selection" icon="crop">
    Click and drag to select any region

    Visual overlay shows selection area
  </Card>

  <Card title="Real-Time Updates" icon="sync">
    Cropped window mirrors source content

    Live synchronization
  </Card>

  <Card title="Independent Window" icon="window">
    Cropped area becomes separate window

    Can be moved and positioned anywhere
  </Card>

  <Card title="Reparenting" icon="sitemap">
    Window reparenting for content capture

    Maintains connection to source
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Window Management

Cropped windows are fully manageable:

```cpp theme={null}
// Reparenting implementation (ReparentCropAndLockWindow.cpp:23)
ReparentCropAndLockWindow::ReparentCropAndLockWindow(
    std::wstring const& titleString, 
    int width, 
    int height)
{
    // Create independent window with WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW style
    auto style = WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_CLIPCHILDREN;
    style &= ~(WS_MAXIMIZEBOX | WS_THICKFRAME);
    
    CreateWindowExW(exStyle, ClassName.c_str(), titleString.c_str(), 
                    style, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, 
                    adjustedWidth, adjustedHeight, nullptr, nullptr, 
                    instance, this);
    
    m_childWindow = std::make_unique<ChildWindow>(width, height, m_window);
}
```

**Features:**

* Non-resizable by default (no maximize/resize borders)
* Can be moved freely
* Always on top behavior
* Maintains aspect ratio of cropped region

### Overlay Selection Interface

When crop mode is activated:

1. **Visual Overlay**: Semi-transparent overlay covers the window
2. **Selection Rectangle**: Drag to define crop region
3. **Real-time Preview**: See selected area highlighted
4. **Escape to Cancel**: Press `Esc` to cancel without cropping

### Focus Management

```cpp theme={null}
// Focus handling (ReparentCropAndLockWindow.cpp:62)
case WM_MOUSEACTIVATE:
    if (m_currentTarget != nullptr && 
        GetForegroundWindow() != m_currentTarget)
    {
        SetForegroundWindow(m_currentTarget);
    }
    return MA_NOACTIVATE;

case WM_ACTIVATE:
    if (static_cast<DWORD>(wparam) == WA_ACTIVE)
    {
        if (m_currentTarget != nullptr)
        {
            SetForegroundWindow(m_currentTarget);
        }
    }
    break;
```

Cropped windows don't steal focus from the source window, maintaining seamless workflow.

## Configuration

### Activation Shortcut

<ParamField path="activation_shortcut" type="hotkey" default="Win+Ctrl+Shift+T">
  Global hotkey to enter crop mode

  Configurable in PowerToys Settings
</ParamField>

### Crop Behavior

No additional configuration options currently available. The utility provides straightforward crop-and-display functionality.

## Use Cases

### Monitoring Dashboard Widgets

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="System Resource Monitoring">
    Crop Task Manager's performance graph:

    ```plaintext theme={null}
    1. Open Task Manager
    2. Switch to Performance tab
    3. Press Win+Ctrl+Shift+T
    4. Select CPU graph area
    5. Position cropped window in corner
    → Always-visible CPU monitoring
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Build Status Tracking">
    Monitor CI/CD dashboard status:

    1. Open build dashboard in browser
    2. Crop the build status section
    3. Keep visible while coding
    4. Instantly see build failures
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Stock Ticker">
    Keep eye on stock prices:

    * Crop stock price widget from trading platform
    * Position on secondary monitor
    * Monitor prices while working
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Video Conferencing

<Steps>
  <Step title="Crop Meeting Controls">
    Crop Zoom/Teams control panel from main meeting window
  </Step>

  <Step title="Position on Screen">
    Place cropped controls in accessible location
  </Step>

  <Step title="Full Screen Presentation">
    Share screen full screen, controls remain accessible
  </Step>

  <Step title="Mute/Unmute Easily">
    Use cropped controls without switching windows
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Reference Material

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Code Examples">
    Crop documentation example while coding

    Keep reference visible on screen
  </Card>

  <Card title="Design Specifications">
    Crop design specs section

    Reference while implementing features
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chat Messages">
    Crop important chat conversation

    Monitor specific discussion thread
  </Card>

  <Card title="Terminal Output">
    Crop log section from terminal

    Watch for specific log messages
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Multi-Application Workflows

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Trading">
    Crop multiple charts from trading platform:

    1. Crop price chart
    2. Crop order book
    3. Crop portfolio summary
    4. Arrange cropped windows on screen
    5. Custom trading dashboard from single app
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Video Editing">
    Monitor timeline while working in effects panel:

    * Crop video timeline
    * Work in effects/color panel full screen
    * Timeline remains visible for timing reference
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Data Analysis">
    Keep key metrics visible:

    * Crop summary statistics table
    * Work with raw data in full window
    * Reference statistics while exploring data
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Gaming & Streaming

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Game Overlays">
    Create custom overlays from game UI:

    * Crop minimap from strategy game
    * Crop resource counters
    * Crop chat window
    * Arrange as custom HUD on secondary monitor
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Stream Monitoring">
    For streamers:

    * Crop streaming software stats (bitrate, FPS)
    * Crop chat window
    * Crop donation alerts
    * Monitor while gaming full screen
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Technical Details

### Architecture

```mermaid theme={null}
graph TD
    A[Source Window] --> B[Crop and Lock Overlay]
    B --> C{User Selection}
    C --> D[Reparent Window Created]
    D --> E[Child Window]
    E --> F[Live Content Mirror]
    A -.Real-time sync.-> F
```

### Window Hierarchy

```plaintext theme={null}
Reparent Window (Independent)
  └─ Child Window (Content Container)
      └─ Source Window Content (Mirrored)
```

The implementation uses three window layers:

1. **ReparentCropAndLockWindow**: Top-level independent window
2. **ChildWindow**: Container for captured content
3. **Content Mirror**: Real-time display of source window region

### Window Styles

```cpp theme={null}
// Window creation styles (ReparentCropAndLockWindow.cpp:30)
auto style = WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW | WS_CLIPCHILDREN;
style &= ~(WS_MAXIMIZEBOX | WS_THICKFRAME);

// Behaviors:
// WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW: Standard window with title bar
// WS_CLIPCHILDREN: Prevent parent drawing over child
// ~WS_MAXIMIZEBOX: No maximize button
// ~WS_THICKFRAME: No resize borders
```

### Content Synchronization

Real-time mirroring mechanism:

* **DWM Integration**: Uses Desktop Window Manager for content capture
* **Update Rate**: Synchronized with source window refresh
* **Performance**: Minimal CPU overhead, GPU-accelerated

### Key Components

| Component                   | Purpose                 | File                                                                |
| --------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `ReparentCropAndLockWindow` | Main window container   | `src/modules/CropAndLock/CropAndLock/ReparentCropAndLockWindow.cpp` |
| `ChildWindow`               | Content display surface | `src/modules/CropAndLock/CropAndLock/ChildWindow.cpp`               |
| `OverlayWindow`             | Selection interface     | `src/modules/CropAndLock/CropAndLock/OverlayWindow.cpp`             |

## Keyboard Shortcuts

### Global

| Shortcut           | Action                    |
| ------------------ | ------------------------- |
| `Win+Ctrl+Shift+T` | Enter crop mode (default) |

### During Crop Selection

| Shortcut        | Action                                      |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `Click + Drag`  | Select crop region                          |
| `Esc`           | Cancel crop operation                       |
| `Release Mouse` | Confirm selection and create cropped window |

### Managing Cropped Windows

| Action            | Method                                      |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Move**          | Drag title bar                              |
| **Close**         | Click X button or Alt+F4                    |
| **Always on Top** | Use Always On Top utility on cropped window |

<Tip>
  Combine Crop and Lock with [Always On Top](/utilities/always-on-top) to ensure cropped windows stay visible above all other windows.
</Tip>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Crop mode doesn't activate">
    **Check:**

    * Crop and Lock is enabled in PowerToys Settings
    * Target window is in focus
    * Shortcut not conflicting with other applications
    * PowerToys is running

    **Test:**

    * Try different target windows
    * Verify shortcut in PowerToys Settings
    * Restart PowerToys
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cropped window shows black/blank">
    **Possible causes:**

    * Source window using protected content (DRM)
    * Graphics driver issues
    * Source window minimized or hidden

    **Solutions:**

    1. Ensure source window is visible and unminimized
    2. Update graphics drivers
    3. Some content (e.g., video players with DRM) cannot be cropped
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Content not updating in cropped window">
    **Troubleshooting:**

    * Check if source window is still open
    * Verify source window is not minimized
    * Close and recreate crop if sync is lost

    **Note:** If source window closes, cropped window shows last captured frame
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cannot select region in crop mode">
    **Verify:**

    * Mouse cursor is over the target window
    * Window is not obscured by other windows
    * Graphics acceleration is enabled

    **Workaround:** Try cropping a different window to test functionality
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Cropped window has wrong DPI scaling">
    **For high-DPI displays:**

    * Cropped content should match source DPI
    * If blurry, check display scaling settings
    * Ensure PowerToys is DPI-aware

    **Windows Settings:**
    System > Display > Scale and layout
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Limitations

<Warning>
  **Content Protection:** Some windows cannot be cropped due to content protection:

  * DRM-protected video players
  * Secure input fields (passwords)
  * Some fullscreen games with anti-cheat
  * Banking/financial application secure areas

  These windows may show black or blank content in cropped windows.
</Warning>

### Performance Considerations

* **Multiple Crops**: Many cropped windows may impact performance
* **Large Regions**: Larger crop areas use more GPU memory
* **High Refresh Rate**: Source windows updating frequently may increase GPU usage

<Tip>
  **Best Practices:**

  * Crop only necessary portions (smaller is better)
  * Close cropped windows when no longer needed
  * Limit simultaneous crops to 3-5 for best performance
</Tip>

## See Also

* [Always On Top](/utilities/always-on-top) - Keep cropped windows on top
* [FancyZones](/utilities/fancyzones) - Organize multiple windows including crops
* [PowerToys Run](/utilities/powertoys-run) - Quick window management