This article explains how to restore any hidden windows in Visual Studio without resetting your whole window layout, by using a common keyboard shortcut.
Problem
We’ve all been there – you’re opening a new window in Visual Studio, but your keyboard shortcut or clicking the item in the menu simply seems to do nothing. The window doesn’t show up anywhere.
Reason
The reason for this (most of the time) is simple: you have the window popped-up and located outside your screen. This happens pretty much all the time if you have a changing resolution and screen layout – like with a laptop that’s hooked to a dock.
Solution
Follow the steps below to restore the window, so that you can dock it wherever you want!
Time needed: 5 minutes
How to restore hidden windows in Visual Studio?
- Get the focus on the window
We’re going to first select the window either by using a keyboard shortcut, or by using the View- menu in Visual Studio.
In my example below, I’m selecting Test Explorer. It has, once again, disappeared, and nothing appears to happen whenever I select the window.
- Bring the window back to screen
On Windows, you can move windows around your screens by pressing “windows key” + left or right arrow.
This should bring the window – in my case, Test Explorer – back to view from which ever Nether Realm it was banished to. - Done!
And.. That’s actually it. You should be good!
Very straightforward, right? Let me know how it works for you!
He's been a developer from 2004 (starting with PHP and Java), and he's been working on .NET projects, Azure, Office 365, SharePoint and a lot of other stuff. He's also Microsoft MVP for Azure.
This is his personal professional (e.g. professional, but definitely personal) blog.
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