How can I maximize, restore, or minimize a window with a vb script?

Question

I need to be able to make separte .vbs files that will (when triggered with a keyboard short-cut) will make the active window maximized, minimized, or restored.

How can I do this without downloading and installing (not allowed here) a separate package.

score 23 · Accepted Answer · edited Sep 19 '13 at 12:12

VBScript and Windows Script Host don't provide intrinsic functions for maximizing/minimizing/restoring a window. Without any third-party tools, your only option is to use SendKeys to simulate keyboard the shortcuts of the corresponding commands in a window's system menu.

To maximixe the active window, you can simulate the Alt+SpaceBar, x shortcut:
```
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oShell.SendKeys "% x"
```

To minimize the active window, use Alt+SpaceBar, n:

Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oShell.SendKeys "% n"

To restore the active window, use Alt+SpaceBar, r:

Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oShell.SendKeys "% r"

(Note that this code won't work in non-English Windows versions, where the names of the Maximize/Minimize/Restore commands are localized and therefore have other shortcuts.)

I can get this to work with e.g. "calc". But for some reason not with "taskmgr". Any suggestions? https://stackoverflow.com/questions/44180036/sendkeys-in-vbscript-not-working-for-taskmgr — Linus, May 25 '17 at 12:01

score 4 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 28 '18 at 18:19

4

SendKeys was not working in my computer. Spanish native with Spanish and English keyboard. I did this and worked in my code as instruction and worked to maximize my excel window. I put the .Sleep to visually check it.

objExcel.SendKeys"% x"
objExcel.Visible = True
objExcel.SendKeys"% x"

WScript.Sleep 2000

edited Jun 28 '18 at 18:19

shilovk

11,718
17
75
74

answered Jun 28 '18 at 17:47

Abraham

41
1

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 12 '19 at 09:42

1

To maximize any window, the following code will work:

Application.SendKeys "%{ }"
Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("00:00:02"))
Application.SendKeys "x"

answered Apr 12 '19 at 09:42

Bisweswar Swain

11
2

Dmitry Babich · Answer 4 · 2020-01-21T02:57:26.077

1

Topic is old. But I managed to find language independent solution. SendKeys can basically send any keys to application, including arrow keys and enter key. So we can emulate those actions without particular letters (x,r,n). Here is working example:

Dim oShell : Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
oShell.SendKeys("% {DOWN}{DOWN}{DOWN}{DOWN}{ENTER}")   'Maximize
'...
oShell.SendKeys("% {ENTER}")   'Restore
'...
oShell.SendKeys("% {DOWN}{DOWN}{DOWN}{ENTER}")   'Minimize

edited Jan 21 '20 at 02:57

answered May 14 '19 at 02:13

Dmitry Babich

99
6

2

For particular application you have to find the number of arrows before enter key. Good luck! – Dmitry Babich May 14 '19 at 02:16

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 09 '21 at 13:21

This works for me in my Excel macro to maximise an external PDF document by executing the shortcut keys 'Alt+Spacebar+x'.

Mote: '%' represents the Alt key, '( )' represents the spacebar key and 'x' represents the maximise key.

Application.SendKeys "%+( )+(x)", True

How can I maximize, restore, or minimize a window with a vb script?

5 Answers5

Linked