Allow narrower windows (Why are the Q Mac register windows so huge?) (+7 Merged Votes)

guitarian
guitarian Member ✭✭
edited October 2023 in Display/UI
Please allow narrower windows to only show selected columns.

I recently had to buy Quicken 2019 (after using 2007 until it was no longer supported). I have quite a few complaints, but my main question is Why can't I shrink the register window?
It takes up over half of my screen for no reason. I only use 7 columns but instead of making the window smaller, the register just shows about 30% white screen (wasted space) on the right side of the window. If I adjust or even remove the accounts bar, it simply slides the columns to the left and creates even more blank/wasted space. Quicken 2007 also limited the amount you could shrink the register windows, but they were about half the size.
Is there something I'm missing (besides about half of my screen)?
Thanks
14
14 votes

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Comments

  • Richard Holub
    Richard Holub Member ✭✭
    edited November 2019
    I have discussed this matter in the past with members on this board.  My Quicken program takes up about 2/3 of my MacBook Pro screen and it makes it difficult to keep my online bank account window visible at the same time.  I was hoping that some technician could make it so that the user (me) could adjust the size.  Other uses would also benefit :-)
  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    I'm guessing you're using a 13" MBP? On my 15" MBP, I can shrink it down to about 1/2 the screen width and height.

    Here's one trick... open the register in its own window by double clicking in the sidebar. Then close the main window. The register-only window can be sized smaller than the main window.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Also, with the latest version 5.11 update to Quicken 2019, you can now adjust font size in addition to row spacing in your register -- so if you can tolerate smaller text, you can make the text smaller and narrow your columns in order to shrink your overall window size.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    @jacobs
    I think the OP's issue is that no matter how few columns or how small the font, Quicken will only allow a certain minimum pixel width for the windows.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Well, without a complete redesign of the user interface of Quicken -- which isn't about to happen -- about all that can be done is trying to make things as compact as possible to maximize the available screen real estate.

    I use Quicken mainly on an iMac with a large screen, but I do do testing on a 13" MacBook Pro. And I find I am able to reduce the size of the window so I can see it and something else (like this forum), at the same time. You don't get to see a lot of transactions at once, but it's workable.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • RickO
    RickO SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    Like any Mac window, move your cursor over to the right edge until it turns into a left/right arrow, then drag the right edge to the left, shrinking the window.
    Quicken Mac Subscription; Quicken Mac user since the early 90s
  • guitarian
    guitarian Member ✭✭
    Hi RickO,
    Thanks for the reply.
    Yes, like any Mac window, the size should be changed by the cursor in the lower right corner. Unfortunately, Quicken (for Mac, at least) limits the smallest size to over half of the screen width and over half of the screen height.
    The double-arrow cursor becomes a single arrow cursor and I am stuck with way too much empty, unused space taking up real estate on my screen.
    Thanks, Guitarian


  • guitarian
    guitarian Member ✭✭
    I did not know one could do that. Great suggestion. Not a perfect solution but certainly reduces size.
    Thanks RickO!
  • smayer97
    smayer97 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2019
    I have turned this into an IDEA thread so others can also vote on it. 

    Have Questions? Help Guide for Quicken for Mac
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    Add your VOTE to Quicken for Mac Product Ideas

    Object to Quicken's business model, using up 25% of your screen? Add your vote here:
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    (Now Archived, even with over 350 votes!)

    (Canadian user since '92, STILL using QM2007)

  • guitarian
    guitarian Member ✭✭
    I recently updated to Version 5.12.3. Today I clicked on the lower right corner of the account page and the window grew about 2 more inches!
    I didn't even try to move the cursor but as soon as I clicked, it showed only the sizing arrow to increase size and would not let me shrink the screen back to the smaller size.
    WHY do the windows have to be so large, and now even larger?
  • guitarian
    guitarian Member ✭✭
    I recovered Q using my 8/1 backup file. The screen was originally the older size, but when I repeated my previous action of clicking on the lower right corner, the window lengthened by about 15%.
    I then reverted back to my saved 9/1 file. The window is back to its "normal" size, so I suppose I just have to make sure I don't let my cursor get too close to the sizing arrows.
    But I'll be a PItA and ask again, why do the windows have to be so damn large?
  • Ben Michaud
    Ben Michaud Member ✭✭
    Especially after the last major release of Quicken for Mac, I can't reduce the size of the main Quicken window, even after I close the accounts left navigation bar. I want to be able to have both Quicken and my web browser or other window on the right of it and be able to see the figures in both, but I can't make the size of the overall window smaller.

    Quicken Premier 2019: Version 5.12.3 (Build 512.29258.100)
    macOS 10.14.6
  • Ben Michaud
    Ben Michaud Member ✭✭
    Thanks @jacobs I voted and the count went up to a whopping 3. In the meantime, I guess I shuffle windows around.
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    @Ben Michaud I think the vote total might grow; they made some change in the latest upgrade that increased the minimum size of the window.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • szzz
    szzz Member ✭✭
    add me to the 'disgust' column on this issue
    macbook 12" qmac user since 2017, operated
    without screen grab that ver 15.3 brought quite
    well, now I've lost ability to resize smaller than
    9/10ths of screen display of 12-inch (2304 x 1440)

    other software will allow resizing to half screen
    width wise, safari, firefox, word, excel, music &
    photos seem the have limits but still only take
    ~6/10ths of screen, meaning useful area to see
    other open apps at same time!

    this is a deal breaker for me, likely will move on
    to other solutions if it's not addressed!
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    @szzz Did you vote? Your comments are fine, but what really help is VOTES. Under the first post above, there's a big blue box for voting and status of an Idea thread; click the little gray triangle under the vote counter, and you should see the vote go up by oe and the arrow turn from gray to black.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • wcline
    wcline Member
    I voted. It's frustrating to reduce the font and column size to the point of near illegibility while being unable to reduce the wasted white space on the right.
    Poor design.
  • jmine83
    jmine83 Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2020
    I want a percentage of credit used across all credit cards to be displayed in the title header area. Since each credit card account already supports a "Credit Limit" field, this shouldn't be that hard to implement.

    This is for monitoring how close I might be to the 30% mark that it's said credit reporting agencies look at that influences credit score.

    For example, so if I'm below 20%, the 20% figure would be displayed in green to indicate an acceptably safe percentage of credit utilized. If between 20% and 30%, then maybe display that figure as yellow text to indicate warning. And if 30% or above, display it in red to indicate the user is in the danger zone.
  • Barbara O'Keeffe
    Barbara O'Keeffe Member ✭✭✭
    edited November 2020
    I detest the limitations on the size of the window that we are forced to use. If you have a big screen, not a problem, but when you are on a smaller laptop and want to be able to enter into Quicken items you have purchased from confirmation received via email, or a website, etc., then it is almost impossible without having to flip back and forth.
  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    It's not a complete solution to this issue, but if you open an account in a separate window -- double-click on the account name in the sidebar -- the window can be made smaller than the main Quicken window. On a 13" laptop, it can be reduced to about 40% of the total screen area, which makes it possible to view windows from other apps on the side and/or below the Quicken window.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Barbara O'Keeffe
    Barbara O'Keeffe Member ✭✭✭
    I run a Current Month report and 1/2 of the window is empty because I can't reduce the width size of the individual window. So I'm taking up a lot of space on the screen for nothing. Why can't I control the size of a window?
  • smayer97
    smayer97 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    See no reason why this was limited and even increased. Let users do what they feel they need to do... no imposing some artificial constraints.

    Have Questions? Help Guide for Quicken for Mac
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    Add your VOTE to Quicken for Mac Product Ideas

    Object to Quicken's business model, using up 25% of your screen? Add your vote here:
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    (Now Archived, even with over 350 votes!)

    (Canadian user since '92, STILL using QM2007)

  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    smayer97 said:
    See no reason why this was limited and even increased. Let users do what they feel they need to do... no imposing some artificial constraints.
    According to the product manager, this is due to added interface elements on the various screens, and the need to keep them from colliding/overlapping/disappearing. It would likely take some work to re-do multiple screen layouts to allow them to become narrower. I'm not saying that wouldn't be a good thing; I'm just saying it wasn't an arbitrary things and would likely require a bit of work to make happen. As with most Quicken idea requests, it's all a matter of which ones should be higher priorities.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • smayer97
    smayer97 SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    You take things too literally. But thanks.

    Have Questions? Help Guide for Quicken for Mac
    FAQs: Quicken MacQuicken WindowsQuicken Mobile
    Add your VOTE to Quicken for Mac Product Ideas

    Object to Quicken's business model, using up 25% of your screen? Add your vote here:
    Quicken should eliminate the LARGE Ad space when a subscription expires

    (Now Archived, even with over 350 votes!)

    (Canadian user since '92, STILL using QM2007)

  • Quicken Anja
    Quicken Anja Moderator mod

    Hello All,

    This idea seems to have fallen stagnant and due to the age of the request and lack of user votes/comments, will be archived within the next 7 business days.

    If you would like to see this idea kept alive and considered for possible future implementation in Quicken, be sure to add your vote and a comment explaining how this idea would be beneficial for you.

    More information, including steps to vote and how to submit your own ideas for future product features/improvements, is also available here.

    Thank you,

    Quicken Community Support Team

    -Quicken Anja
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  • jacobs
    jacobs SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta
    @Quicken Anja Even though this topic hasn't received votes, this issue is still something Quicken Mac users grumble about in various threads, so it definitely should not be archived. However, there is a different thread asking for the same thing, so perhaps they can be merged together and the vote count updated on the other thread. Thanks.
    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Quicken Anja
    Quicken Anja Moderator mod
    @Jacobs I went ahead and merged the ideas and have updated the vote count in the title. 

    Thank you!

    -Quicken Anja
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  • Barbara O'Keeffe
    Barbara O'Keeffe Member ✭✭✭
    Please allow us to make more size adjustments on the window. When you have a 13" laptop, and want to have more than just Quicken open so you can additions (I get notified of all purchases to any credit card by check), it would be helpful to be able to have the ability to decrease number of lines in the register for any account to just 3-4 lines. Same for the width, especially for some of the reports that do not allow one to adjust the width of the columns. Again, not everyone has big screens to look at!